Caladiums are beautiful plants for shady spots but are tropical and so must be lifted and stored if you want them to return for another season. They are hardy only in zone 10 so are grown as tender bulbs or houseplants in most areas of the country. Here are the steps for digging and storing them:
1. Dig up the tubers before frost, shake off any soil that clings to them, and put in a sunny location to dry for 7 to 10 days. (Bring them inside if frost or cold temperatures threaten.)
2. Seven to 10 days after digging, snip off the leaves and brush off any remaining soil.
3. Store tubers in a container filed with dried vermiculite or perlite, at 60 degrees F or above.
Next spring, when the soil temperature is above 70 degrees F, plant the tubers in the garden and watch them grow into the beautiful plants they are.
[…] Caladiums are natives of warm humid tropics so won’t do well if planted outside before temperatures are warm and they thrive in the heat and humidity of southern summers. They are available in spring as potted plants or tubers. If you decide to buy tubers, start them about two months before you want them outside. To prepare the tubers for maximum leaf production, dig out the central bud on each tuber with a sharp knife. Plant tubers in a warm place with temperatures around 70o F. The plants are very sensitive to cold so don’t plant them out until temperatures are over 70o and the soil has warmed to at least 60o. Tubers planted in cold temperatures do not grow well and may rot. In the fall you can dig them up and store them in a warm area until spring. For more information on storing caladiums see my article “How to Lift and Store Caladiums”. […]
[…] stored for winter but different methods are used to ensure that the bulbs do not dry out. Click here to read my post on how to lift and store caladiums. Click here for my post on overwintering […]