The perennial calla flower, which many consider to be a houseplant, thrives in open ground and decorates many garden areas. Unfortunately, this plant is not resistant to cold weather and cannot overwinter in the ground. Therefore, flower growers dig up these flowers for the winter. But in order to see flowering next year, you need to know how to store callas in winter at home. We'll talk about this today.
Selection of planting material
A high-quality, healthy tuber is the key to the normal development of the plant. Therefore, the choice of planting material must be approached very responsibly. The tuber should not be soft or show signs of disease or mechanical damage.
The size of the tubers plays an equally important role. The larger they are, the faster flowering will begin, and the more inflorescences there will be. The number of inflorescences in a plant with a large tuber can exceed 20 pieces.
Before planting in the soil, the tubers are washed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then rinsed with clean water and dried.
Dormant period for container plants
When growing beautifully flowering calla lilies in containers, in order to create favorable conditions for wintering, the plants stop watering in early September. From this moment on, the leaves begin to dry out, and the plant itself enters a state of “hibernation.” The tubers can be dug up using the technology described above, or left to overwinter in a container. To do this, the container should be placed on a glazed balcony or covered veranda.
When storing dug up calla bulbs, it is important to periodically inspect the planting material throughout the winter for spots of rot. Waking callas is very simple: you only need to place the box in a room where room temperature is maintained in the first ten days of April. It is recommended to unwrap the tubers only after a couple of weeks. Tubers are planted in the ground when the night temperature for 5-7 days does not fall below +12°C.
Callas are a very beautiful and unusual plant that evokes admiration. However, it is usually grown for cutting. At the same time, these beauties grow in most cases in winter gardens or in rooms. But few people know that calla lilies feel great in open ground. Therefore, in order for them to delight you with their beautiful appearance and decorate the yard, provide the plant with proper care.
- When purchasing calla lilies, make sure that they are already adapted to our conditions. Thanks to this, you will be sure that you will not have problems with rotting, drying out and spring fall of planting material. As for imported material, it takes several years to adapt it.
- When digging up and cleaning its tubers, you should not put in a lot of effort, as this can damage the immature sitting nodules. In winter, these nodules mature and are fenced off from the so-called mother plant by a special partition. It is after this that they can be easily separated. At the same time, if the tubers are damaged during this procedure, lubricate them with brilliant green.
- After digging, calla lilies should be stored in a cool, dark room. They will fit perfectly in basins and drawers. But keep in mind that the leaves need to be cut off two weeks after digging, when they wilt a little and the nutrients go to the root.
- We should not forget that calla lilies need to be dug up in September. The thing is that light frosts do not damage the root system of the plant.
- The optimal temperature for storing tubers is 5-12°C. If the air temperature is higher, the plant will lose its moisture.
We should not forget that if you grow calla lilies in pots, then with the arrival of autumn, watering should be stopped. Thanks to this, the leaves will begin to dry, and you can quickly prepare the plant tubers for rest.
And finally, if you were unable to save the plant, there is no need to be upset. Plant the sprouted plants in special pots with nutritious soil. When they appear, treat them with ferrovite. But keep in mind that the instructions on the package must be followed, otherwise it will harm the plant. The plant should be planted in early May. But it won’t bloom as profusely as you would like.
Needs digging in the cold season. Many novice flower growers who have grown a handsome flower in their own flowerbed think about how to store calla lilies in winter. What general rules exist to preserve the tubers of this plant and what mistakes can beginners make?
Preparation
In order for the wintering of plants to be successful, they should be dug out of the soil at a certain time. Harvesting tubers too early will lead to the fact that the plant, whose growing season has not yet ended, will not be able to survive wintering normally. And if you wait until severe frosts to dig it up, the flower may die from the cold.
In the climate of the middle zone, calla lily tubers are collected with the onset of the first night frosts (the first days of October). And in more southern areas this can be done a month later: in early November.
With the arrival of the first frost, plants need to be pruned. Dry leaves are cut so that they are visible 5-7 cm above the ground.
You should dig up the rhizomes very carefully, using a garden fork, so as not to harm the plants. The flower is dug up at a safe distance from the roots, after which it is pryed up with a pitchfork along with a lump of earth.
Root tubers need to be cleared of soil residues. To do this, they are placed in a container with water, after which they are gently washed under a small running stream.
When the tubers are cleaned, they are carefully inspected. Planting material that has damage, rotten areas and signs of disease is discarded.
Small damaged areas can be removed with a sharp knife, and then treated with brilliant green or crushed coal.
Drying the tubers
The next stage of preparation is drying the tubers. This should be done in places with good ventilation, away from sunlight. In such places it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature within +20°C - +25°C.
Drying of planting material should continue for at least 2 - 3 weeks , after which calla lilies can be stored all winter.
