Callas are beautifully flowering perennials that can be grown as a potted plant or planted in the garden. With the advent of the first frosts, the question arises: how to store calla lilies in winter? For productive wintering, they need a temperature not lower than -2ºС. Not all climatic zones they have such mild winter weather, so these perennials need to be dug up for the winter to create optimal conditions for them.
How to dig up callas?
The timing of this technological operation- after the first frost, approximately:
- beginning of October in the middle lane,
- beginning of November - in more southern regions.
There is no need to fear that the first small frosts will damage the plant. On the contrary, it will be a signal for him about the end of the vegetative period. The plant will stop wasting nutrients on the formation of leaves when it begins to prepare for a dormant period.
Before digging up callas, you need to prepare the plant. To do this, they stop watering it if the weather is dry, about 2-3 weeks before the expected harvest for the winter. This advice is relevant for the southern regions, where a dry climate in autumn is far from uncommon. Before digging, you need to cut the leaves of callas above the soil level by about 7-8 cm. After the first frost, the foliage has already dried up, and this operation is easy to carry out with ordinary scissors.
It is best to dig up calla lilies with a garden pitchfork. So there is less chance of damaging the delicate parts of the plant.
When digging up callas, it is advisable to leave a sufficiently large distance around their roots. Better play it safe and dig a hole larger diameter than to treat a plant injured with a shovel or pitchfork. After digging, you need to carefully remove the soil from its roots, trying not to damage them. You can wash away the remains of the earth running water under a faucet or garden hose. Make sure the jet is not too strong. A large pressure of water can damage the “children” of callas that have not yet separated from an adult plant.
Drying callas
When you dig up calla lilies that you have grown yourself, you will most likely be surprised by their striking difference from that planting material, which you purchased before planting in your own garden. Now they are strong, large and beautiful specimens. Before you set aside the root tubers for drying, you need to make a thorough inspection of them.
Tubers with signs of decay should preferably be discarded. If this is a particularly valuable variety, and the damage is minor, you need to clean the damaged tissue to a healthy base. This is best done with a teaspoon or a sharp garden tool.
Damaged and cleaned tuber tissue must be disinfected with a solution of ordinary brilliant green or sprinkled with crushed coal. You can use activated charcoal for this purpose.
Rejected material must be disposed of, but in no case be placed in compost heap. Such actions can contribute to the spread of the disease to other plants. For drying root tubers at home, low cardboard or wooden boxes. You can use plastic fruit boxes lined with cardboard or old newspapers.
Conditions for high-quality drying of callas:
- dark and cool place;
- good air circulation;
- lack of sunlight;
- the temperature is not higher than 15-20⁰С.
The best premises can be a garage, a ventilated dry cellar or a basement, a barn. Boxes with calla rhizomes are best placed in one row. After a few days, it is necessary to completely remove the dry leaves, and after another week, the roots, which by this time will be removed very easily. When the roots are not removed, the plant may start growing at the wrong time, without going through a full dormant period.
It is not necessary to separate the "children" from the mother plant during this period. They have not yet fenced themselves off from it with a special film - there is a great danger of injuring the plant. It is rational to carry out the department of "children" in the winter. Then they ripen and can serve as a full-fledged planting material. If this happens, the site of damage is dried and again disinfected with brilliant green or coal. The drying period can take from two to three weeks - depending on the humidity of the surrounding air.
So what do you need to prepare for the winter? First of all - suitable containers. The best option for this there will be thick paper bags or cardboard boxes with done ventilation holes. In the case of storing a large collection of various varieties, they must be signed in order not to be mistaken in the selection in the spring. colors when compiling a composition from calla. best material for this there will be a dense foil - the material does not rot and does not deteriorate.
The name of the variety can be written on the foil, squeezing out the letters with a regular pen or knitting needle. The tag is attached to the package or to the wall of the box.
Main condition proper storage- isolation of root tubers from each other, air circulation between them. In order to isolate the tubers from each other, a substrate is poured into a bag or into a box between the tubers, which can be used as:
- sawdust;
- vermiculite;
- shavings.
