Caladiums - My new obsession if I can get them to grow.

[Scott Radford]

Ah good stuff Dave, thought you'd get good results from these plants

I wonder if where other people might have gone wrong is keeping them too wet. Wet and cool would be a fatal mix and the tuber would rot right out from underneath them. Youve obviously got the right mix of conditions for them.

Let us know when they start to go dormant.

Sean

They are in a terracotta tub Sean. The idea was to increase humidity around the plants, but this also allows it to dry out more quickly.

Gret thinking Dave mine are being repotted, the pink one is not looking too well at all even though the white one is perfectly happy

[Dave Brown]

Must have missed your previous post Scott, how are they now?

Mine went into decline from around Mid September so I withheld water and they have slowly died down over the last month. Last night I dug them out, cleaned them off and they are now drying on the top of the Kitchen wall cupboard at around 20C. I'll leave them for maybe a week then dust with sulpher ( not allowed to dust with sulphur, EU Says so) I'll reword that.... Fed with dry sulphur powder (I'm allowed to feed with it, but not dust )

I was quite surprised by the size of the Red bulbs, and both lots contained multiple bulbs so the £12.50 I paid each was not too high after all. The white Christmas has 6 medium bulbs, and the Red had one huge, one large 2 medium and a small. I broke the large one while seeing if there would be a break point. Hadn't quite intended it to break then so I now have 3 large, 2 medium and a small

[Kristen]

I found a supplier on .CO.UK ebay - based in Florida. Dunno if all worldwide eBay Shops show on eBay UK site? at a quick glance at the feedback it looked like all their customers were USA based, but if not perhaps it does imply that they sell on eBay UK in season.

I tried their website, created a basket, and did get into the checkout with a UK address - but it did quoted me $0.00 for shipping, which seemed a bit improbable.

eBay: http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Caladium-Bulbs-For-Less
Website: http://www.caladiumbulbs4less.com/servlet/StoreFront

If someone wanted to bulk up an order I'd be happy to contribute.

[Dave Brown]

If someone wanted to bulk up an order I'd be happy to contribute.

I looked at these earlier in the year, but they required a minimum order of 1000 bulbs for international shipping.

[Kristen]

Unless I've misread, or the carriage is horrendous, they are about a $1.10 a pop ... and you bought your plants for £12 each ... so you buy 500, I'll buy the other 500, and we make a profit of £5,621 each

I already have nearly 500 plants in 1L pots in my conservatory for this Winter already ... can't be hard to squeeze another 500 in surely? !!

[Deedee]

There's a small white Caladium on ebay, £4.99 - £2.49 p&p 2days 1h to go, Is that a good price and will it survive as a houseplant? He has a couple left..

[Deedee]

Unless I've misread, or the carriage is horrendous, they are about a $1.10 a pop ... and you bought your plants for £12 each ... so you buy 500, I'll buy the other 500, and we make a profit of £5,621 each

I already have nearly 500 plants in 1L pots in my conservatory for this Winter already ... can't be hard to squeeze another 500 in surely? !!

There's 25 bulbs (to many to name) or mixed for $25 95, dont know what the postage is tho

[Dave Brown]

There are different sized bulbs for different prices. The bigger the bulb the more stems it produces, so you could need one Jumbo bulb or 6 smaller bulbs to fill a pot The £12 was for a pot full of stems.

I'd be warey of buying now unless I saw then and they looked good. They are tropical and will require warmth if they are to remain in good condition.

[Deedee]

Thanks for the info Dave, I wont buy any yet then

[Troppoz]

Dave Im keen to see how they overwinter for you. I am a bit concerned about the sulphur dusting though, I tried it with my Mums first lot and they all dessicated away to a husk through the winter. I wonder if it would be worth trying some in soil kept dry and warm somewhere indoors for the winter. Im not sure they are a bulb that want to be lifted like a daffodil.

Good luck and let us know how you get on!

Sean

[Dave Brown]

Thanks for the info Sean, does make sense. I've put them in in plastic food containers in dry peat based compost and are now back up on the kitchen cupboards at 22C

[Troppoz]

Just one thing though Dave, maybe not make the peat bone dry but give it a mist to very slightly dampen it every few weeks just to keep them from desiccating too much.

[Dave Brown]

Just one thing though Dave, maybe not make the peat bone dry but give it a mist to very slightly dampen it every few weeks just to keep them from desiccating too much.

Yes, it wasn't bone dry, just no water added. If bone dry it actually sucks moisture from the plant/bulb. I may try some of the Collies in almost dry compost to see if there is difference in spring

[Kristen]

Just stumbled over some Caladiums on de Jager's site:

http://www.dejager.co.uk/_-Caladium-_/p ... ?pid=54902

1=£2.90, 3=£8.30

The 1st and 3rd ones look like the ones you have Dave?


Candidum


Carolyn Wharton


Frieda Hemple

[Kristen]

Yeah, well Google-before-you-Post would be good advice!

Anglia Bulbs has them 1=£2.50, 3=£6.95 including Candidum and Freida Hemple but also:


Carolyn Whorton


White Christmas