I have a Q about Callas ...

How deep should I plant my calla lily bulbs? And if I plant them in a planter how tall/big should that planter be?
Thank you
B.

Do you know what kind they are? How many bulbs to you have for one pot? The Giant White, Green Goddess, and other Z.aethiopica types would need a larger pot, I planted 3 or 4 in a 14" pot and that worked well for them. The shorter Z.remahnii types (often have colorful blooms and/or spotted leaves) can go into smaller pots, I believe I used 5 bulbs per 8" pot. I covered them with about 2-3" of potting soil, but in the ground I plant them about 6-8" deep (they tend to survive the winters here, so I plant them deep to help ensure survival, but you won't have to worry about that).

Wow, Neal, cool, that's exactly what I do, but because of the zone difference I hesitated to respond. I grow them all in pots, used exactly as many as you do per pot per type. I do withdraw water and put them in the basement to go dormant, because they won't survive in the ground here. I started with 3 pots and now have 10! All Giant White and Crystal Blush.

Donna

Donna, you know what they say about great minds, LOL. Ya know, there is a member in Indianapolis who leaves hers in the ground, I think she said she'd left them for 4 or 5 years. She does have a sheltered courtyard area, but if you have a protected spot it may be worth a try with some extras. I've been amazed to see loads of seedlings showing up all around- I think they're hardier than previously thought to be.

They've multiplied very well for me too. And, like you, I withhold water at the end of the season, then store the pots in the basement.

oh wow .. I have no clue to what kind they are ... they were given to me in a suprise here you go type thing....

Neal, I do that sheltered thing for roses. We put in a wall and when my husband spotted the David Austins Heritage and Glamis Castle and had to have them (I thought, AARGH, many Austins are very finicky) I put them both against the wall and they have done well (5 years and counting). Between them I put a couple of Nepeta Dawn to Dusk, which I have in other parts of my yard, but the wall makes them rampant (three times as high and wide). So I'll bet the callas would do well too.

Gardens,

Nice surprise - they are expensive.

bsgardens, can you describe the shape of the bulbs? The Z.rehmannii types have more smooth, rounded, slightly flattened tubers with eyes on top, and are pale creamy beige when the soil is wiped off. Z. aethiopica types tend to be rougher in texture, brown, and more elongated from top to bottom.

Donna, I'd bet you'd have great luck overwintering them in that spot!

I have the same Q's about calla's..mine are in a container , planted shallow (well, they are now cause the rain has washed dirt out of the planter), but they are yellow spotted callas, I got them last year at Lowes, ...and from what I can see cause they are so shallow, they are putting off green, and I need to know if I should dig them up, and replant or just leave them be.

You mean the bulbs and roots are turning green? I had some do that, some that I think I'd planted to shallow. I just put some soil over the top. Do they go dormant in your zone? If they do, probably nothing to worry about till its time for them to start growing again.

they were blooming when I bought them... in January when we had our fwe days of freeze , they died back, and that's when I put them in the container pot. The whole thing was out in the sun, up to the point that I started seein' green numbs on top of the bulbs. I did put a lil dirt over the top of the bulbs, but am worried I should maybe go ahead and plant them deeper. Really could use some expert info. *S*

A picture may help, not sure if you're seeing new sprouts? They're perfectly hardy there, so you could just plant them in the ground a bit deeper.