🌿 Caladium

Use a rich, aerated organic mix that retains moisture while draining freely (caladium tubers will rot in waterlogged soil). A suitable mix for containers is a peat and coco-based potting soil, amended with perlite and pumice and a little fine pine bark or sphagnum moss/leaf mold. Make sure pots have drainage holes and avoid heavy, compacted garden soils. Slightly acidic or neutral mixtures are preferable.

Caladium 'White Christmas' is grown from tubers (not usually from seed). Planting time: - Plant outdoors only after all danger of frost has passed and the soil is warm (around 18-21°C / 65-70°F or more). - For an earlier start, repot tubers indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost. How to plant tubers: - Use a humus-rich, non-draining potting mix or well-amended garden soil. - Plant tubers with buds/"eyes" upwards, at a depth of 2.5-5 cm (1-2 in). - Space plants about 20-30 cm apart in beds; choose well-drained pots. - Water gently and maintain regular, but not soggy, humidity. Growing conditions after planting: - Provide warm temperatures and high humidity if possible. - Best exposed to bright, indirect light or partial shade; avoid intense midday sun. Overwintering: - As temperatures cool, growth slows and foliage yellows or wilts; reduce watering. - Before cold or frost, move containers to a dry, frost-free place, or lift tubers after foliage dies back. - Clean and dry tubers briefly, then store dry in peat moss, wood shavings or vermiculite at a temperature of around 15-21°C (60-70°F) until spring, then replant when conditions become warm again.

Caladiums feed moderately and regularly during active growth. At the time of planting, incorporate a balanced, slow-release fertilizer (e.g. ~8-10-10 or similar) into the potting mix or surface-apply it, preventing the granules from touching the tubers and stems. During the growing season (spring to summer, while leaves are actively developing), feed lightly: for containers, use a balanced water-soluble fertilizer at about 1/2 dose every 2 to 4 weeks; for plants in the ground, one or two light lateral applications of a balanced fertilizer during the season are usually sufficient. Water after fertilization and avoid over-fertilization (excess salts can burn leaves). Stop fertilizing when growth slows and foliage begins to yellow as it approaches dormancy.

Apply a 2-3 inch (5-8 cm) layer of organic mulch (shredded leaves, fine pine bark or compost) after the soil has warmed up and plants are established to conserve moisture, moderate soil temperature and reduce weeds. Keep mulch 2-5 cm from stems and crowns to prevent rotting. In warm-winter climates where tubers are left in the ground, refresh mulch in late autumn to insulate tubers; in cold climates, mulch will not protect tubers from frost - lift and store them instead.