Caladium, when to start

Hi,
I have some questions about starting caladiums. I normally just buy caladiums in pots but this year I would like to try bulbs. I live in N. Ca our temps right now are 40s low and 60s to low 70s day.
Is that warm enough to plant caladiums? In pots or in the ground? I want some in pots for my front porch in bight shade and some in my garden under the trees. What do you think?
Linda

Hi Linda,
It sounds like it should be ok to plant your cadium bulbs now. Mine usually come up about this time or earlier and
I am in 9a. Fran

Soil temperature should be at least 60 degrees, so outside planting is out of the question now. You could plant some in pots inside, but not in the garden yet.

Well shoot, I am so anxious for spring to get here. The weather is beautiful right now. I sure don't want to plant the bulbs and have them rot though. Everything is starting bud out. Come on warm weather.lol
Linda

Like I said, start them in pots ans then transplant them later. This gives you a head start.

Calif is warmer than Ga. Should be ok if you dont water a lot . In fact just plant them and wait and dont water. I have had mine come up in our sandy soil without water so I guess the soil warms up and up they come . If other plants are budding out I am sure it will be ok but if you get any freezes again after this date then you could wait but they dont come up for a week or so. Fran

Hi Linda,
We're all so anxious for spring, aren't we?
My suggestion would be to wait at least 2 more weeks and up to 4 weeks to plant them in the ground. Caladiums are Aroids like callas or elephant ears, the thing they hate the most is to be cold and wet, that will make the bulbs rot quickly. Like Fran said, when you do plant them don't give them a lot of water until they start sprouting and then start the water.
Good Luck! I think there is or was a Caladium co-op going if you're interested.
Susan

Cadiums need to be in the shade. The hot sun will burn the leaves. Just thought I would let you know. I am in zone 9a also and mine stay in the ground yr round but of course the soil out in calif may stay more moist than ours in fla. also we are having a draught. But mine has been in the ground since 1982. I have some of the fancy ablong ones that have not come up yet but will soon I think. I forget the name. Someone posted a letter about them last week . Fran

i wondered the same thing--now that i know i will hold off planting--my next question is --i bought some bulb fertilizer for my flower bulbs--i think that i should not use them on the caldiums because i won't get the pretty color --is that correct?

I dont know about that. I usually just scatter whatever I have over my beds and they all come up and have bright colors. Mine seem to get taller than the neighbors so maybe i give them too much. Fran

I started them in pots so hopefully I will have plenty ready for the garden when its warm enough. I have always bought them already growing in pots so this is my first year trying bulbs.
Thanks so much for all the help
Linda