Contents of the article:
Two types of callas live in our latitudes: tuberous and rhizomatous. If you follow the simple rules of growing calla lilies, planting and caring in the open field behind it will lead to the appearance of beautiful flowers. An exotic plant will delight you for at least a month - the calla blooms just as much.
Preparation of tubers for planting
Before planting calla in open ground, the preparation for which begins as early as February-March, calla tubers should be stored in a refrigerator. To keep them in good condition, wrap the tubers with plain paper and put them in a plastic bag. To prevent air stagnation, make several holes in the package.
Check for ready-planting tubers for rotting. If they do appear, the surface of the tuber must be cleaned with a knife until healthy tissue appears. In order for the tubers to become elastic again, hold them in a damp cloth.
To protect the callah from fungal infections, it is possible to treat the tubers with a fungicide right before planting( for example, Vitaros or Fundazol).
It is advisable to plant callas not immediately into open ground, but into pots with prepared soil mixture - in such a way they will survive the landing less painfully. The soil should consist of a mixture of compost or humus with peat, garden soil and sand. Planting depth - about 2 cm from the surface of the tuber.
Calla tolerates temperature fluctuations, so in the spring pots can be put directly on the window sill. Do not forget to water the tubers after planting, but it is advisable to do it carefully so as not to erode the top layer of earth. For successful development of the plant, fertilizing with fertilizers once every 2 weeks is desirable.
If you notice that the roots of callas are starting to make their way to the surface, add another 2-3 centimeters of soil to the pot.
When and where to plant callas on the site?
When planting outdoor callas? It is best to carry out planting work in the spring, as soon as the last frosts are gone and the temperature will be above 15 degrees Celsius. Usually this is the beginning or middle of May.
The landing area should be warm and sufficiently lit. A small partial shade will also fit - plants can develop in it in much the same way as in the sun. Make sure that there are no drafts and strong winds at the site of the landing of callas, the area with a soft microclimate is best suited.
It is better not to plant the callas and care for them in the open field in direct sunlight. From this, flowers can suffer, and instead of a bright flower garden you get just lush vegetation.
It is better to choose the soil, not neutral, but slightly acidic. Top dressing is made before the flowering period, after the appearance of flowers it is better to stop fertilizing the bed.
Features of planting garden callas
× In order to plant callas and take care of them in the open ground, you should follow some recommendations:
- Do not make too deep pits for planting flowers. Rhizomes or tubers better lightly sprinkled with a layer of earth so that they do not rot.
- Try not to damage the roots when you get the calla out of the pot. The roots are very fragile, and after breaking off they do not grow back.
- First, the root system is formed around the tuber, and only after that the calla throws out a sprout. So if no more than a month has passed since landing, you should not worry.
- Callas are planted in the open ground in spring and are only taken care of after the temperature stops dropping below 15 degrees.
- The best way to fertilize calla lilies is to remove the top layer of soil from the tubers and replace it with a nutrient mixture of peat, humus and a small fraction of sand.
Calligraphy care
If you properly care for young callas, they will begin to bloom within 1.5 months after disembarking on the site. Even if you plant the calla lilies in open ground in Siberia, caring for them and a well-chosen place will help to get a beautiful flower garden.
One of the advantages of callas is that you do not need to acquire any additional funds against fungi and other diseases. These plants almost never get sick, as they can cope with pests on their own.
Within 10-15 days after planting the calla in the open ground, care for it should consist in the rejection of watering. This is done in order to prevent the root system that has just begun to develop. Even after the tubers are getting stronger, when watering, do not direct a stream of water directly at them, it is enough to moisten the soil around the plant.
Fertilizing with mineral fertilizers can be done once per season, and this will be enough for the calla to bloom beautifully.
Storing calla tubers in the open field, wintering
Care for calla from planting until they flourish is simple. However, as soon as autumn came, the flowers need to be prepared for wintering. Tubers along with the roots are dug before the first cold weather begins. This should be done especially carefully so that the root system is not damaged.
It is undesirable to leave callas in open ground in the Urals or in Siberia for the winter: it is likely that only a few plants will survive the cold. It is better to keep peeled, washed and slightly dried tubers in a cool place at home, for example, in the vegetable section of the refrigerator. If before the onset of cold weather, the leaves of the calla lagger did not have time to fall off, it is not necessary to pick them off for another two weeks or so that the nutrients are transferred to the tubers.
To summarize:
- To plant callus is better not in direct sunlight, but in partial shade.
- Calla do not like too abundant watering and fertilizer - feeding can be done only once a season.
- Callas bloom well in weakly acidic soil with the addition of peat and compost.
- It is important not to damage the roots when transplanting and not to plant them too deep into the soil.
- Garden Calla does not require additional protection from diseases and all sorts of pests. It is possible to carry out only the processing of tubers with a fungicide immediately before planting.
