I have really good luck with my caladiums each year. They like WARM soil, so I plant mine early June in pots. You can start them inside on a heat mat or ~75 degree room. I use a good, well draining potting mix and that is it. No baby-ing mine to get a beautiful show.

They will look great in your containers!

I would stear clear of peat pots because they retain moisture. I would start them in a flat or in a 4 x 4 pot around April with your dahlias.

I hope that helps.

Happy gardening.

Keriann~

Thanks! IÂm actually really short on pots. ThatÂs why I bought the peat pots. I have enough for starting my dahlias (which are usually big enough to need a larger pot ) and thatÂs it. SOMEONE (not me) around my house throws out pots! I had a lot squirreled away, and now have only 15.

So too much moisture is bad for these? The alternative is to get some Styrofoam or paper cups, or use foil trays. My house is always cold: I thought of maybe putting them on top of the refrigerator. If you start yours in June, do they get big fast?

Your flats would work, I just thought of pots because they are smaller. Flats may work better because they would stay warmer... hmmm good idea!

I get the soil moist, like seed starting moist, and then wait until I see the leaves emerge before I water again, because of rot issues.

Because I start mine in June outside they really don't do much until July. I would love to start them inside but I just don't have the room. You could even start them now, just keep them warm, A sunny window would work if they only get diffused light.

They are so beautiful and their color is great in the shade. I actually keep them in nursery (black pots) to keep the roots warm, and tuck them in between my hostas in the yard. I always catch myself moving them around and creating unique 'spaces' with them.

Keriann~

Linnea, the size of the bulb makes a big difference in caladiums. Especially, I would think, in a colder climate. I always buy mine from a bulb company here and they are called "jumbo" or "premium" or the like. Also, if you pinch out the center growth bud, the bulbs will make significantly more leaves. I have only planted mine in the ground: warm ground, though I do mulch. They get mostly shade (I should think yours would like more sun that far north) and the ground is on the dry side due to the trees they are planted beneath. I don't ever recall fertilizing them. They are incredibly easy here.

I purchased caladkums this year and started them indoors. They are about 12 inches tall and NO COLOR... they look like regular green tall slender leaves. Is this normal? They package showed beight pink, white and green.

I haven't come across this situation, Caladiums start showing their colors from the very first leaf, but very small tubers (less then a cm) show the colors from 3rd leaf, below is the pic of my caladiums last year, just sprouted:

{{gwi:8617}}

The one constant message in this thread is the words "warm and heat". On top of most refrigerators is not very warm. For caladium tubers to start growing I would look for temperatures over 75 degrees, eighty five would be even better. For starting tropical plants I have an old incubator I can crank up the heat to 85 degrees and it makes a world of difference. Al

I hope it's okay to bring this to the top, because I need some advice. I purchased some caladium bulbs this summer (supposed to be three, but it's five...yay!) and just checked them now to get ready to put them away for winter storage. Contrary to all reason, the silly things, all of them, have put out sprouts! Should I take those off, or just store them with the sprouts on?

Thanks for any help!

Judith

Are your bulbs maybe spring leftovers? Typically they should be planted in the spring, grow all summer, and store for winter.... I don't know if they will last till spring in storage if they havent had a chance to grow and renew their energy stores since last year.

if they have sprouts - they want to grow. you probably can delay for a few weeks, but it's best to plant and grow them indoors over winter in a very warm sunny window, but not next to glass, where they can get chilled overnite. basically they missed the summer growing season, that's why they have sprouts.

I am in southern Michigan, I start mine under lights in basement but sitting on top of a heat mat