Sunday, August 12, 2007

Caladium

Caladium- If the sun is right in the morning you could take an entire roll of film, if you still used film. There are just pictures at every turn. I would like to feature these wonderful plants this week.


As I have said before these bulbs from Florida are not hearty here. You could bring in the bulbs every fall. Since you can get them on the internet for not much more than $1.25/jumbo bulb, why bother. (You do have to get them in quantities of 25 per variety.) I do start them in pots inside. The instructions talk about germination requiring 70 degree soil temperature. That sometimes does not occur until June in Iowa. I find I can start them inside about April 1, just about the time that I am taking other plants outside. They do not need a lot of sun to get started. I can get them growing and then take them out for day trips to the driveway in May.

I then start splashing them around where they can do well even in deep shade. Having said that I remarked several weeks ago that the City of Iowa City planted a red variety in some of the planters downtown this summer. They are doing very well in full sun. Go figure.
They do hold up well in the heat. They should, being from Florida. They also do well without watering. Wile impatients will wilt after a few dry hot days, they guys just do not show the affects of being dry.
So here are the pictures.

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