overwintering caladiums

Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:37 am

Until this year, I have always planted caladiums directly in the ground, then pull the bulbs and store for over winter.
This year I have a beautiful container full of caladiums. Can I bring it in for winter and then just set it out is spring? Will it keep its leaves or die down?
thanks for the help.

Mon Oct 08, 2012 2:18 am

Sorry you didn't get a response sooner. I thought someone would reply who has done this. I just dig and store them. I think you could just bring the container in, but just to store them. It is a seasonal plant, which will die back and go dormant anyway. So you would just let the pot dry out and then leave it alone until time to wake them up for spring. The only question is that the soil in the pot needs to really dry out. If it stays moist, the tubers will rot.

Mon Oct 08, 2012 4:44 am

What RBG said. Caladiums have a natural dormancy period even here in Ecuador where they're native, and where we really don't have a "winter" - they'll drop their leaves and snooze through the dry season.

So, as long as you keep the pot in a cool, dark, dry place and don't water it, you'll be fine.

Edit - and if you do this, you've got a chance at seeing Caladium flowers in the spring when you wake them up. If you've got a nice, well-established set of tubers growing and you allow them 6 months of dormancy it's quite likely that they'll feel good enough to bloom for you. This is pretty special - Caladium flowers are quite fragrant and unusual.

Mon Oct 08, 2012 6:46 am

Thanx to both of you. I went ahead and put them in basement.
Lorax--I started the bulbs in pots in greenhouse in feb. Several had blossoms, and my friend was so excited to get one of them. She leaves them in pots and puts them in container water gardens.

I like them with or without the blossoms, as my dad ways grew them.