If a sick specimen gets into such a storage at home, then the insulation will reliably protect other tubers from rot.
Although high humidity is not welcome, shriveled and too dried tubers should be sprayed with water from a spray bottle to prevent them from drying out.
The optimum temperature for storing calla root tubers is 5-7⁰С. Ideal Conditions enough to store them. dry room, which has good ventilation. If this is a basement, then it should not be stored in it harvested crop. During storage, fruits and vegetables release moisture and ethylene gas. These factors provoke too early awakening of tubers, as well as their decay. If a separate room it is impossible to distinguish, then you need to try to at least equip a separate compartment in the basement with an exhaust hood or forced ventilation.
The lack of lighting is desirable so as not to provoke the plants to start the growing season too early. The rest period takes two months or more. That is how much time the plant needs to fully recover. All this time, you need to closely monitor their health, periodically examining the tubers.
wintering potted plant
When callas are grown as home plant They also need a rest period. To do this, the pot with the plant after flowering is moved to a cool and dark place in order to stimulate the end of the growing season. Watering the plant should also be reduced. You can dig up the tubers and process them using the above technology, or you can leave them to winter right in a pot or container.
We wake up callas with the advent of spring
To complete the winter the best term for middle lane will be the beginning of April, for the southern regions - the beginning of March. Calla lilies are taken out, carefully examined, treated with a solution of manganese or any fungicide from fungal diseases. If the "kids" were not separated from callas in winter, you can separate them now.
"Children" are not cut off from the mother plant, but broken off. The place of separation must be disinfected, treated with brilliant green, sprinkled with ash.
In order for these beautiful plants painlessly endured the period of winter dormancy, you need to properly dig them, dry them and ensure they are stored in a dry and cool place.
Seeing in the store calla tubers, or zantedeschia, with multi-colored exotic flowers on the labels, it's hard to go home without a purchase. But will the African beauty take root in your garden? Live, no doubt! Its cultivation is not as difficult as it seems at first glance.
What are callas? What is their difference?
But on sale it is not she who is more common, but "colored" calla elliott and Remann , which form tubers and reach a height of 40-50 cm. They will be discussed in this article.
How to store calla tubers before planting
Until the beginning of March, calla tubers are stored in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. Wrap them in paper and place them in plastic bag by making several holes in the bag for ventilation. Before buying, carefully inspect the planting material. should be dense, smooth, without visible damage, have live kidneys.
Planting calla tubers
In late February - early March, before planting in the ground, calla tubers are planted for germination. If the tubers are a little wilted, before planting, hold them for 2-3 days in a damp cloth until they become elastic again and the buds are clearly visible on the surface of the tubers.
Carefully inspect the tubers.
If you notice damage or signs on them, which often appears during improper storage, clean the tuber sharp knife to healthy tissue.
Lubricate the wound surface with brilliant green and let it dry.
To prevent fungal infections, before planting, treat calla tubers with any fungicide designed to treat tubers and bulbs. drugs are well suited for this purpose. Fundazol and Vitaros with systemic action. They not only destroy fungi on the surface of the tuber, but are also absorbed by the plant, providing it long-term protection. Dry the tubers a little before planting.
In the photo: 1. cleaning the wound surface of the calla tuber 2 and 3. Treatment of the wound surface with brilliant green 4. treatment of calla tubers in the foundation
Fill a small pot about 2/3 full with potting soil. The mixture should be slightly acidic. The composition of the soil for planting calla lilies: peat, humus or compost, leaf or garden soil, washed sand (2:1:1:0.5). Compact the soil in the pot and place the tuber on top.
Cover the tuber with the prepared soil mixture. The planting depth of the calla tuber is 1.5-2 cm from the top of the tuber to the soil surface.
