Bulbs - Caladiums
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  (September) I was pleased to see a reference to wintering over Caladiums in one of your recent columns. For the first time in 20 years of Ozark gardening here in northwest Arkansas, I have wonderful caladiums. Could you please elaborate on the procedure AFTER they are lifted. What to put them in to dry? Should they be covered at all? Inside a garage? Watered? Those of us who have never done this would sincerely appreciate some hints.

  Some time between now and the first frost, you need to lift the caladiums, cut off the old foliage and shake off as much of the dirt as possible Let them air dry for a few days -- in a shady location -- garage, storage shed, etc. Then shake off excess soil, and store in a cardboard box, onion sack, etc -- not plastic. It is usually best to keep the bulbs in a dry medium, such as perlite, potting soil or even shipping peanuts. Store in a cool dry place until next spring. The key is to keep the bulbs in a dormant state where they are not too hot, but protected from freezing. If you have not fertilized your bulbs lately, you may want to give them a quick shot of 10-10-10 or similar complete fertilizer to help replenish the bulb before you lift them later in the fall. If they have been growing all season without added fertilizer, they may be smaller bulbs that you are lifting for storage.

  (November) I have several caladiums in pots with some other plants that I moved inside. Can I leave the caladiums in these pots or would it be better to dig them out and overwinter in peatmoss or shredded paper?

  Are you planning on keeping them as houseplants, or just protecting them from freezing? Caladiums can stay growing indoors for awhile -- whether they would last all winter is doubtful. If you want to store them for winter dormancy, and if the soil in the container can be dried well enough or was dry when you brought the pot in, they could stay in the pot. If the soil is wet, and stays wet, the bulbs could rot while dormant. It would probably be best to lift the bulbs, let them air dry for a few days and then store them.

  (November) Now that I have my caladium bulbs lifted for the winter, how do I store them? Should I store them in the house or in the refrigerator?

  Caladium bulbs do not like cold, and do not require any type of refrigeration or chilling. The best place to store them would be in a cool -- not cold location. Inside your house in a cool room would be ideal.

  We recently removed two trees from our front yard, which were shading my caladiums. They sure are starting to look sad. Do I move them now, or let them go until next spring?

  Caladiums are not going to survive outside during the winter. They have to be lifted and stored if you want to use them next year. If they are declining now, go ahead and lift them, air dry them, then store them until next year. We normally plant them outside in late April to early May when the soil temperature warms up.

  I have several amaryllis bulbs which bloomed the first year, but which I cannot get to bloom again. After they finish blooming, I leave them inside until the weather is warm and then I put them outside where they get sun half the day. About the middle of the summer, I lay the pots on their side where they stay until the middle of September. I cut any remaining leaves and bring them inside where new leaves appear about the middle of December. They produce large healthy leaves, but no flower buds. Please tell me how to get them to bloom.

  Try changing two things. Don’t lay the pots on their side during the growing season, this is interrupting their growth habit, and probably makes them look unusual. Laying the pots on their side is normally done while they are in their dormant state, not during active growth. Fertilize them monthly with any houseplant or water soluble fertilizer while they are growing. Let the leaves begin to die down naturally in the fall. Then bring them indoors, cut off the old growth, lay them on their side to rest. When new growth begins, increase watering and sunlight. Hopefully, you will have a bloom next season.

  Is it necessary to take up caladium bulbs, or will they last over winter, if they are mulched? If I have to take them up, when do I do this, how should they be stored, and when do I re-plant them?

  Caladium bulbs are not winter hardy. If you are planning on keeping them, fertilize now with a general fertilizer and again in a month with bone meal. What you want to do is increase bulb size, since they are using up their nutrients in foliage growth. Immediately following a killing frost, or before, dig up the bulbs, cut off the old foliage and air dry for a few days. Then brush off the soil and store them in a cardboard box. Put a layer of peat moss or perlite down, place the bulbs on it where they are not touching. Then cover them with more of the peat moss and repeat layers until you are through. then store them in a cool, dry place until next spring.

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