GROWING
AND PLANTING
1. Potting
How do I repot my calla lily plant?
If your calla lily plant has become
too large for its container, repotting is quite a simple job. Begin by
loosening the soil around the edges of the pot then lift and place into
the larger pot. There’s no need to disturb the roots – just
fill the new pot with additional soil until the rim and finish the pot
with a generous helping of water.
What size pot should I use for my calla
lily bulbs?
Two to three of our bulbs fit very nicely into a 6-inch pot. You could
use 1 bulb in a 4-inch pot or 3 bulbs in a gallon pot and more in a
larger planter.
2.
Houseplants
I would like to keep my calla lily indoors. Should I place it in a North
or South facing window?
Callas work great as indoor plants. They still need lots of light though,
so please place the plant in your most sunny window and remember to
keep it away from air-conditioning vents, heaters or other temperature
sources.
3.
Planting
How can I tell which direction I should
plant my calla lily bulbs?
You will see that one side of the bulb is smooth and rounded, while
the other side is flatter and has ‘eyes’ or circular markings.
The shoots will grow out of these eyes, so you should place the bulb
with the smooth, rounded side pointing down and the eyes pointing to
the sky. If you are in any doubt, just plant the bulb on its side –
the shoots will find their own way to the top!
4.
Post flowering care
My calla lily has finished blooming. What should I do with it now?
After flowering, continue caring for plant in regards to water and fertilizer.
This post flowering growth period is when new calla lily tuber growth
occurs and the time when they build up energy for next year’s
flowers.
5.
Overwintering
What should I do with my calla lilies
over the winter?
In USDA zone 9 and 10, your calla lilies can be carried over in the
ground during the winter. In cooler climates, however, your calla lily
bulbs should be dug up and stored in a cool, dry place for the winter.
I am in zone 7. Do I really have
to lift my calla lilies over the winter?
Calla lilies are sensitive to frost. This is especially true for the
colored hybrid callas. For this reason, we always say that in areas
with frosty winters, to be on the safe side, you should dig up the bulbs
and store them indoors over the winter. However, we do have many gardeners
in zone 7 and below who report success leaving their bulbs outdoors,
particularly with heavy mulching and in plantings closer to a building.
How do I dig up my bulbs and store them
for the winter?
Begin by trimming the plant down to the surface of the soil. Carefully
dig and loosen the soil until you can easily lift them out. Brush off
any excess soil and lay them out to dry in the sun for a few days. Store
in a cool, dark, well-ventilated location until re-planting the following
Spring
6.
Calla lily problems
I bought a spotted leaf calla lily plant from a retail store last year
and I replanted it outside. This Spring, I only got leaves but not blooms.
What did I do wrong?
There are three most common causes of calla lilies not blooming:
a. Lack of light - callas need lots of light and they especially like
morning sun with a little afternoon shade
b. Too much water - with the hybrid callas, soil should be kept moist
but not soggy. Overwatering can cause disease and/or bulb rot which
can severely weaken the plant.
c.Poor quality bulbs - older tubers that have already been used for
cut-flower production are often ‘tired’ and worn out and
produce few if any flowers.
Try to correct the first two issues if applicable and you could try
fertilizing with an all-purpose good-quality fertilizer according to
directions.
7.
Fertilizing
How do I fertilize my calla lily plant and what fertilizer do you recommend?
Our calla lily bulbs do not normally need fertilizing. If they are planted
in less than optimal conditions and you see that they are needing a
little boost, you could fertilize with any good-quality, all-purpose
fertilizer according to directions. Stop fertilizing when the plant
begins to bloom.
8.
Growing callas from seed
M y callas are done but at the end of each lily is something that looks
like a cluster of green beads. Are these seeds? Can I grow new calla
lilies from seed?
Yes, the cluster that you are seeing are the calla lily seeds. It is
indeed possible to grow callas from seed. Calla lilies usually take
3 or more years to flower from seed. Seedlings produce an underground
tuber that takes several years to grow large enough to produce flowers.
Gently push the seeds less than ½ inch deep into the soil and
keep soil moist and warm at a temperature between 70-80 degrees. Germination
should take place between 30-90 days after planting.
9.
Growing callas for weddings
I would like to grow my own calla lilies
to use in the bouquets for our wedding. Is this possible?
Yes, it is certainly possible and is becoming increasingly popular for
brides to grow their own calla lilies for their wedding. Callas take
12-14 weeks to be in peak bloom, so you should plant no later than 14
weeks before your wedding date. Spring is the optimal time to plant
for the majority of climates across the country - you just have to make
sure that the temperature rests above 55 degrees after planting (below
this temperature the callas will stop growing). If it is still a little
cold when you need to start planting, you can always start them off
in pots indoors or in a garage/greenhouse, and then move them outside
as the weather begins to warm up.
GENERAL FREQUENTLY
ASKED CALLA LILY QUESTIONS
1.
General calla lily questions
How long can I expect the calla lily blooms
to last?
Calla lilies are known for the long life expectancy. This is true whether
they are in a vase or on the plant. On the plant, they can look great
for around 3 weeks given the right conditions. Just try to keep the
plant shaded from overly hot midday sun which can burn the blooms and
the leaves and cause the flowers to wither more quickly than normal.
I have a beautiful calla lily in my yard
and I would like to know the name of it.
Could you identify it for me?
Yes, certainly! Please just email a photo of your calla lily to info@pacificcallas.com
and we will try our best to determine which variety it could be.
Are any of your calla lilies evergreen?
Yes – the Aethiopica Classic Large White calla lilies keep their
greenery year-round. Of course, if you are in a zone below zone 8, we
do still recommend lifting the bulbs for the winter and re-planting
the following Spring. The Classic Large White bulbs ship in August until
supplies last. If you don’t see them on our site currently, please
check back or you could also sign up for our e-Newsletter and we will
send you an update when they are ready to ship again.
What are the 5 varieties in your Fall/Spring
Special?
The 5 varieties in the Fall/Spring Special are chosen by the growers.
They will select varieties that are doing the best in that particular
season and usually try to include a variety of colors. If you would
like to inquire about which varieties will be included in your Special,
please contact us and we will be happy to let you know which they are.
2.
Shipping
Can you ship to Canada or Hawaii?
No, unfortunately due to phytosanitary restrictions, we are not able
to ship to Canada or Hawaii at this time.
3.
Catalogue requests
Do you have a catalogue that you can send
to me?
We do not have a print catalogue available. All of our calla lily varieties
and special offers are right here online. Please view them here: http://www.callalilyshop.pacificcallas.com/allvarieties
Please just click on any of the thumbnail images for details and pricing
on each calla lily item.
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