Water carefully, being careful not to erode the soil. Put the pot in a bright place. Calla thrives well at daytime temperatures around +15...+20 °C. It does not matter if at night the temperature of the calla content drops to +13 ... +15 ° С, the difference between night and day temperatures is useful for the plant.
in the photo: 1 and 2. planting a tuber in a pot, 3. watering a newly planted calla tuber
Calla roots grow in all directions. So that they do not come to the surface of the soil, as soon as the sprouts reach a height of 5-7 cm, add more soil to the pot with a layer of 2-3 cm. Keep the soil moderately moist. Tubers do not tolerate excessive watering and stagnant water, so drain the water from the pan immediately after watering. Feed once every 2 weeks with a solution of a complete mineral fertilizer for seedlings. A good result is brought by top dressing with liquid gummed fertilizer.
In the photo, germinated calla tubers in pots
When the soil in the garden warms up to + 15 ° C and the threat of frost has passed, calla lilies can be planted in open ground. Calla doesn't like straight lines sun rays, so choose for her a place that is illuminated by the sun until noon. Prepare a 30x30 cm hole for planting, add half a bucket of humus to it and mix well.
Carefully remove the plant from the pot. Despite the fact that calla roots are powerful, they are very fragile and cannot be restored if damaged. Place an earth ball in the hole.
photo: preparation landing pit and planting callas
Gently cover the area around the roots with soil. When planting, it can be deepened again by 1.5-2 cm, so that when leaving it does not accidentally damage the surface roots.
Water, wait until the water is completely absorbed into the soil. After watering, mulch the plantings with peat to prevent the formation of a soil crust.
in the photo: planting calla lilies in the ground in May
Callas are amazingly beautiful perennials native to South Africa. In our gardens, you can also often find this noble flower, because true gardeners do not see obstacles in growing a particular plant. If you already liked the calla or calla lilies, planting and caring for them will become simple process, and the result will always please the eye. Therefore, it is so important to decide on the type of calla, and only then study it.
What are the features of the content beautiful flower? What pitfalls hides a foreign plant? Everything should be dealt with in order.
We buy calla tubers, store and “wake them up”
Calla lilies, like other plants, are sold both on the market and in specialized stores, and in last years they can be found on the shelves of large supermarkets in late winter or early spring.
When buying, pay attention to:
- tuber size - the larger it is, the higher the likelihood that flowering will be achieved in the first year;
- the tuber should not be shriveled, sluggish or rotten;
- it is better to refuse to buy tubers in opaque bags;
- make sure that the tuber has "cams" (rudiments of roots).
How to store tubers and how to prepare them for planting?
Having bought calla tubers in autumn, winter or early spring, they must be properly stored until planting. The tubers should be wrapped in a napkin and placed in the cellar. If there is no cellar, then the vegetable section of the refrigerator is also suitable.
In late March or early April, the tubers of the plant can begin to “wake up”. To do this, you need to get them out of the cellar or refrigerator and provide good lighting, as well as a sufficient day and night temperature difference. In the conditions of an apartment, such a place can become glazed balcony, and in the country - a greenhouse or a covered veranda.
When and how to plant
It is not necessary to transgress to planting a flower in the ground until the threat of frost on the ground has passed. Therefore, calla lilies are always planted in the spring, or rather, in early May (although it all depends on the climate).
Note that there are two ways to plant callas:
- Pre-plant the tubers in pots, and then in the ground;
- Immediately plant the tubers to the ground.
The first method is more laborious, but with this approach, flowering occurs a little earlier than if the tubers are immediately planted in the garden.
It is important to follow all the steps correctly:
Preparing tubers for planting
For 30 minutes, you need to soak the tubers in a solution of manganese, this will reduce the likelihood of pests. After that, you need to check the tubers for the presence of rotten places. If suddenly they are found, then such places should be removed with a sharp knife to healthy tissues, and then treated with brilliant green.
Planting callas in pots
You can plant tubers in pots as early as two weeks after they have been “woken up”. To do this, you will need containers of the appropriate size and land for seedlings. The tubers are placed at a depth of about 2-3 cm and watered 1-2 times a week.
