I have read some websites and plant database for this plant but none seemed to really tell exactly how to care and make this plant grow to its optimum. At most some websites are selling their tubers but most of the information are just so general.
These are planted from tubers - they were collected from abandon areas where they were uprooted and thrown. I had kept them aside for few weeks as the tubers were dormant.
After planting for a week - the tubers started sprouting.
They grow ever so fast - these are kept in shade but receive few hours of sun.
Some tips on growing Caladiums.
1) Caladium tubers do go dormant after they are fully grown. You may have to uproot them and keep the tubers in dry and cool place for about few weeks to give them rest period and replant them for them to re-generate.
2) These tubers (after finishing their full season) upon digging - they will have grown in size. You can cut to finger pieces and let them dry to "heal the wound" before replanting them again.
3) It had been said that they need fast draining soil (adding more sand) in the mix. I had planted them in a clay based soil but they seemed to find too.
4) Colour change.
When there is a lack of sunlight - the leaf colour will be more green than the usual multicolours. So - they are not totally shade lovers.
5) Trimming
Sometimes these leaves tend to fade and fall from standing upright. You may have to trim off these half-dried leaves to keep the planter looking neat and nice.
6) Do not over-water.
Over-watering may cause the tuber to rot and that would be the end of the plant.
7) Hardy plant
So far I had not seen any pest had attacked this plant compared to so many other plants in the garden.
8) Burnt Leaves
Too much sunlight or direct sunlight can burn the leaf. They are best in bright shaded areas.
I have masses of the red-veined and white spots caladium. They are planted in clusters but during the dormant period, an empty patch is seen in the flower bed. For this reason, I do not use it in landscaping or let it occupy a whole pot. They always end up as tenants of other potted plants.
ReplyDeleteI find that these bulbs "escapes" into other pots when I re-turn the soil and add more soil when replanting plants.
ReplyDeleteSomehow they shoot-up and re-appear in potted plants which I don't want them to appear.
This is the other side of it - they don't last very long eventhough they have a very colourful leaf structure.