While certain plants are famous for their beautiful flowers, other plants are renowned for their lush foliage, such as Caladiums with their stunningly vivid leaves. They’re not just beautiful, but these tropical plants offer a long period of color, they’re also extremely fast-growing and are ideal for areas of shade.

If you’ve never had the pleasure of growing Caladiums you should consider adding them to your garden to create a long-lasting beauty that can withstand even the most vibrant flowers. Here’s all you need to learn about the cultivation and care for these gorgeous plant species.

Caladiums Bulbs simple planter’s guide:

• Start bulbs Caladium bulbs in the spring, and continue to grow in warm indoor soil temperature until they’ve sprouted.
• Caladium bulbs require a constant soil temperature of 20C or more for them to come out of dormancy. They could take a couple of months to germinate;
• Planting depth is 5 cm and with the eye-shaped side to the upwards
• Spread the bulbs 15cm apart.
• Infiltrate water from above following planting, and repeat if the soil appears wet on its surface.
• Tropic bulbs may be moved outdoors from May onwards after leaves have sprouted and the soil temperature is warm enough.

All About Caladiums

These are among our most loved bulbs. They can be used in your backyard garden beds and even in containers! They look great as a mix of annuals and perennials along a pathway so that you can be up close and close and

Caladiums are tender bulbs which produce vibrant tropical foliage that is reds, pinks, fuchsias whites, and pinks in diverse patterns during the summer and spring months. Characterized by dark pink veins with medium pink splashes and vibrant green edges.

Caladiums Bulbs in short

• Plants that require little maintenance, that is grown from bulbs
• Color of the foliage that lasts for a long time
• It thrives in shade or even partial shade
• Ideal for containers for the patio and borders
• It is suitable for indoor cultivation as houseplants.
• It prefers a well-drained, moist soil that doesn’t get boggy
• Tender perennials, require winter storage
• Plant under cover during spring and transfer outside once the danger of frost has been eliminated
• Height up to 50-60cm. Spread 50-60cm

Where to Plant Caladium Bulbs

Although Caladiums tend to be tropical plants in nature, they can grow quickly enough to be used as annuals during seasons in cooler climates. They can also be enjoyed all year long as indoor plants.

These show-stoppers with low growth rates are most enjoyable when they are planted in humid, warm, shaded areas, where other plants are not able to be able to survive. They’re well-adapted to filtered light and bright indirect sunlight (sun tolerant), as well as partial shade however, they prefer full shade in warmer zones.

Make sure they have well-drained soil. If you observe water puddles the within 5-6 hours following heavy rain, look for an alternative site or modify the soil using organic matter to improve the drainage.

When to Plant Caladium Bulbs

You can plant the Caladium tubers outdoors in the spring when the threat of frost has gone away and the daytime temperatures are over 70 degrees. The plants will only flourish in little warm soil however, if you’re gardening in the colder regions and want to jump-start your garden then you can begin indoors about 4 to 6 weeks before the date of the last frost.

Based on the soil’s quality and the temperature of the air and the quality of the soil, your Caladium tubers will begin to sprout and roots within a few weeks after they’ve been planted.

Soil Temps for Caladium plant

You’ll need to consider this plant an annual that is tropical in Zones 3-8. Plant after the spring’s final frost date. There’s a blog on our website which discusses the planting zone to help you identify the the zone where you’re located in.

It will also determine when it’s safe to put in bulbs. Another method of determining the right time to plant your bulbs is to locate that small appliance in your kitchen, called a meat thermometer!

Do not tell your mom you’re using it but especially not for this purpose. If you do, inform her that you’re creating beautiful things! So, head outside and place it in the little warm soil and let it sit for five minutes. Then, while you’re there take a weed.

Be useful! You’ll be thankful you did when you get older. If the soil’s temperature is 70degF that means the soil is well-prepared to be planted with bulbs! If you don’t own a thermometer. No worries. Wait until the outside temperatures remain in the 70s for at most two weeks, so that the soil has the chance to get warmer.

Planting Directions for Caladiums Bulbs

If they don’t the caladiums you have are going to lie there…then you’ll overwater them, and they’ll begin to rot before they get the chance to explode from the soil.

