Green Goddess calla

What's the trick to getting them to bloom. The first year I set some seed grown ones out in the ground,they grew fast and bloom beautifully but then they slowly declined. I managed to keep them going and propagated from them each year but haven't had a bloom from them since the first ones 5 yrs. ago.I planted some in a large container this passed year...they grew great but ..again...no blooms.

Peggy

interesting. have no answer for you. but I can comment that I had 6-8 planted in a 8' x 8' area and some continue to grow/boom while others are declining. why such discrepancy when they are so close together? seems as weird as them not blooming in 5 yrs.

This message was edited Dec 23, 2008 1:58 PM

the ones I planted 5 yrs ago I used to propagate from. Maybe I'm messing with them to much.The only ones I have left...other than a few small starters...are the ones I planted in the container last year so maybe they just need time to settle in and make roots....???.

bigred, could it be they are getting too much sun? Also, do you keep them permanently moist?

Ursula

Not a lot. Sitting in a pot under shade of tall pine trees. Tried to keep them moist plus we had a really wet summer.

Peggy

Hello, Peggy, and Merry Christmas!

Maybe the pine trees are providing too much shade. Green Godess, according to our Plant Files http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/37976/ loves either full sun or partial shade.

Although they are potted, my G.Gs bloom very prolific on a balcony that gets only a few hours morning sun. I have placed the pot in the shade and maintain the soil moist (not easy with our hot and dry summers). I am very happy to report that I also have a lot of baby plants from the seeds I sowed last year.

I hope you can find the right spot in your garden and enjoy as many flowers as I have every year.

Ursula

I do too. The ones I did get the first time I set them out were beautiful and I sure would like to some blooms again.

The pine trees they're under are limbed up(by mother nature) very high so it's really bright shade with a period of 2-3 hrs. of sun.

Are you fertilizing?

I put time release fertilizer in the pot when I potted them up last year. Maybe they just haven't settled into the pot yet.

Peggy

If they get too much nitrogen they'll put up leaves but not as many flowers.
And sometimes it's easy to miss the flowers because they are so green!

I've got to see them bloom once. Good thing I took a picture 'cause I haven't seen ay more.

Hi bIGRED,

I'm no expert, but I have Crystal Blush and the standard white. I had 2 pots of callas three years ago and now I have 9 because they propagate so readily. But every winter (I'm in zone 5a here) I bring them in the house, put them in the basement, and put them somewhere dark to force them into dormancy. In April, when it is still too cold for them but they sense light, and start to grow, I put pot lids on them to keep them in dormancy. They bloomed so much and propagated so readily that, well, that's why I have 9 pots of them.

My question (and forgive me if I missed it above) are you allowing them to go dormant? Your climate is so wonderful that they aren't killed by frost but I do think they require a dormant period. Could that be it?

Donna

Edited to correct spelling of propagate (not propogate, Donna!)


This message was edited Jan 6, 2009 5:56 PM

that may just be it...they haven't gotten enough cold weather to put them in dormancy.

Peggy,

Perhaps withholding water and then putting the where there is no light would do it. Perhaps for three months?

Donna

Wouldn't hurt to try.

Peggy

Green goddess goes dormant during the hot part of the year so that's not it.

My experienced might not match others since mine are in the ground. Mine are just now pushing up, tallest leaves are about 1' tall. last year they bloomed like mad, got very little direct sun and little fertilizer.

I transplanted some regular whites into a pot 2 year ago and they did miserably, last year put them back in the ground and am still waiting on them to recover and be their gorgeous huge selves. I think they only care for transplanting at certain times of the year (early fall!) and if you try it at other times you pay.

I'm hoping my GG will do better this year.

Peggy,

I hope so too.

Donna

Me, too! This is one of my favorite callas, so pretty those green and white blooms.

lurk...

I have Garnet Glow in a pot.. It bloomed profusely last spring and summer.. right now its got a couple lil sprouts, but I dont expect much of it.. It has not been chilled.

I have pink and yellow ones in a flowerbed but those haven't bloomed much either.
my neighbor across the street has a huge bright yellow w/red edging that she more or less neglects and it blooms like crazy every year.

Dogs.....

Dogs?

Yeah, maybe the dogs are fertilizing hers more than yers? I had tigerlilies by my kennel and man, they loved it!!!!

her's is in a huge pot on the porch.

My GG is in a pot. Pinks and yellows in the ground.

LOL! I cant say what Ima thinking!

But yea. the tigers loved the doo. They never bloomed much before the kennel was there, then when I went to move the derned buls, I kid you moot they were the size of cantalops!

Out here they are going bonkers, but I cant say its the dogs! Its the sand and wet maybe?

Well it was just a silly though since they are both bulbs!