Remnants of dry leaves must be completely removed from the tubers. This is done a few days after the start of storage. After which, after about a week, the roots are removed. By this time, the roots will separate easily. This must be done so that the flower does not begin to grow prematurely without spending enough time in “cool dormancy.”
During this period, small tubers (babies) have not yet formed a special film that allows them to “live independently.” Therefore, it is impossible to separate them from the mother tubers. This should be done in winter, when they are already stronger. Then it will be a full-fledged planting material.
If the babies were separated from the tubers ahead of time and were damaged, they can be treated with brilliant green (coal dust) and dried. Calla lily bulbs should be stored in winter until the last days of March.
Is it necessary to dig up garden calla lilies for the winter?
These flowers, despite their southern origin, are not too capricious even when grown in more northern climates. But it is recommended to dig up the tubers for the winter - a small disadvantage, not to mention severe frosts, can easily destroy the plant. Plus, for tuberous calla lilies to bloom, a mandatory period of “cool dormancy” is required; this also applies to many indoor varieties.
In the southern regions, some gardeners leave rhizomes and tubers to overwinter in the ground, covering it well with mulch. But this technique usually does not bring anything positive. It's like playing roulette. In recent years, winters have been unpredictable even in the south. It is safer, and more effective, to remove calla tubers for the winter. Moreover, this agricultural technique allows you to examine the bulbs after digging and identify the onset of diseases in time. The harvesting of plants from the garden itself takes place in several stages.
Under what conditions should it be stored?
Conditions for storing calla lilies in winter are as follows:
- constant temperature within +5°C - +10°C;
- ensuring ventilation in places where planting material is stored;
- low level of humidity to prevent mold from forming;
- storing rhizomes at some distance from each other, sprinkled with sand, wood shavings or covered with moss and peat;
- regular inspection of planting material for timely identification of diseased tubers.
The container in which the rhizomes are located can be placed on an insulated balcony, in a cellar, basement, cool pantry, or refrigerator.
How and where can you store tubers?
In the city, calla lilies can be stored on an unheated balcony, loggia, in a refrigerator or in an apartment.
Storage on a balcony or loggia
Garden calla lilies should be wrapped in newspaper or paper and placed in paper or plastic boxes. Place in a dark, cool corner.
Photo: It is better to store tubers in a newspaper and a plastic box.
Storage in apartments in pots and on the balcony
This method is not advisable, but sometimes there is no other way to preserve the tubers. We place them in the coldest place - near the balcony, on the northern windowsill, in a cool pantry.
| To prevent tubers from drying out and shriveling, they should be stored away from heat sources. Sprinkle with a large layer of sand or sawdust so that there is as little contact of the tubers with warm air as possible. Make sure that there is no excess moisture and heat in the storage area. This will cause the tubers to sprout or rot. An abundance of light is also not desirable. It can provoke the growth of shoots. |
Caring for callas in flower pots in autumn and winter:
- In autumn we reduce watering.
- After the leaves dry, place them in a dark place.
- The earth should not dry out.
- When frost sets in below 40 degrees, we bring the pot indoors and place it in the coolest place.
Photo: Flowering will not be abundant if the plant is stored at room temperature in the apartment.
Storing calla lilies in the refrigerator
If there is a small amount of material, the tubers can be stored in a household refrigerator. We wrap each onion in paper. Place in a craft bag or ventilated box. We pour sand, peat, sawdust or moss inside.
| A ventilated container is easy to make with your own hands. We take an ordinary cardboard box and make holes in it on all sides. We cover the bottom with newspaper or paper: they will absorb excess moisture. |
You need to store it in the vegetable compartment, it is located at the bottom of the refrigerator. We periodically inspect the tubers. Closer to spring, sometimes at the end of February, they may begin to germinate. Read on to find out how to deal with this.
You can save calla tubers in your apartment. True, flowering most likely will not be so abundant.
In the basement
Storing calla lilies at home is best done in drawers, in a basement or cellar. Good ventilation and constant temperature are a must. The optimal storage temperature for calla lilies is +5°C - +10°C.
If the room is warmer, the tubers may begin to germinate prematurely, so maintaining the correct temperature is very important. The air should also not be too humid. The development of fungus in this case will destroy the tubers. Therefore, calla lilies can only be preserved in a dry room in winter.
Let's wake up the callas with the arrival of spring
In order to complete wintering, the best time for the middle zone will be the beginning of April, for the southern regions - the beginning of March. Calla lilies root tubers are taken out, carefully examined, and treated with a solution of manganese or any fungicide against fungal diseases. If you didn’t separate the “babies” from the calla lilies in winter, you can separate them now.
Advice
“Children” are not cut off from the mother plant, but broken off. The separation area must be disinfected, treated with brilliant green, and sprinkled with ash.
In order for these beautiful plants to safely endure the period of winter dormancy, you need to properly dig them up, dry them and ensure they are stored in a dry and cool place.