Also, note down how much sun light you see in the garden and what time during the days. To get this information accurately, you must determine the location you’d like to place the bulbs. Set a timer to check every half hour at this location, beginning when the sun rises until sunset to see how many hours the sun’s light is.

Sun Requirements for Caladium plant

 

• Full sun lasts between 6 and 8 hours (parking lot baking sun).
• Part sun is about 4-6 days of sunlight (afternoon sun)
• Partial shade can last for up to about 4-6 hours of sunlight in the morning. is cooler (afternoon shade)
• Shade is between 2-4 hours of morning sunlight (cool during the daytime)
• And based on the type you select, it will determine the amount of sunlight it will need.

Indoors vs. Outdoors

It is best to plant Caladium Bulbs in pots to be indoors in the case of a greenhouse or a place where the humidity is very high. They need a high level of humidity (90-100 percent sauna-like) for them to flourish in the indoor environment.

They need a bright and indirect lighting source. Also, remember that Caladium plants go into dormancy in the winter and fall months. Therefore they will eventually fall off and become dry.

Annuals or Perennials

After speaking with an expert in the field, the farmer advised buying new bulbs every year, as each year progresses the bulb’s vigor decreases and performs less well with fewer leaves and a smaller growing.

It’s all your decision. Many people attempt in vain to keep them alive, however, we view them as annuals and throw them away when the first frost is dead. and they are replanted in areas less than 9.

Flowers of Caladium plant

The caladiums can grow to about 18-24 inches in height. The best part is that you get the same color but without the deadheading of the flowers that have been discarded. The flowers can be produced however it’s very inconspicuous and we suggest that you cut them off so it doesn’t start to go into seeds and reduce the growth of the plant.

Shade Caladiums brighten up and bring a brighter look to the garden. The bright colors that the majority of flowering plants can’t bring.

Leaf Growth of Caladium plant

The #1 size bulb to yield about 10 leaves, and the Jumbos around 15-30. They can be arranged with a checkerboard design in the garden to make an impressive display.

How to Plant Caladium Bulbs

• For planting your outdoor landscape Choose a place in which your Caladiums will get filtered sunlight as well as bright indirect light as well as partial shade. Make holes, and plant the tubers approximately 2-1/2″ deep and 8-12″ apart, with those growing outwards (or “eyes” facing up.
• To plant a container choose the container that has drainage holes and then fill it with good quality well-drained soil. Nearly any commercially available potting material is suitable. The tubers planting depth is about 2″, with their growing point or “eyes” to the side.
• Sprinkle water on the Caladium plants after planting to loosen your soil in the area around the tubers.

How to Grow Caladium plant

• Hydrate Your Caladiums enough to keep the soil damp, but not enough to cause it to be too wet.
• Cut off any foliage that is yellow when the growing season is over to clean up the garden.
• Dig out the Caladium tubers before the first frosts of the autumn if you reside in a region that experiences very wet or cold winters. Allow them to air dry for a few days before keeping them in a cool area that is covered with peat.
• Let your Caladiums be in rest for a couple of months before beginning the next growth cycle.

Caladium plant aftercare and storage of bulbs

Be aware of the forecast for the weather the weather will change in early September. Caladium plants should be brought under cover before any frosty weather arrives to shield the tuber from any harm.

They are perennial, which means you can remove the tubers to store them in the winter months to plant again next spring. Cut back any foliage, then lift the tubers with care and allow them to dry for about a week. After you shake off any loose soil.

You can then store the Caladium tubers in trays of dry compost or covered in a blanket of newspaper in every dry, cool, and frost-free area. A garage or shed for your garden could be a good place to keep them warm throughout the winter. Pots of plants can be brought into your home and enjoyed indoors when winter begins to set in.

Caladium plant Tips & Tricks

• Add soil amendment with an addition of compost or finely crushed bark or composted manure. This will increase the level by 3 to 4″ and increase drainage.
• Plant your Caladiums in areas where there is some wind protection because their huge leaves can be damaged by wind.
• Expect sprouts and roots to begin to grow in the next few weeks following the planting date, with a mature size of as high as 25 inches.
• Be aware of the mature size that your plant will grow in when you select the right container.
• It is possible to mix Caladiums along with different plants that are in the same container Be aware that all plants require the same lighting and water requirements.
• Pick some leaves in the midst of the growing season to add bright color in a mixed arrangement.