Caladiums are tropical plants that grow quickly enough to be used as annuals in milder climes during the summer or as houseplants all year. These low-growing show-stoppers thrive in warm, damp, gloomy locations where many other plants would perish. They can survive in filtered sunshine, intense indirect light, or partial shade, but prefer full shade in hotter climates. Provide them with well-draining soil, and if water puddles appear 56 hours after a heavy rain, choose a new location or enrich the soil with organic material to promote drainage.
When to Plant
After the risk of frost has passed and daytime temperatures remain over 70 degrees, plant your Caladium tubers outside in the spring. Although these plants will only develop in warm soil, if you live in a colder region and want to get a head start, you can start them inside 46 weeks before the normal last frost date. Your Caladium tubers will sprout and root a few weeks after planting, depending on the soil quality and air temperature.
How to Plant
- Find a site where your Caladiums will receive filtered sunshine, brilliant indirect light, or moderate shade for outdoor landscaping planting. Plant the tubers about 2″ deep and 812″ apart, with the growth points or “eyes” facing up, in holes dug about 2″ deep and 812″ apart.
- Select a container with adequate drainage holes and fill it with good quality, well-drained soil for container gardening. Almost any potting medium that is commercially available will suffice. With the growth points or “eyes” facing up, plant the tubers about 2″ deep.
How to Grow
- Water your Caladiums just enough to keep the soil slightly damp, but never saturated.
- After the season is through, tidy up the garden by removing any yellow foliage.
- If you reside in a climate with cold or wet winters, dig out the tubers before the first frost in the fall. Allow them to air dry for a few days before keeping them with peat moss in a cool spot.
- Allow a few months for your Caladiums to rest before starting the next growing cycle.
Caladium Tips & Tricks
- To increase the level 23″ and enhance drainage, amend the soil with compost, finely crushed bark, or composted manure.
- Caladiums should be planted in regions where they will be protected from the wind, as their big leaves are vulnerable to harm.
- After a few weeks, roots and sprouts should appear, with mature sizes reaching up to 25 inches tall.
- Caladiums can be mixed with other plants in the same pot, but they must all have the same light and water requirements.
- To add some colorful beauty to mixed bouquets, pinch off a few leaves during active development.
Do caladiums do well in pots?
- Caladiums thrive in pots and planters, as well as hanging baskets. In containers, soil temperatures are frequently higher, which caladiums like. Planting caladiums in containers in northern places where the soil temperature may not reach 70°F until June provides the tubers a head start.
Should I soak caladium bulbs before planting?
It’s critical to keep the soil warm and moist. Wait until the soil temperature rises around the first part of June before planting caladium bulbs immediately outside. Soak the bulb for about an hour in warm water before planting it bumpy side up, 2 inches deep in the garden.
Do caladiums need deep pots?
- Begin with a huge planter with drainage holes in the bottom, at least 18 inches wide and deep.
- Remove the caladium plant from the nursery pot with care. Shake the roots loose and, if they’re too long, cut them. Make a well in the center of the planter a few inches deep and nestle the caladiums in.
- Begonias and petunias can be added to the mix. Fill up the gaps with potting soil and water in the plants.
Caladiums prefer filtered sunlight, but only for four hours per day. Some cultivars will tolerate more sun than others; when choosing types, make careful to check the plant tag.
This is one of the benefits of container gardening: you may move the pot in and out of the sun until the proper quantity of light is obtained.
How long does it take for caladium bulbs to sprout?
As houseplants, they thrive both outside and inside. Caladium bulbs can take anywhere from two to twelve weeks to germinate, depending on the variety you choose. They thrive in hot temperatures, therefore the warmer the ground and air temperature when you plant them, the faster they will grow.
How do I make my caladiums bigger?
The tubers can be found in nurseries and garden centers, as well as on a number of websites dedicated to the plant. Tubers are available in four different sizes:
Each tuber contains a bigger center bud surrounded by two or more secondary buds, regardless of size. Here’s the part that makes rookie growers squirm: Before planting your elegant leaf caladium bulbs, snip away the huge central bud with a sharp knife. This will promote the development of secondary buds, resulting in a fuller yet equally vibrant plant.
