Caladiums Galore!!

This years Caladiums are in full show! How is everybody elses' caladiums doing this year? Please post pictures.

I planted several of the 'Miss Muffet' bulbs in a pot for elevation.

Here is a picture stepping further back.

And here is Mrs. Crab strolling through the Caladiums.

A parting shot of Mr. Crab salutes all!

Beautiful display, Pamela. I like the mix of caladiums and coleus. No photos yet of my callas as they are just getting started due to my getting them out late. Everything in my garden screams for attention in early spring and some things just have to wait.

Tussee

This message was edited Jun 19, 2010 12:51 PM

What a welcoming sight.  They are lovely.  Thanks for posting.  

There is something about making the most of what your zone supports.  I could never get caladiums to look like that in zone 6b, but I am thankful for peonies.

Thanks Tussee & Cathy! I, too, have Callas growing. The leaves are looking real good and are very large, but no blooms yet. Mine were planted last year and bloomed away then. I loved that the blooms lasted so long.
I have 2 peonies. One grew lots of foliage but no blooms. The other, also, has lots of foliage, but the one bud it put out was huge with lots of promise for a grand display. But then the bud, bigger than my fist, just turned brown, died, and never opened. I'm not sure what happened there. The foliage still looks healthy, but no more blooms. Last year they both bloomed very nice. Well, maybe next year I'll see more blooms on them.
I just love all plants I guess.

went to Lowes yesterday...they had alot of lovely looking caladiums...and I was SOOOOO tempted to just walk thru and take a pinch of every single one of them, the thrill of growing my own....I know....I'm a badddd girllll

Pamela, we have lovely peonies, at least 10 different varieties and always have some "duds." Within the first or second year, there was nice foliage, but the buds never matured. Now we've got lots of beautiful blooms, we still get some that never grow to size as well as some that are nice large buds that turn brown like yours did. Even the old, established peonies that were here when we moved in establish some rotted buds, and they are prolific. It might be coincidental, but we have more buds that fail to mature on single peonies than on any other. Here are some from the garden.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=7860953

Cathy,
Your peonies are just beautiful. The 2 that I have are 'Candy Heart' & 'Gay Paree'.
I was hoping that the more established they become, the better they will perform. So your words are encouraging.
Thanks!

When can I dig up candy lilies?

I'm not sure which ones are candy lilies?

To continue with my 'Caladium Diary'....Here are some pictures of the Caladiums I took late yesterday afternoon.

The temperatures are in the 90's and the heat index, with the humidity, has been over 100 degrees. Very oppresive weather. But...as you can see...the caladiums are justs gorgeous!

I only fertilized them once, when they were just planted. A superb bulb, I think.
These are the 'Miss Muffet' that I planted in the large pot for height. Now, they just blend in with all the rest. They are so full, you can't even see the pot.

Caladiums, Hostas, & Coleus. A winning combination.

Here is a touch of whimsy....Beautiful Caladium amoung the strawberries.

I can never get enough studying the amazing patterns and color combinations.

And yes, the Boot & Crabs are still there. You can just see parts of some due to the incredible growth of Caladiums, Coleus, & Hostas!!

The Coleus are so bright!

Thank you for the great pictures.Your combinations look very good!

Pamela - do you leave your caladium bulbs in the ground to overwinter? They are lovely.

If I take mine indoors when it gets cold, do I have to keep them cool for a period or cut them down? Or can I just put them in the window during the winter?

I tried leaving them in the ground all last winter. None of them came back. I dug up a couple and they were just mush. So this year, as soon as they start dying down, I plan to pull them up and store them inside. If they still look good come March or April, I'll plant them back out. I'm still new at this, so I'm learning through trial and error.
I copied this for info purposes:


Origin
Caladiums are native to the tropical areas ranging from the Southern Caribbean Sea, Central America and northern South America, especially near the Amazon River.
Climate Requirements
Caladiums grow best in climates similar to their tropical, hot, humid origins. They do not have a tolerance for frost or cold.
Types
Depending on the source, Caladium species range in number from six to 17. This lack of a definitive answer is a result of the multiple locations within tropical Latin America in which they can be found.
Sun Requirements
Due to the shady nature of tropical forests, most Caladiums require full to partial shade. There are some species, such as the White Queen, Red Flash and Carolyn Whorton, that are more sun tolerant.
Temperature
Due to their tropical origins, Caladiums can not thrive under 55 degrees Farenheit (13 degrees Celsius).


