It's been fun and interesting getting used to gardening in a woodland environment. This is my 3rd year gardening here, and the doors to a whole new world of shade loving plants has been opened to me. I tried a collection of caladiums this spring, and they're the best color in my late summer garden. Here's 'Gingerland'
A bright spot in the dark: caladium 'Red Flash'
This is 'Carolyn Whorton'
This is Florida 'Sweetheart' with tricolor St.John's wort.
I think this is my favorite: 'White Queen'
Congratulations.................. these are beautiful.
Kaleem
This is 'Aaron'
Thanks Kaleem! I'm so proud! Neal
VERY nice job!
Those are some of my favorite Caladium cultivars.
Love the soft look in the photos.
Good use of combinations.
Are you sure this is your first year w/ them?
Ric
Thanks Ric! I think it's more this environment they like than me, but yep, it's my first try. I felt pretty sure they'd perform well though, or I sure would'nt have tried so many. As for the "soft look" in the pics, I think that's from an unsteady hand LOL. Getting better though; my first shots looked like a drunk had taken them!
Your caladiums are beautiful. I have very little shade in my yard, but everywhere I can find a little, I plant caladiums. I just love them. I've just got to remember to dig them up and save them this year.
Your cads are beautiful! I wonder if you could tell me what I'm doing wrong? It's in a pot in a bright northern exposure window. I water just before it starts to feel dry (about every 10 days or so). The stems are about 12'' long and totally droop. I've tryed supporting them, but they're still pretty floppy. I'm down to three somewhat healthy leaves, but now one of those is starting to fade. It looks almost as if it's been straining to reach the sun. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
A-
Thanks minigrannie! I already dig so much in the fall, what's a little more?LOL I call it autumn excavation! I'm suprised caladiums can't be left in the ground in your zone.
ahuihou, my only experience with them in the house was when I started them in early spring. I had them in a south facing window, but there is a hill right behind the house so they did'nt get a lot of direct light. They were slow to get started, but I think part of that was because I could'nt provide them with bottom heat. I understand they really like warm soil. I did see a few nice leaves while they were indoors, but the color was much better on leaves that developed outside. They did have to be turned daily because of reaching for the light like yours. If you have any shade outside I bet that would make it happy. Good luck, Neal.
A-
Sounds like they need more light.
The paler spotted ones like 'Miss Muffet' actually can't take full sun at all.
The others are partial shade to partial sun. Try giving them some morning or evening sun.
They should stout right up.
Ric
Finally got a decent shot of 'White Christmas'
And 'Pink Symphony'
A close up of 'Pink Symphony'. These were the latest to emerge and have'nt been all that vigorous.
And 'Little Miss Muffett'
Thanks for the input. I'll try putting them outside with my Hedychium and Heliconia. Bright light but not direct. I'll let you know how it goes. thanks again!
ahuihou
Neal, are these recent pictures. I have lots of caladiums but mine are all biting the dust and hanging their heads really low right now! They still have some color but these look REALLY good! Congratulations!
MiniGrannie, I know the "rules" say to dig your caladiums and replant in the spring, but I've never done that and I have LOTS of them every year. They multiply like bunnie rabbits! Do you think you'd have to dig in Texas?
Thanks teateacher! These pics were taken a couple of days before posting. We're getting cooler nights now, so they're starting to look a little tired. They've worked hard, so that's ok! If they were hardy here I'd go really nuts with them.
Neal
teateacher, it must be your micro-climate. If I don't dig mine up, they rot... They are so beautiful. I'm going to put them all in one big pot (or 2 or 3) and let them live inside during the winter. I hope it works :)
The caladiums are all dug, dried, and stored in little plastic boxes full of peat moss, so I sure hope they store well. They had lots of babies! I did'nt know what to expect, bigger bulbs, offsets, or what. But most of doubled or tripled in how many tubers I have for next year.
Any pointers any of you can offer on winter storage of caladiums would be greatly appreciated. I have a closet that stays very cool in winter(compared to the rest of the house) and it serves cannas, elephant ears, and other tender bulbs well. So the plan is to keep them in there in stackable storage boxes with loose fitting lids. Think that will work ok? Neal.
Neal, those are great pics, I love caladiums, any color, any variety. A good many of them being developed now, are sun tolerant. So I know if I can grow them in full Orlando, FL sun, certainly a good many can take full sun in states north of me. Florida Sweetheart was developed here in Florida, and stays in full sun on my decks in pots all summer long. So does Carolyn Whorton and Red Flash. White queen, one of my favorite whites, does fairly well too. Experiment, and leave a few bulbs in the ground to see what happens. The rest you are digging up, sound like you're doing it correctly. Sawdust or peat, in dry tubbies.
Thanks MM! Maybe next year I'll have so many that I won't mind leaving some in the ground to experiment. I chose caladiums because I have lots of dappled shade, but in August a large tree fell and the infusion of sun did'nt bother them at all. Little Miss Muffett had some browning, but the new leaves were fine. Neal.
