here she was, greeting me this morning. This is the third year in my garden and I'm noticing the leaves are getting big, almost like small elephant ears. Others are waking up, hope to be able to brag about them really soon.
This message was edited Jan 12, 2007 10:00 AM
Don't you just love calla lilies? I know I do but don't have any now.
That's pretty Vossner, the leaves are huge!
Very nice, Vossner.
My GG plant (indoors in a north window) has two blooms (on 3-foot stems no less) but the foliage is flagging just now. White Giant, in the same light, has huge fleshy leaves like on your GG, but no blooms.
Oh I wish I could have them in the ground year-round........
thanks everybody. Robert, I have White Giant, which I got last year from Kartuz, hoping it will bloom for me this year. Seems to be on its way.
Last year I also got Flame and a noid pink but they did nothing. However, could be a cycle thing. I'm patiently wating. Wait, did I say patiently? that's a lie. I'm going: "open, open, open".
I just planted giant white about 2 weeks ago, so it hasn't come up yet. My green goddess is about 6 inches tall with nice size leaves, and my pink callas are growing but no blooms. Vossner: does your green goddess go dormain in the winter? And if you don't mind me asking, what does everyone feed the callas, and how often ?
B'bloom~
I grew mine in in water (pot in about 4-6" of water) and I'd take it out "very now-and-then" and give it (usually) full strength Mir-Gro, I was using 20-20-20 and 15-30-15 last summer prolly used both at different times.
I'm thinking of switching to Mir-Gro 24-8-16 in the spring for most of my bulbous plants like callas, Hippis, Crinums, early on anyway.
R.
In water ? Can you grow them in potting soil ? I've been giving mine m/g every other week...is this okay or do you think it's too much.
Hold the bus!
The callas are potted up in soil and I sit that down in a water-filled trough.
R.
betterbloom, I don't fertilize my callas, maybe I should. However, I am religious about amending my soil w/ compost and seems that by doing that, I can get by without fertilizing.
In 2005 I used bulb fertilizer when digging holes for any bulb, but didn't in 2006. Have not noticed much difference. In my area I am more concerned with the danger rotting from overwatering/excessive rains.
edited to say, yes but dormancy for me is in the fall. Then blooms from Jan thru late summer, depending on variety. All my callas are inground, most of them in full sun, except GG, which is in part sun. All are planted in moist areas. The only one that did not go dormant at all was Hercules, but no bloom action yet.
This message was edited Jan 12, 2007 9:02 PM
Green Goddess, White Giant, Hercules, Pink Mist and the standard one that is usually tagged Zantedeschia aethiopica can handle the very moist or boggy wet soil conditions in summer.
I wouldn't try that with any of the garden callas except Z. albomaculata.
R.
Vossner: If you are getting blooms, I would keep doing whatever you do. I don't get much rain here, maybe 5 times a year. I bought some colored callas from the nursery (discounted), they are going dormant now. They had a lot of dried up blooms on them so I re-planted those.
I have a feeling I will have to cut all of my callas back in the summer, but will wait and see.
I wish you the best. these are such lovely plants.
raydio: noted. thanks, I will remember that when I get my BB callas.
Thanks for the info Raydio. I'll keep mine in soil. I usually feel the soil everyday to make sure it is moist, so hopefully they do okay.
Oh, I forgot about the fertilizer, betterbloom. As long as it's growing well, I don't think that Mir-Gro every other week is too much, as long as you're watering in between, too. Callas are gross feeders but it can be overdone.
I have fed planted callas with full-strength Mir-Gro (20-20-20) once a month and quarter-strength every time I watered after that. They were fine.
R.
Okay, thanks. Mine have been growing well, despite the cold we've been having. I'll keep giving them some every other week.
