I have caladiums for the first time this year and I really like them!! I see they are considered "Tender Perennials"... Will they last all year here, or does it depend on what kind of winter we get?
Caladiums in Houston
hiya Mar! For me, caladiums will go dormant (or get very sparse) in late fall and between 30-50% will return the following season. Very hit or miss. And the fancier the variety (ie Thai Beauty) the poorer they perforn. Since they are relatively cheap, I buy every year to fill in the gaps. More than cold weather, I think rotting is a bigger risk.
I've never had caladiums winter over here either w/wo leaves. In the spring I would dig where they were and they had turned to mush or dried out. I understand that lots of people dig and store their bulbs in old pantyhose w/sawdust or dry mulch to keep them dry but that it is better to buy new ones each year or the plants. I never much cared for them as I'm not into foliage plants, even those w/color.
Aann
I've had really good luck overwintering, in ground, with the varieties that are for sun (strap leafed varieties). I planted them three years ago and didn't expect them to come back, but they've actually multiplied and come back stronger each year. The darker colored ones seem to do best for me and they don't show back up until the ground has warmed up considerably. I think mine reappeared in May. They're really trouble free, and relatively cheap so even if they bite the dust, I think they're worth replacing.
I didn't think about them rotting in the ground, but that makes perfect sense. Mine are definitely for shade since I don't have much sun in my yard. Digging them up and storing them over the winter sounds like too much work to me since, as Vossner said, they are pretty easy to find. I'll just let them surprise me next year and plan on filling in the gaps. Thanks, everyone!!!
~ Marylyn :-)
BTW, Marylyn, if you tell me your acidanthera aka peacock orchids are blooming I'm gonna scream!!!!!
Only about 20% of my 75 bulbs came back this year, and not a single bloom. However, what has returned has nice foliage, so I'm just going to let them be. I have just traded for a couple of larger bulbs to see if that makes a diff. If not, I'm gonna give up. First hostas break my heart, now peacock orchids, what a bummer.
Of course, I have to wait another year before it is officially a bust, but my suspicion is that my clay soil was not amended enough.
Nery, as fun as I think it would be to make you scream (LOL!), I have to say that I have no idea what a peacock orchid is. It sounds pretty, but if it is that tempermental for you I don't think I'll even look it up. :-)
Just butting in here, but an older Houston gardener once told me "Houston is hostile to Hostas". He said he'd never been able to get them to grow here, and this guy could make broom sticks sprout, so I never even tried! So Vossner, you aren't the only one who has problems with 'em. They are pretty, but I just don't want anything that I have to coddle that much.
Snails and slugs just LOVE hostas so I gave up about 12 yrs. ago. Too much trouble and since we have other things that are almost as pretty why bother?
Ann
oh dear, I must have confused you w/ somebody else. Here is the plant
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/756/index.html
Those are beautiful, Nery. I can see why you wanted them! The previous owners did plant a ton of glad bulbs in our yard the fall before we bought the house, but, like the cannas and irises they planted, they just don't get enough sun. The cannas and irises would come up every year (or did until I dug them all up), but never bloomed because of all of our trees. The glads didn't even bother coming up. These are the same previous owners who planted 7 trees and 7 bushes, 2 yuccas, 2 BIG (!!)philodendrons, multiple elephant ears, 4 rose bushes, and a bunch of aloes - all in the (not all that big!) front yard. The poor garden had some serious identity issues ("Am I desert? native? tropical? cottage? HELP!") by the time we bought it. LOL!
Anybody doing veggies? I'm in Houston, near Hobby Airport I'd like to grow Roma and one type of beefsteak tomatoes, green bell peppers, squash (spaghetti, acorn or yellow), a fig tree, and some okra, in 10 small Earthbox containers (2 plants per box) for next season. Any advice from the Locals would be appreciated.
I planted a roma tomato, and it is about 1 ft tall so far. I don't really grow veggies, but I always make room for tomatoes and cukes (but no cukes this fall) It is in full sun, and has not gotten supplemental water since it's been raining once weekly. so far, so good.
I have a brown turkey fig tree. Plant was a little thng in a qt pot, almost 2 years later it is 6' by 6', so make sure you have space. I have been enjoying delicious figs and have been fortunate that birds haven't "discovered" my tree yet. I live SW of Houston, past Sugar Land.
Vossner,
Where'd you buy your fig tree?
Fort Bend Co. Master Gardeners fruit tree sale Feb 2005. The tree came from Treesearch, a reputable wholesaler in the area. They support gardening groups in their fund raising efforts by providing fruit trees, perennials. Groups such as Montgomery Co. Master Gardeners, Sugar Land Garden Club, Maybe the MGs in Galvestorn area (Brazoria Co.?) and others. Somebody usually posts something about these sales at the appropriate time, so stay tuned. As far as what retail nurseries carry them, I don't know since I don't look for fig trees. Maybe somebody will post info to that effect
Thanks Vossner!
Well, I have to chime in since you mentioned my Farm. We supply Harris & all the surrounding counties & any MG group around here & also in LA. If you find out what kind of fig, let me know. If we have them, I can get it for you.
Back to the thread, we ordered a lot of caladiums for a special customer. Every 2-3 yrs, we would order again. I wondered why, now I think I understand. She lived close to Voss & Woodway. Guess only a few would make it thru the winter.
Excuse me in advance for butting in on your thread. Smockette, did you ever find out if you had the new abelia "Kaleidascope"? I really, really, really, want some of these and haven't been able to find them anywhere yet. Cornelius said maybe in the spring, but it's better to plant in the fall here in Houston, so I'm still looking.
crowellli, you have d-mail
You're all welcome to take my thread where ever you want to go.. I learn SO much from all of you! :-)