my calla lily

roseycheeks · Mon Mar 03, 2014 12:57 pm

I went and checked the tubers that have not had water since I planted it and it has teeny tiny sprouts! I planted them and watered them very well, I have the lamp on them and the others and are keeping them as wet and warm as I can, it is not very warm here yet. So will keep an eye on them and let you know the progress.

valley · Mon Mar 03, 2014 8:48 pm

I have this warm spot in my heart for Calla Lilies. Mom had a 60' row of them on the north side of the big house. I've been telling the girls about them, have to get some. They were so faithful coming up year after year.
Best of luck with yours.

Richard

roseycheeks · Tue Mar 04, 2014 10:48 am

Thank you valley, I found out that I have to be off work for at least 30 days so I can make sure they are watered correctly. My hubby lets me water them because he says he has a black thumb when it comes to plants! I have question though, I just checked my tubers and the skin came off! It has small very tiny sprouts but will it hurt that the skin came off? I smelled it and it did not smell rotten, so I planted it again. I took the skin off and replanted it and put some of the soil on top of them, tell me did I do the right thing?

valley · Tue Mar 04, 2014 1:18 pm

Greetings, Well, the skin is off, so there's no going back, I think it will be no problem. We had them in a somewhat shady place and they did very well. This was in Southern California, might be different farther north. We are about 500miles north of that now, when I plant them I'll most likely plant in a sunny location. Once they take hold there is no stopping them. I'll be looking foreward to pictures, if you can, to see how happy they are where you plant them.

Richard

When you say skin, you are referring to that: onion paper like flake, I'm guessing,

roseycheeks · Thu Mar 06, 2014 10:52 am

The skin I was talking about is the actual topping of the tuber, it came off and left what looked like a very big nut, it is hard and smooth. I cannot make sense of everything I have read and asked about with these things. One web page says to plant it water it well and then don't water it again until a leaf pokes its head out, if I did that way I would have very dry potting soil. Another one says to make sure the soil is moist at all times, another question is do I cover the tops up or leave them exposed? So many different ways of growing the same thing. Is there any right or wrong thing to do besides over watering? I would like to grow these but may have to admit defeat, and I HATE to do that with any flower. I did plant them in used soil, it was January and I did not have access to fresh soil then, do you think it would be a good idea to get some fresh and try it again?

valley · Fri Mar 07, 2014 12:03 am

I'm sure the soil you have is fine, I'd plant the bulb with the top of the bulb is right at the surface. It is already sprouting you said, I wouldn't let the soil dry out.

Richard

roseycheeks · Thu Jun 05, 2014 7:46 pm

Here is a picture of my calla lily now and if you look on the right of the picture you can see another one coming up, obviously I am doing something right

I did not think they were going to regrow but boy did they prove me wrong!!! So look and see what I can do!

: more calla lily sprouts

roseycheeks · Sun Jul 06, 2014 12:28 pm

Here is my callas, they are in the picture window and they seem to LOVE it there! They are really growing tall and there are more coming up, I did not think I would get more than just one, but they keep on coming up!!!

Can anyone tell me how long it will be before they get big enough to bloom? You know me, anxiety just like a father whose wife is delivering their first baby! I am getting very anxious.

roseycheeks · Sat Jul 12, 2014 5:10 pm

I have a question, these callas are growing quite well, but they are a little weak, could that be from soft rot? More stems are coming up every day but they don't seem to be very strong, is there anything I could do to help them? Like maybe tying them up to a stake? Here is a picture of them, notice how they are growing, is that natural? Will they get stronger as they get bigger?

catgrass · Mon Jul 14, 2014 10:02 am

How much sun are they getting? Maybe they need more sun. Mine are in full sun until about 1 o'clock, then partially shaded.

roseycheeks · Thu Jul 24, 2014 7:23 pm

I have my callas in the house in the bedroom, I had to repot them because the other pot was too small, they are in front of the bedroom window because they would not fit on the windowsill. They are growing quite well and I took a picture to show you, how long do you think it will be before they get the color? I guess what I am really asking is how long before they bloom? They were yellow when my hubby got them for me, are they going to be the same color when they bloom?

rainbowgardener · Thu Jul 24, 2014 9:31 pm

They are tiny babies. They won't bloom this year, maybe will bloom next year, but it might not be until the third year.

https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/syste ... -plant.jpg

roseycheeks · Fri Jul 25, 2014 12:04 pm

what do I do with them when wintertime comes? If they are not going to bloom this year, I don't want them to have to start over again in two months after winter is over, what should I do with them when it starts to get cold in the bedroom? Will they survive the winter in the living room with minimal light or should I put them under the flourescent light until it gets warmer?

rainbowgardener · Fri Jul 25, 2014 12:50 pm

I presume your bedroom doesn't get below freezing? Then they will be fine there.

I'm not sure about over-wintering your callas indoors. In cold climates for outdoor callas, they are dug up after frost has killed the foliage, allowed to air dry for a few days, then stored in paper bags or newspaper in a cool dry place until time to replant in the spring.

I think they need a dormant period. At some point late in fall, you should probably quit watering very much and move the container to a dark place.

roseycheeks · Fri Jul 25, 2014 9:52 pm

There is no heat at all in the bedroom, we close that room off in the winter, we sleep in the livingroom on the couch and recliner. I can keep them in the kitchen on the counter and in a paper bag for the required time until I can replant them or maybe just leave them in the pot and quit watering them and still put them in the kitchen, it does not have a heater either but it gets some heat from the pellet stove. But I think I will do that, that way I can keep an eye on them and they won't freeze. Thank you rainbowgardener for your help. I can also put them on the floor in the kitchen, it is dark and cool between the stove and the oven, I had the moonflower seeds there until I forgot about them and they dried out.

Lindsaylew82 · Sat Jul 26, 2014 8:40 am

My mother in law had them in a pot. She would leave them out on the porch until they died down, then she would put the down in the basement until spring with NO watering... She would bring them back out, water them, and place them in their normal spot. She always had beautiful plants.

Your plants are weak because they are not getting enough sun. I agree with you, they look leggy.

Plants the have bulbs and tubers that are planted from SEED can take up to 3 years to flower. After the first year, the bulbs/ tuber are very tiny. They need lots of sun on their green to be able to beef up their tubers and grow them. The larger the tuber/bulb, the livelier the plant! Get these babies out in the sun for a little bit. Dappled sun at first, then slowly increase them to more sun every day.

I wouldn't repot them while they are in active cycle. Wait till they go dormant in the fall. It's plenty ok to leave your pot outside until the green parts die off. They need a dormant cycle.

roseycheeks · Sat Aug 09, 2014 5:09 pm

I opened the window all the way, so the calla gets the sunshine as well as fresh air. The stems are getting that color that the full sized ones had, is that a good sign? Here is a picture since I started to leave the bedroom window open all the time, it at least keeps the squirrels out of it. I think it is coming along quite well don't you?