Caladium Problems! Help please..........

Last summer, I had four pots of different types of caladiums. They were beautiful. Just before the first frost, I cut the plants off, dug the bulbs/corms up, dried them for a couple of days. Then I placed them in small mesh bags and put them in my dad's basement in a cool, dark place. This spring I retrieved them and they seemed fine. I was very pleased - they seemed just like the ones I had planted - nice and firm, etc. But none of them grew. What did I do wrong? I bought some new ones this spring that are growing and are beautiful. I'd like to winter the bulbs over, but with the luck I had last year, I'm wondering whether it would just be easier to buy new each spring. They are so beautiful in the shady part of my yard. Thanks for any hints or suggestions. Linda

Hi Linda, I try to keep mine from year to year, also. I was a little late potting them this year. It took them a long long time to emerge after I potted them up in 4-6 in. pots. I'd keep uncovering them to check for growth and I only lost a couple to rot. I think I'll start them inside on a heat mat next spring in early to mid March. -B

You need to store Caladiums at least above 70 degrees. Below this temperature some chemical process takes place within the bulb whereby it creates an outer shell that is almost impossible for the roots to penetrate, hence the fact that thay did not do anything.

Meshbag is fine...they need a lot of air around them.

Really 70? My basement doesn't freeze but I'm sure it's not 70 in the winter.... I do keep them dry and dark.

My dad's basement, especially where I had them, may not be 70, but I would say it's at least 55 degrees - never below that.

I still feel it is the temperature.

I had the same question, and I found the same info bleek offered. See this link. http://www.caladium.com/

I wish I had known they would be so beautiful where I planted them and would grow as fast as they did. My goodness, they sprouted and had large leaves on them in mere days. (Like, the next time I looked, they appeared to have been growing there for months! ) I will be planting many more of these next year, in the yard and in containers.

How early did you plant them out? If the soil is not warm enough for growth, the caladiums will rot without a sprout to be seen. You can start them inside and plant out after the soil warms up. If you use the larger peat pots, you can just plant the whole thing in the ground. I knew one grower who sprouted his caladiums in saw dust then after he saw signs of growth shifter to plasic post full of potting soil.

Beth

Turtle: Thanks - I didn't plant them until mid-May, which here is well after our last frost date. I bought a couple of new varieties this spring that I'm enjoying too - maybe I'll try them again and see if I can get them going next spring. Linda

I live in FL and we grow lots of Caladiums. I grow mine in pots, I have a very small yard to work with. I just leave mine in the pots they grew in and store them under my shed out back. I would suggest that you leave some of the soil around them in a brown paper bag under the sink or where ever. They do like to be a bit on the cool side, but 55-65 should be fine. The big growers keep the humidity high in their stoage sheds, most homes up north are very dry in winter that may be a factor in your losing them.

Dale: Thanks for the suggestions. Maybe I'll try just a little warmer place with a little dirt. Linda

Linda, the only thing that I can think of as to why your tubers didn't sprout was because of a fungus and they rotted. Did you ever dig them up this spring/summer to see why they didn't sprout? Was the tuber rotted?

It is fine to keep them at 55-60, the temp is a great holding temp. You kept them dry and in a mesh bag for good air circulation, so that was fine. You waited long enough to plant them in warmer weather-so that was good too. The only other thing that i can think of is that you planted them too deep.

Someone in a zone lower than or the same zone as me ( 7b) had hers come back after the winter, and you know the soil temp was way under 70, under 55!! lol

Caladiums need a soil temp of about 70 degrees to sprout, and even moist soil. When I do them in the greenhouse, I use warm water to water them with every am, to keep the soil temps up.