Can i grow calla lilies indoors

It is important that you never use a potting soil with an unbalanced pH. Another thing to avoid is a potting soil with way too much fertilizer in the mix. Calla Lily can be very picky about temperature, so this is something you should think about. Ideally, the rhizome should grow in temperatures that are not cooler than 55 F and no hotter than 65 F during the day.

The plant can tolerate temperatures up to 75 F but it is best if it stays below 65 F. During the hot days, or if temperature in your home is too high, you can use mulch to keep the rhizome cool in the container. Mulch is great for many things, including preserving moisture, so you should use it. This variety can be grown outside, such as a balcony or a patio. However, most of the other varieties need to be indoors.

This is particularly important for winter conditions. If you live in a colder climate, make sure to take your Calla Lily indoors during the winter. Chances are that it will keep blooming inside throughout the whole year. Save these bulbs and plant them in the next growing season. Calla Lily is a water-loving plant. In nature, it typically grows near ponds and in the mud.

In other words, it needs moist conditions to thrive. You need to provide such conditions in your home if you want to make your Calla Lily grow strong. The best way to accommodate your Calla Lily is to always keep the soil moist.

This will mimic its natural environment and make the plant grow strong and healthy. It is therefore important that you always provide your Calla Lily with enough water. On the other hand, make sure not to over-water your Calla Lily. It needs moisture, but there is such a thing as too much water.

You should never allow for your Calla Lily to sit in water. The water should never collect in the container. If your Calla Lily sits in water it may cause its bulb to rot. Keep this in mind when deciding how much to water your plant. One of the main signs of overwatering are dark tips on the leaves. If you notice this, especially if the soil is always too damp, make sure to cut back on the water a bit to make your plant recover.

If you are unsure about the pH of your soil, have a professional soil test done. Use a fertilizer that is especially formulated for flowers. Calla lilies are from the dry areas of southern Africa so it is important not to overwater them, especially when they are first planted.

Water them sparingly until they are established, then water them weekly. A thick layer of mulch will help the soil to retain its moisture between waterings. In zones 8 — 11, you can leave your rhizomes in the ground year round. In colder growing zones, you can either allow the plants to die and replace them next year or lift the rhizomes from the soil and store them over the winter. To over-winter your rhizomes, when the foliage dies, carefully dig up your rhizomes.

Brush the soil off and cut the foliage off leaving about an inch of the stems. Cure them in a warm dry place for a few days. Curing them helps to dry them enough so that there is not excess moisture on them that would cause them to rot. Then place the rhizomes in a box filled with damp peat moss. This is to prevent them from drying out during the time that they are out of the ground. Since calla lilies can grow in partial shade, they are perfect as houseplants because our homes are darker than outdoors.

Plant your rhizomes 3 inches deep and 4 inches apart in a container. Use rich, well-drained potting soil. Since containers dry out more quickly than soil in your garden, water your rhizomes after planting them. Fertilize with a slow release fertilizer. Fertilizer is important when growing plants in containers because every time that you water your plant, the soil that comes out of the drainage hole in the bottom is leaching nutrients from the potting soil.

You have to replace those nutrients in the soil or your plants will die. In the fall, your calla lily will stop flowering and the foliage will start to die back.

Cut back on your watering and allow the plant to dry and go dormant. This is normal behavior. Then in late February, repot your rhizomes into fresh soil and begin watering again.

Eventually your plants will become potbound, i. Simply lift the entire rootball out of the old container and transfer it into a larger container. Add soil as needed and water thoroughly. You will need to divide your calla lilies every 3 — 4 years. In warmer climates, it is best done in the spring.

In colder climates where gardeners dig up the rhizomes in the fall, it is best to divide them in the fall before they are put away for storage. Using a garden fork, gently dig up the clump. Using a sharp knife or pruners, carefully cut the mass of rhizomes into separate pieces making sure that each piece has both roots and foliage.

Discard any dead or diseased pieces. Store your calla lilies in a cool, dry place — preferably somewhere that stays around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Calla lilies will require fertilizer after planting and again every spring and at the beginning of their growing season. Sticking to a schedule when feeding your calla lilies is essential to promote bountiful flowering. You can use any well-balanced fertilizer , but avoid using any that contain high levels of nitrogen.

Nitrogen fertilizers can deplete soil nutrients and reduce the ability of your calla lily to produce flowers. Potting and repotting are essential when growing these plants. Doing this enables you to replace poor soil with a new potting mix , making the medium healthier and moister. Besides allowing the plant to grow well, repotting also prevents diseases from spreading.

You can also re-pot your calla lilies the moment you see any issues with their roots. Root issues will affect the overall health of your plant and cause it to die. Start by lifting the plant out of its smaller pot and gently place it into a larger pot. Be sure to pay careful attention to the overall condition of its roots while doing so. After placing these plants in a bigger pot, top it up with about an inch of new soil.

Plant propagation allows you to obtain new varieties and hybrids and avoid disease transmission. When propagating these plants, look for rhizomes thriving and divide them into smaller units. Let the cuttings dry for at least one day or until you see a callus starting to form. Once done, plant them with a starting mix and keep the cutting moist.

Knowing when to propagate your plant will also affect your success. This season presents prime conditions for propagation since the dangers of frost have passed. These plants are prone to several diseases, such as bacterial soft rot and botrytis. To protect these plants from common diseases, be mindful of how often you water them.

Aside from causing their root rot, overwatering your plants can also attract bacteria. Too much moisture is ideal for bacteria to reproduce, so watering too often will encourage bacteria to live and multiply around them. Planting these plants far from each other can also prevent diseases.

When planted in gardens, your calla lilies should be spaced about six inches apart from each other. When in containers, space them out four inches apart. Planting your calla lilies with ample space can ensure they have good air circulation, preventing waterlog.

If you notice an infestation, treat it immediately. Allowing pests to prey on your calla lilies can cause unattractive, dark spots on leaves and affect their ability to bloom. Some of the most common pests that calla lilies attract are spider mites, slugs, and aphids. To combat pests when caring for these plants, spray or rub plants with horticultural oil or insecticidal soap.

For better results, use them during early mornings and evenings, as pests are most active then. Unfortunately, calla lilies are toxic to pets, such as cats and dogs, due to a toxic substance called calcium oxalate crystals. This substance can cause severe pain, temporary hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, and swelling upon ingestion. Other common signs of poisoning in pets include nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, excessive drooling, and foaming at the mouth.

If you notice your pet suffering from any of these symptoms, immediately take them to the vet. The longer you leave these symptoms untreated, the more severe the effects will get. These plants are also toxic to humans. You can experience the same symptoms after swallowing any part of the plant. In some cases, calla lily sap may cause severe pain, burning, and swelling when in contact with skin. When caring for these plants indoors, make sure to place them in areas inaccessible to your pets or children.

Place your calla lilies on high counters or tables or hang them above windows. More and more people are adding these plants to their indoor plant collections. They are great plants because they are easy to cultivate, offer an impressive range of colors, and blossom after eight weeks of planting them. These plants Calla lilies also make stunning cut flowers, and their arrow-shaped foliage will surely make any garden look more attractive.