🌿 Caladium

Use a rich, humus-containing substrate that retains moisture but drains easily. A suitable mix for containers is a high-quality potting soil (or peat-coir mix) amended with perlite and pumice and a small amount of fine bark or sphagnum moss/leaves to keep it aerated while retaining even moisture. Keep the medium constantly moist during active growth, but avoid soggy soils (caladium tubers rot in soggy conditions); make sure pots have drainage and don't let them sit in water. Slightly acidic to neutral soil is preferable; outdoors, improve beds with compost and ensure good drainage.

Caladium 'Carolyn Whorton' is grown from tubers (not usually from seed). Plant outdoors only after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures are consistently warm (around 18-21°C / 65-70°F or more). For a faster start, repot tubers indoors 4-6 weeks before the last frost, in a warm, bright spot. Planting depth and orientation: Place tubers with gnarled "eyes" upwards and cover with about 2.5 to 5 cm of soil (deeper in light soils, shallower in heavier soils). Keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy until growth begins. Location and spacing: Use a rich, well-drained, moisture-retaining growing medium. Space tubers 20-30 cm apart (or choose a pot that leaves a few centimetres of soil around each tuber). Provide bright shade/filtered light; avoid hot midday sun unless conditions are humid. Care: Water regularly during active growth and feed lightly throughout the season. Dormancy and overwintering: Caladiums go dormant when temperatures cool; foliage turns yellow and dries out. In containers, reduce watering and keep the pot dry in a warm, frost-free place. Alternatively, lift tubers after foliage dieback, dry briefly and store in a dry, dark, frost-free place in dry peat, wood shavings or vermiculite to prevent shrivelling. Replant in spring when warm weather returns.

Feed lightly and regularly during active growth (spring-summer). At planting time, incorporate a slow-release balanced fertilizer into the potting soil or growing bed, following label instructions. Once the plants are growing, apply a balanced water-soluble fertilizer at a rate of 1/4-1/2 of the dose approximately every 2 to 4 weeks (more often in containers, less often in rich garden soil). Do not apply fertilizer to foliage, and water after application to avoid burning. Avoid high levels of nitrogen, which can reduce leaf color and burn the edges. Stop fertilizing when growth slows and leaves begin to turn yellow and go dormant (late summer-autumn).

Apply a 2-3 inch (5-8 cm) layer of organic mulch (shredded bark, leaf mold or compost) after planting and once the soil has warmed up to help conserve moisture, keep roots cooler and reduce weeds. Keep mulch a few centimetres away from the crown/stems to avoid rotting, and don't pile mulch heavily on newly planted tubers in cool, damp conditions. Replenish mulch as it decomposes; in hot weather, maintaining an even layer of mulch helps prevent the soil from drying out too quickly.