Read more: Where Are Caladiums Native? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_5868673_caladiums-native_.html#ixzz0wOZUELJl

Thanks for the info, Pamela. I may try growing them this year - I have seen arrangements using the caladium leaves and it does add a nice touch.

I recently bought a few caladiums to brighten up my late-summer garden. They are very easy to take care of and add a lot of color. They seem to thrive in either full shade or part sun.

They sure do brighten up a yard! I'm going to see how long they last with their beautiful colors. I'll post again in another month to show how they're holding up. So far, 3 good full months of easy color.

I am glad to see this thread. Hopefully, there is someone who can advise as to what I should do. I bought 100 caladiums from a sale this past spring. I did not have time to plant them. They have remained in the individual bags in the box they came in and have been in our dining room all summer. They appear to all be OK so far. What should I do to keep them over the winter? I am afraid they will dry out and die if not planted. I could plant them close together in pots and keep them in the windows of our sunroom over the winter. Will they continue to put up new leaves once planted outside next May or will they need a rest period? What fertilizer is recommended if I pot them up inside for the winter? Thanks in advance for any advice.

Doris

Doris,
I'm not sure what the correct answer to you question would be, but I don't see how you can go wrong if you plant them and keep them above 60 degrees all winter. They grow year round in south Florida, so that would work.
The other option of not planting at all, well they have had no food for a while, so I would think they stand a good chance of drying up.
Good luck!

My caladiums started fading this month, so I have dug up a bunch to try and save for next year. I have dried them out and put them all in a 5 gallon bucket. I guess I will have to put them in a closet for the winter to keep them above 55 degrees.

Thanks, Pamela. I think I will pot them up and grow them in the sunroom windows. I am afraid they will dry up if I don't and I do not want to lose them. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

When you dig them up, how do you let them dry and where? Do you order your caladium bulbs from a catalog? I've never grown them before but would love to try them. My gardening friend about 20 miles from me has them in a large container on her deck which is in a shady area. She just dug hers up in late November. I think she stores them in the basement in a box. Don't you have to store them into something like shredded newspaper, sawdust or spaghum moss or something like that so they stay dry and don't freeze in a cold area? My garage stays between 35-40 degrees in the winter. How would I store them there? I live in Md. Zone 7

Hi Pippi,
So what did you do with your bulbs? We're all sort of learning here as we go. i don't know what the right answers were to your questions you asked last month. Keep us posted so we can all learn too.
Mine are in a 5 gallon bucket in an unheated small greenhouse area. I can't get to them yet to see how they are doing. I will check soon though. We had some temperatures in the 20's this month, so I don't know. I'll have to move a bunch of plants to peek in the bucket. I sure hope they won't be mush.

Pam

Pam - The ideal temperature to store caladium bulbs is between 60-65 degrees. If yours were outside in an unheated greenhouse I have a feeling you're going to be disappointed. The cold weather we've had is probably going to be to much for them.

Pippi - Storing them in sawdust, sphagnum moss or something similar is a good idea.

I'm glad I found this discussion thread. I don't feel so alone with all the questions about these beautiful plants! I grew some for the first time this last year. When the season was over and they started to fade I dug them up, cut them back and let them dry in the laundry room. Then I put them in our well hole in milk crates for the winter. I told my husband today that my curiosity is getting the best of me. We need to get into the well hole to see if they survived or turned to mush. I was wondering if anybody knows if the bulbs multiply like an elephant ear, or if you start out with 4 bulbs you'll always have only 4 bulbs?

Rose

I copied this from another web site:

They often multiply and several tiny bulbs form surrounding the main caladium bulbs. They maybe dislodged or isolated from the old bulbs. If removed and stored properly, these new bulbs too can be used in Spring time plantation.

Thaks for the information! I got out my bulbs today, and the caladiums have some mold on them so I will toss them. They are the only ones that I put in a paper bag. The elephant ears seem to be okay. I guess I'll have to buy some new bulbs and try something different next year!

Surely the poster Caladium4less should be able to answer all our questions. Check out that website. They have some beauties there.

I agree with Pippi. He gives great advice. I brought my bucket of bulbs inside after he warned of my potential dissapointment. I lost about 6 or 7 but by bringing them in, I was able to save the majority. I think the only reason they made it through the first part of the cold days was because I had a bunch of other plants surrounding the bucket, and on top of it as well. Now they are planted again and I'm starting to see some shoots. Yeah!! You rock Caladiums4Less!!!
If I need more, that is where I will get them. And I am NOT affiliated in any way with their business except to be a very happy customer.