Hello Gemini I would not suggest leaving any Caladiums out they are extremely easy to rot. Most are zone 9. A slight freeze and they are gone. But they can be stored easily. I notice your in KY as am I you should visit if you come into the Louisville area I have a good collection of odd things a lot of caladiums as well. Good luck. you can contact me if you are interested in seeing the place.
Thanks Brian. I have every intention of making that trip, but I see your posts! My head will blow up trying to make up my mind. And there's a couple more members from this area who are also aroid enthusiasts who will kill me if I make the trip without them. Come spring we'll be there with bells on ready to shop and drool! LOL
Neal.
I think caladiums just don't like me. I've tried them various times over the years and they just don't do well. I've got a perfect location for them, and though none died, they steadily got uglier as the summer went on. Here they are after I first planted them in June. I did dig and save the tubers, so maybe next year will be better for them. I'm going to try a different shady location next year.
kbaumle, your caladiums look healthy; where did you get your bulbs/plants? I've looked at the bulbs in big box stores in the past, but the ones I ordered were much larger. I wonder if your bulbs will be larger next spring and give you a bigger display.
Some of the brighter varieties even confused the hummingbirds this summer. They have quite the buffet here and go from one flower to the next, but it was funny to see them humming around the caladiums looking for the nectar.
Neal
I agree with Gemini, you may just have smaller bulbs that in time will display better. The ones in your pic look very healthy.
MerryMary
~ps- who DOESN'T want to go to Brians!?!? :)
Everyone is welcome to visit. I suggest spring to late summer for the best show of plants. If anyone is near just email me or give me a heads up to make sure I will be in.
I bought them like that, as plants. Like I said, they just progressively got smaller as the summer went on. The one thing we thought about was that the soil in that raised bed had a LOT of wood ash in it, and maybe that was really bad for the caladiums. I did dig up the bulbs and they aren't big at all. Most are pretty small. I got these at a local place that sets up every summer and has done so every year for as long as I can remember. They've always got great stuff. When the season is over, the family goes to Florida.
I have the fishing line strung around the bed to keep the cats from digging. They LOVE that bed, because of the nice loose soil. LOL.
Kbaumle-Caladium plants do indeed start to peter out this time of year, and eventually go dormant. If your weather has been cool and damp, it sends them into slumber for the winter. I think for the most part (from the pic you sent) they should get bigger next season. Give them a healthy dose of fertilizer for plants, not flowers, and they should be aok. Once the caladium farms down here get up and running full speed again (they were all wiped out by 2 years of hurricances) try ordering a giant sized bulb, to see if it makes a difference. You will quickly know if theres a problem with your soil or area, or just need to be patient for the bulbs to grow.
Caladium tubers naturally sleep during the winter months were they are from it is usually the dry season. The thing I see the most problem with in having small tubers are as follows. Poor soil is a common problem as well as lack of feeding. Now one of the more important things I have found is dig the plants and leave the leafs and stems on. The leafs will go dormant naturally and the energy will return to the tuber making it much larger.
Oh poop, Brian! I cut the leaves off when I dug, let them finish drying, then the stems fell away easily. The leaves were starting to look a bit faded and ratty, with some yellowing. How bad do you think I may have goofed there? Had I been thinking, I would have come to that conclusion.(Kicking myself!)
Well, I didn't leave the leaves on either, because when I dug them (a month ago?) they had started to die down and most of them, the leaves just fell off anyway.
Well if they are coming off already or going down hill i dont think it would make that big a deal. But I have found that with many tuberous aroids that you should try your best to let them go dormant on their own rather than chopping them back and making them go down. The tubers will be much larger this way.
Whhheeew! I feel better. But I won't forget that tidbit; it's perfectly logical. If I'd just activate those long dormant brain cells from college biology! LOL
And, speaking of tuberous aroids, I had rotting issues with my callas after they bloomed. Zantedeschia(sp?) aethopica varieties and rehmanii varieties both, but not all of either. The ones that did it looked fine, then started flopping over, and when I investigated, the base and tuber were rotten. And now The big white calla (that lived fine and was next to one that rotted) is trying to grow in its dry peat.
Any ideas what may cause these problems?
Rotting tubers is helped by cold and wet.
They rot in the ground far faster than in pots.
I usually pull mine, knock off the dirt and let them sun dry a day or two.
Then they hang till the leaves fall off.
This toughens the 'skin' and helps keep in moisture.
Then I gently brush off the dirt and store in paper bags.
I've tried all kinds of fillers and found just bagging them does the best for me.
I'll start replanting inside in March so the don't really get to be on the shelf too long anyway.
I do this w/ Caladium, Plain Colocasia esculenta (Green EE's), Canna, Dahlia, etc.
The potted ones I just haul in and quit watering till they go dormant.
I have left Caladium in the pots all winter.
I just stack them in the corner under the benches.
Ric