Callas at home will calmly wait out the necessary time until warming outside. About a week before the flower is transplanted into the ground, seedling pots begin to harden. To do this, they are taken out to the balcony or to the street, put at open window. Calla lilies are transplanted along with a clod of earth in which they grew in a pot.
Choose a place
Callas love shade. The direct rays of the sun are detrimental to this plant, and it can dry out even before it pleases with flowering. Therefore, choose a place where diffused light would fall on it. Often, callas are planted in the shade of trees - this is the most favorable location.
The place where these flowers will be planted should be sprinkled mineral fertilizers. Used about 30-40 grams per 1 square meter plot area.
Planting in the ground
It does not matter whether the tubers were planted in rooting pots or not, planting them in the ground is the same.
The planting depth of callas is 10-15 cm. The distance between the tubers is on average 40 cm. In no case should the tubers be strongly pressed in order not to damage them.
After the tubers or seedlings are in the ground, they should be watered. Then for about 2 weeks they will not need additional watering. Until sprouts appear on the surface, watering must be very careful so that the tuber does not rot.
When planting tubers, the first sprouts can be expected only after 2-3 weeks, and sometimes even after a month. After all, at first the flower actively builds up root system, and only then proceeds to the leaves.
How to care
Growing callas requires following a few simple rules:
Watering the plant should be moderate, this flower loves moisture, but its excess can be fatal. It is recommended to water the calla only in the evening and only in extreme heat. If the air temperature is not too high and natural moisture is sufficient, then additional watering is not required.
Callas grow well in an acidic environment. During the period of active growth, they are fed with water with citric acid. To do this, prepare a solution: 1 tablespoon citric acid for 1 bucket of water. Feed should be 2-3 times during the summer.
It is necessary to monitor the condition of the plant all the time, as pests can attack it.
Consider the main threats to callas and methods of dealing with them:
Gray rot. It affects the whole flower, while it looks like it is very dirty or dusty. Fungicide treatment will help.
Root rot. Drying of some leaves and peduncles may indicate its appearance. Fungicide treatment will help.
Bacterial rot. Its sign is the darkening of the bases of the leaf, rhizome and peduncle. It is very difficult to help callas in this case, and gardeners recommend digging up a diseased plant as soon as possible so that it does not infect its neighbors.
Spider mites. In this case, the sheets appear yellow spots, and the pests themselves can be found on their bottom side. Help special means from spider mites(for example, Fitoverm, Akarin, Vertimek).
Anthracnose. With this disease, the leaves appear brown spots, which quickly increase and become light in the center and red at the edges. Then it is necessary to remove the damaged leaves and treat the plant with fungicides.
How to propagate and store
As you know, calla lilies reproduce by tubers. To do this, you need to dig them out of the ground in time and store them properly until spring:
When to dig up callas?
The longer the tubers are in the ground, the larger their size will be. And, as you know, large bushes and many flower stalks grow from large tubers. Therefore, it is important to choose the right time to remove callas from open ground.
Before frost, the plant is dug up, the tubers are washed well and placed in a dark and dry place (for example, in a pantry). The leaves should not be removed immediately, the tubers will be able to take nutrients from them while they dry out. After two weeks, the leaves will dry out and then they can be removed. At the same time, the roots are removed. Then the tubers are washed with a solution of manganese, dried and sent for storage to the cellar, for covered balcony or in the vegetable section of the refrigerator. In this case, it is best to place the tubers in a paper bag and sprinkle them with sawdust.
How to propagate callas?
Over the summer, one or more children can grow on the mother tuber. They should not be rushed to be separated from the mother tuber, since together they will overwinter better.
Children are separated from their mother in the spring, and this happens, as a rule, without much effort. But sometimes children grow very tightly, then they can be cut off with a knife and cut with brilliant green.
Some ornamental plants need careful preparation for winter and proper care until the next landing. To a greater extent, this applies to tuberous and bulbous. Many gardeners grow callas on their plots. These plants look spectacular and decorate any flower bed.
Home care for callas
Consider the rules for storing calla tubers and the stages of preparing them for wintering.