Fancy leaf caladiums are heavy feeders and require loose, slightly acidic soil for good root growth. To meet the first two criteria, dig in lots of peat or pine bark before planting, and provide a good dosage of 10-10-10 fertilizer (1 tbsp/plant). Every four weeks after that, apply a 5-10-10 or comparable high potash and potassium fertilizer till fall. Depending on size, space your tubers 2 to 8 inches (5-20 cm) apart.
The tubers of a fancy leaf caladium require warm soil, at 70 degrees F (21 degrees C). The bulbs will perish if the soil is too chilly. As a result, many growers choose to start their tubers inside in peat moss or light potting soil in small pots or flats. Cover the tuber with about 2 inches (5 cm) of soil, rough side up.
Leaves will take three to six weeks to appear, so be patient. As long as the outdoor soil is warm, the bulbs can be transplanted outside at any time after that.
During the season, water thoroughly and make sure the ground does not grow too hard and dry. When the soil feels dry to the touch, water it thoroughly.
Fancy leaf caladiums are ideal for sections of your yard that are extremely shaded, and their vibrant colors and broad leaves complement ferns and hostas. If you have to put them in direct sunlight, make sure it’s the kind that comes early in the morning. They’ll repay you with a colorful tropical treat if you keep them well hydrated and fertilized.
What month do you plant caladium bulbs?
Caladiums can be bought as potted plants or as tubers that are dormant. Their size varies according to the variety. Each tuber, for the most part, has a huge bud that is often flanked by smaller ones. Many gardeners find it beneficial to take off the giant bud with a knife after planting caladium bulbs to make it simpler for these smaller buds to sprout. Of course, this is a personal choice that will have no effect on the general growth of your caladiums.
Caladium bulbs require little effort to plant. They can be planted immediately in the garden in the spring or seeded four to six weeks ahead of the usual frost date inside. Planting tubers too early outside will cause them to rot, so soil temperature is crucial.
These plants prefer moist, well-drained soil and prefer to be partially shaded. Caladiums should be planted 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) deep and 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) apart when planted.
If you’re growing caladiums indoors, keep them warm and bright until the weather warms up enough to move them outside. The knobs, or eye buds, of caladium tubers should face up and be planted one to two inches (2.5 to 5 cm) deep. While certain kinds may be difficult to recognize, those that are planted upside down will nonetheless develop, albeit at a slower rate.
How do you repot caladium bulbs?
If the pot is too tiny when you buy it, repot the plant so that it can grow properly.
After that, repot your caladium in a slightly larger container every 2 or 3 years, preferably in the spring.
To improve drainage, add a layer of gravel or clay pebbles to the bottom of the pot. This will allow water to flow more freely.
Caladium requires soil mix when it is kept inside because it is the only source of nutrients.
Do caladium bulbs come back every year?
Caladium plants (Caladium spp.) grow from bulbs and are hardy in USDA zones 9 and 10. The bulbs will return each year in warmer climates. Because cold weather can easily destroy the tubers, you can dig them up for the winter and transplant them in the spring.
How much space do caladiums need?
SOIL: Caladiums thrive in well-drained soil, both in containers and in landscapes. When planting caladium bulbs in containers, use a basic potting mix, such as one for growing annuals. Caladiums should be grown in containers or raised beds if you plant in heavy clay.
PLANTING DEPTH: Plant your sprouted caladium plants at the same depth they were growing in the container, just like the rest of your annuals. They don’t require any additional planting depth.
Caladiums typically grow to be 8-14″ broad. If you’re going to plant a bunch of them and want them to grow together, spacing them 8-10″ apart. If you want to use them as an accent plant in a garden bed, don’t plant anything too aggressive next to them, or they’ll get buried early in the season before their growth spurt begins.