Caladiums!

Thanks, Pippi. I don't dig them since it's too much work and the next year's plants don't seem to do well for so many people. It's enough for me to dig dahlias and do all the other fall work. I enjoy trying new ones each year (from Bill, of course!) along with the ones I've come to know and love like Miss Muffet and Gingerland.

My order from Bill came the other day. I can't wait to start the Gingerland and Miss Muffetts. I also got Brandywine and Fannie Munson. I start them inside in containers.

Pippi, you cannot store caladium bulbs in an unheated garage. They are tropical plants and must be stored at least 65 degrees. I keep mine warm and let them go into dormancy in the house. Some of them have already started up from last year and are growing beautifully. Even in dormancy, they must be watered some and kept damp.

I guess mine should be coming soon then. If you are in CT and i am in NJ.

Delivery depends on when you requested it. Mine won't be here until May.

Oh ok, I did not request any date, He said not until April because of the cold weather . But CT is colder than me...lol But I can wait. I am not ready to plant now anyhow.

Same here. Our indoor porch is loaded with plants and fitting more pots would be a problem. I'm happy waiting. They grow fast in warm soil.

Marie, the only reason mine came so early was that it was warm enough to ship. Bill knows I start indoors, so he carefully watched the weather reports (he's the best!) and shipped when he knew the bulbs would be safe. Normally he would not ship before the end of April and possibly later, depending on the temperatures. It was 66 degrees that day, and it has been warm.

I don't know how long they take to grow. I sort of set them and forget them except to water. Once they start to sprout, they seem to explode with new shoots. And they are so easy to maintain!

My ground does not seem to get warm early enough, so I have never had good luck with in-ground plantings. I think Pirl has more sun and her ground is nice and warm. Containers work for me. I bring them out when it is warm into the sun as as the days get hotter, I'm usually forced to move them into more shade. And they remain happy. They do not seem to be subject to some of the insects that go after the coleus plants in the shade. I think that is the result of sap from the big old oak tree.

By the way, I'm in that part of Connecticut that abuts New York and is right along Long Island Sound; the rest of Connecticut may be colder and parts are in a different zone.

This message was edited Mar 11, 2012 12:35 PM

My caladiums arrived! I'm so excited!

I potted most of them up, 3 bulbs per 6-inch pot, as the directions said. They're inside right now and will stay inside until the nights are in the 60s. I'm thinking about using the heated cat cushion to provide bottom heat. Has anyone tried this? Hm... I just realized I don't have a heated blanket but my cat does...

I was all ready to pot them up and opened up the first bag, but couldn't figure out which side was up! It turns out the first bag I opened had bulbs with the least noticeable "eyes." I just couldn't figure out how to plant them, so I had to get cleaned up, go inside, open up my computer, and look up images on line to see how to ID the top/bottom of caladium bulbs. That was a rather stressful moment!

Now that they're all potted up, I'm realizing that I might have gone a little overboard with my order! :-P

I hope to update you with beautiful pictures this summer!

Mine came in 2 days ago. So now I guess I have to wait to get them planted. Is April the time to plant them or May?

Marie, remember that caladiums are tropical plants. Unless you plan to start them indoors, it is too early to plant. Ground should be at least 65 degrees or you can count on the bulbs rotting. I would assume you won't be warm enough till May, but you'll have to check your temps. You won't be disappointed if you are patient.

As a side note, we are having the weirdest weather, it could be warm enough next week (but I doubt it).

Marcia

That is what I thought, I know that we could still get a cold snap this time of year. But it sure feels like spring is here to stay. We will be hitting close to 78 the rest of this week, but then dropping down to the high 60's on the weekend while it rains.

It's the soil temperature that's important so heed Cathy's advice. They love the hot weather but it has to be continuing with no low temperatures at night for the bulbs to do their best.

Here's the latest Classified Ad from Bill. FREE SHIPPING.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1254017/

Now that our nights are above 60 degrees, it is warm enough for caladiums to have outdoor sleep-overs. A few of the containers are already show stoppers. Despite the last 10 days or so of off again/on again rain, the plants re happy.

Marcia - I think it's safe. The only ones we have yet to plant are those going in the shady garage window boxes. A few are bagged for my daughter but all others are planted.