In the apartment
When there are no other options, you can store calla tubers in a city apartment in winter. To do this, boxes with planting material are placed in the coolest places. A vestibule, a pantry, a place near the balcony door, etc. are best suited.
To prevent the tubers from drying out and shriveling, they should be kept as far as possible from hot radiators and other heat sources. Even if planting material that has been exposed to temperatures above +20°C can maintain viability, flowering will not be as abundant as we would like. If the warm place is also damp, the flowers will quickly begin to sprout.
When to dig calla lilies from open ground in the fall
For successful wintering, tubers must be dug up on time. If you dig up a vegetative plant too early, it will not be able to successfully overwinter, and delaying the deadline until the onset of frost can simply destroy the flower.
Depending on the variety
There are 8 types of calla lilies in nature. They are divided into two main subspecies – rhizomatous and tuberous. Calla lilies Elliot and Remani are called tuberous. These species shed their leaves during the dormant period. The rhizomatous species include Ethiopian calla, which does not shed its leaves during the period of “hibernation” and does not have a pronounced dormant period.
Tuberous callas, which are more susceptible to low temperatures, are dug up first. But rhizomatous plants can tolerate a slight disadvantage. But you shouldn’t delay digging them up either.
Depending on the region of growth
The timing depends on the growing region and how early in the fall the cold weather arrives. Typically, excavation is carried out in the southern regions from the beginning of October, and in the central zone, including the Moscow region, from the second half of September. And in more northern regions, preparations begin at the beginning of the month.
Flowers in pots
How to store calla bulbs, if they are indoor plants, worries many housewives. After all, these flowers also require a period of rest.
When flowering is finished, containers with callas are placed in a dark place with a low temperature so that their growing season ends faster. In this case, watering the plants should be reduced to a minimum.
You can store tubers of indoor calla lilies in winter directly in pots. Or you can dig up the bulbs, carry out the treatment as indicated above, and keep them in the general conditions for this plant.
Leading stages of preparation for wintering
In order for the tubers to be well preserved during the cold weather, they should be dug up correctly and carefully. There are several basic steps that will allow you to grow amazing flowers in the coming season without any problems. To learn information about how to store calla tubers, you need to follow the steps:
In the last days of September, immediately after the plant withers, the tuber roots are removed from the soil. During the procedure, you will need to leave part of the plant above the ground untouched.- Next, the drying period begins - for 14 days, the calla tubers, inseparably from the stems, are placed in cardboard boxes and left in a well-ventilated and dry room.
- When the leaves of the plant begin to easily detach from the dried stem, drying can be stopped.
- The tubers are removed from the top and kept in a cardboard box for another 7-8 days.
- Then the callas are stored until the petioles become easily separated from the tubers. After cleaning and examining each planting specimen, you can begin to place the callas for long-term storage.
Premature growth
When one of the tubers begins to germinate ahead of schedule, it is planted in the soil and grown in a pot as an indoor flower. And with the arrival of spring warmth, it is transplanted into open ground. After which the calla lily will again become a garden plant.
To ensure that calla lilies bloom as early and luxuriant as possible, the tubers of this plant should be dug up every autumn at a certain time and stored in proper conditions. And those who decide to leave them in the soil may be left without this beauty in the new season.
Storing callas in winter is not at all difficult, you just need to follow the tips given in this article.
Diseases characteristic of indoor calla lilies
When studying such an exotic plant as calla lilies, how to care for the crop in winter, few people pay attention to the fact that the crop is susceptible to fungal and bacterial infections. The reason for this is a violation of the rules of agricultural technology and lack of proper attention to the plant. Systematic inspection of the soil and the green part of the flower, proper watering, protection from cold air currents and direct rays of the sun will be the best prevention against diseases.
The most common crop diseases are:
- Anthracosis . Accompanied by the presence of brown spots, after a while the leaves dry out and crack. Damaged parts of the plant must be removed, and the crop itself must be treated with a fungicide.
- Gray rot . It is characterized by a coating of a characteristic color that can appear on any part of the plant. The cause of the disease is excess humidity in the air and soil. Affected plants must be treated with Rovral or Vitarox.
- Bacterial rot . The disease cannot be cured. The flower must be completely disposed of, which in turn will prevent the spread of the disease to other plants.
- Root rot . The presence of the disease causes complete wilting of the plant. The cause of the damage is a waterlogged substrate. Until health is restored, you should stop watering the crop. Ideally, the old soil should be replaced. They are also treated with a fungicide.
Why doesn't calla lily bloom?
Poor flowering can be caused by all sorts of factors. Changing the location and improper lighting have a direct impact on the formation of buds. Also, lack of nutrients and frequent transplants weaken the plant, which reduces the quality of flowering.
The calla flower, which is actually not difficult to care for in winter, can become an original decoration for any room. It is important to follow the rules of agricultural technology and not deprive the plant of attention.
