How To Propagate Caladium From Seed

Caladiums also called elephant ears are not cold weather hardy.

How to propagate caladium from seed. If you have already planted your tubers and aren t sure if they are planted correctly don t worry. When you plant caladium tubers you want to place the tuber in the soil with the knobby side facing upward. They are not the kind that you plant in the fall they need to be protected from the hrash winter months. Caladiums are tropical plants and cannot tolerate any frost and only emerge when the soil is warm.

You would be able to just plant them in a larger flower pot and leave them in there for the summer. Caladiums need to be watered on a regular basis especially during dry conditions. Propagating and replanting. Caladium plants caladium hortulanum grow from a fleshy tuber under the soil.

Divide caladium plants in spring. Finally dig up the tubers in the. In fact watering them on a weekly basis is recommended. One inch tubers will result in smaller plants.

With roughly seven species these plants can grow to be anywhere from 15 to 35 inches tall and with leaves as broad as 18 inches. The most important factors in caladium care are moisture and feeding. Do not splash fertilizer onto the plant foliage. Select a location in shade or part sun with a good rich moist organic soil.

Tubers of mature caladium can be divided. Next water the plants frequently so that the soil stays moist but not soggy. Cut the tubers into 1 to 3 1 2 inch sections using a knife. Once replanted each section will grow.

The leaves of the caladium are broad flat and look remarkably like an elephant s ear. Indoors or out caladiums are a seasonal plant with foliage in the summer and a rest period in the autumn or winter. To grow caladiums plant the tubers in a moist shady location at least 6 to 8 inches apart in well draining soil. The leaves of the plant grow from the knobs or eyes of the tuber.

To keep them blooming fertilize your caladiums once per month during the growing season with a 5 10 10 fertilizer. The best way to propagate this plant is by dividing the tuber into sections. Fertilizer will help strengthen the plants in order to produce adequate tubers for the following growing season. The caladium is most commonly known for being the elephant ear plant found in most gardens.