This piece of driftwood, we brought home a few years ago, doesn't look like much now but it will burst into bloom with many Red Flash caladiums and the mammoth ones in the wire clam basket.

Mine have been outside for a couple of weeks now. Our nighttime temps have been consistently in the 60s and 70s. One variety (Gingerland) was really late to show up, so I was a little worried, but all the pots are now starting to show their leaves (coming up like sticks).

They look gorgeous already! I can't wait for them to get to their full size!

I know what you mean about being anxious to see them growing! I planted Gingerland at the sides of this driftwood in a shady garden and can't wait to see them growing.

Arlene, that driftwood is perfect!

I think my Gingerlands are also the last to come up, but I might have planted them a bit later. I haven't put any in the shade yet, today may be the first, as it is expected to be in the 80s.

I planted the mammoth Fannie Munsons in March, so there is no surprise that they are getting fuller, and Carolyn Whorton has been in her pot since last year and came out of dormancy earlier, so she is really full. Starting them indoors does not make them grow any faster, it just doesn't harm them. Luckily they don't need light to sprout.

Ooh la la, pirl. That shade garden is absolutely picture perfect. I love all of the different foliage colors and textures! And that huge piece of driftwood---very cool!

Thanks. I love the driftwood as well. It's actually quite large - about 7'. I'll have to measure it someday. Here's a shot before I ever thought of putting plants inside of it.

Gingerland goes well in the shady garden. This photo is from last year.

This will be my first year growing the mammoth caladiums. Have you always grown them, Marcia?

Kosk - that shade garden is my favorite of all my gardens.

STUNNING!!! So fun to look at. Great lighting in that 3rd pic.

Thanks so much!

I never grew them before. It's the bulb that's so big. I ordered Brandywine from Bill (#1 bulbs), and they are just now starting to grow, and they are huge. I put them in with Miss Muffetts in the center. The Miss Muffet (dwarfs) have a leaf about 1/3 to 1/2 the size of the Brandywine, and the Miss Muffetts stay upright while the Brandywines fall over. This is the first year I ordered from Bill. In the past I've purchased locally. I have never planted just one bulb, so I would not havae known if some did not come up.

Not to easy to see as the photo is a bit dark and the other Brandywine leaf has already fallen over.

I still have some White Queens to pot up, and I'm getting my pepper mill ready to get rid of the squirrels (or maybe chipmunks).

That Brandywine is gorgeous and what a great match for Miss Muffet. Terrific color echoes there!

Pirl,

How did it go this summer?

New to me, name unknown.

Hi Dale. It was off to a slow start, probably because of our unusual spring - heat, then cold, then four heat waves. Now they are all performing very well.

I think the one in your photos is White Christmas. I have it as well.

1. White Christmas with salvia 'Salsa'. (full sun)
2. Gingerland in a morning sun garden.
3. Stardust in morning sun garden.
4. Lance Whorton in garage window boxes - morning sun.
5. White Wing in back of hosta plantaginea. This is dead shade facing north and gets no direct sun at all, ever. I had asked Bill ( caldiumbulbs4less.com ) if they could survive there and he said they'd do fine. Every day they deserve another photo. They are growing taller and taller and look lovely there.

I agree Arlene, The weather did slow them down, even my roses. But now that those 100 degree days are over they are doing much better. I will be ordering more next year now that I know how well they look. I have color in areas that I normally dont.

So happy those hot days seem to be past though the humid days aren't fun. They really do add so much color to the garden. NO deadheading is a big plus during hot or humid weather!

Here are a few more:

1. Florida Fantasy (another for morning sun with a bit of very late afternoon sun).
2. Gingerland (again) to show the impact on the shady garden.
3. White Wing (again) to show how much dead shade is in this corner yet the caladiums grow very well. This photo, taken this morning at 9:25 shows them in the most sun very few of them ever get.
4. Grey Ghost is superb in sun. Planting them in typical Walmart self-watering pots (this shows just 5 of Bill's "mammoth" Grey Ghosts in one pot) allows me to move them at will to brighten any spot.

Oops! Here's #4 that I should have included above:

It's time. If you live in the northeast and haven't brought your caladiums in by now, it's probably your last chance. Tropical plants cannot take the cold, but they do well indoors.