Care Outdoor Caladium
Large plants are exquisite on their own and smaller plants provide an exceptional complement to other plants with color like caladiums.
Care outdoor caladium. Caladiums are tropical plants that are grown for their brightly colored foliage. Caladiums are easy houseplants to care for even for beginner plant owners. They grow well in soil with good drainage and thrive in sun or shade. Elephant s ear planting and care.
The caladium plant prefers indirect light or moderate shade indoors. Therefore caladium plants are only perennial in usda hardiness zones but they can be grown as annuals or overwintered. Fertilizer will help strengthen the plants in order to produce adequate tubers for the following growing season. Typically growing 1 to 3 feet tall caladiums have mixtures of white green pink and red leaves with contrasting leaf veins and.
Overwintering caladiums it seems a shame to have such a showy plant only give one season of color. Elephant s ear bulbs produce large leafy plants which add a tropical look to a home landscape. In the tropical south you can leave tubers in the ground year round. Spray your indoor caladium to imitate the moist air of a greenhouse source.
How to feed caladiums. Water your caladium often but don t over water it. Care of caladium plants. Caladiums need to be watered on a regular basis especially during dry conditions.
Your indoor caladiums only need a liquid fertilizer every couple of weeks. The most important factors in caladium care are moisture and feeding. Caladium sun or shade. The plant s special needs make using caladiums as indoor plants rather challenging.
Grow caladiums in acidic soil that s moist and well drained. Fertilize your outdoor caladiums once a month. Fortunately it is possible to enjoy the same plants next year if you remember to dig up the tubers and bring them indoors to store for the winter. Some of the common varieties include fannie munson and red flush.
Whether indoor or outdoor caladium plants are seasonal plants with foliage during summer and the rest in autumn and winter. The caladiums produce flat broad leaves that look amazing. Use a slow release fertilizer such as osmocote outdoor indoor smart release plant food 19 6 12 or a liquid feed such as miracle gro liquid all purpose plant food 12 4 8. In fact watering them on a weekly basis is recommended.
They can be grown as indoor plants placed outside on patios or as garden plants. Moving your caladium inside will save the tubers for spring growth and can possibly extend the foliar season.