How to store calla bulbs in winter?
In order for the planting material to be preserved until the next season, the first step is to properly dig and prepare the tubers. Here is one of the options for how to properly store callas in the winter:
- at the end of September, after the plant has faded, the tubers are completely dug out with the aerial part;
- then they put it all in cardboard boxes and leave it to dry for two weeks;
- as it dries at the end, we periodically try to separate the leaves from the tuber: as soon as they come off without effort, the drying process is completed;
- after the foliage is separated, the tuber with roots is left for another week;
- after a week, we check how easily the roots are separated from the tuber: if it is easy, then it's time to clean the planting material.
It is important to carefully check garden calla tubers for rot before storage. If black spots have already formed, they will have to be scraped off with a teaspoon or similar tool. We leave the workpiece to dry for a couple of hours and treat the place with brilliant green or crushed activated charcoal.
The tuber is treated in a similar way when it is necessary to separate the children from the mother tuber. The baby is broken off, not cut off. Then the fracture site is smeared with brilliant green and the planting material is wrapped in paper napkins. Be sure to take out the bulbs from time to time and check them for rot. Fortunately, at proper preparation and processing such problems should not arise.
Then we put it all in a cardboard box with a lid and send it to a cool, dry place.
Calla lilies can be stored for as long as necessary for the complete rest of the tubers. As a rule, the period lasts from late September to spring. Around the first decade of April, a box with planting material is taken out and the bulbs begin to gradually wake up.
We considered only one of the options for storing calla tubers, since each summer resident has his own secrets and rules for caring for plants. If you're just getting started with gardening, here are a few tips from the "experienced" that will come in handy.
Other plants also require storage, for example, gladioli and dahlias.
Calla care and cultivation description reproduction photo video top dressing.
Calla: the difference in growing colored (tuberous) and white (rhizome) callas
- Flowering period: July August
- Height: 30-150cm
- perennial
- Shade-loving
- moisture-loving
- Color: white yellow pink red burgundy purple bicolor
Calla (lat. Cālla) - genus perennials Aroid family. Grandeur, sophistication, strength and charm - such associations are evoked by their appearance this magnificent creation of nature.
Description
What we perceive as a flower is actually an inflorescence with a veil. It is the cover that gives the plant charm and attractiveness. The true flowers are small, yellow, collected in a cob-shaped inflorescence that looks like a candle. The height of the flowering stem is 30-150 cm, depending on the origin. The bedspread can be of a wide variety of iridescent shades, from which the calla is sometimes called a tropical butterfly, because. The birthplace of the plant is South Africa. Around flowering plant smells like vanilla.
The leaves are held on straight petioles, shaped like arrowheads, have a juicy green color, sometimes with silvery patches, look strong due to their size (reach 30 cm in length and 20 cm in width).
Tuberous (colored) calla
Calla has many names: zantedeschia, richardia, lilikalla, calla. In Russia, one can hear about the representatives of the genus the snake-grass, and the droplet, and the bear's paws, and the beaver, and the granary, and the white companion, and the krasuha, and the bread box, and this is far from an exhaustive list. Such a variety of names indicates the high popularity of the plant, which is caused by its amazing beauty.
And, at the same time, there is ambiguity about the root system. In some sources they write that the plant has a rhizome, in others - a tuber, in others - a tuberous rhizome. Yes, and with the cultivation of callas, many authoritative publications contradict each other.
Charming richardia
And everything is simple. Callas can be divided into two groups. The first include those plants that originated from Ethiopian calla (Calla aethiopica), i.e. rhizomatous. They are called zantedeschias or "white callas" due to the exceptionally white color of the covering coverlet. In height, they can reach 0.8-1.5 m.
The second group should include those plants that originated from pink-red Remani callas (Calla rehmannii) and yellow Eliot callas (Calla elliottiana), i.e. tuberous plants. They are called richardia or colored callas.
calla s purple tint covered
Richards, despite their relatively small height (up to 50 cm), do not go unnoticed in flower arrangement thanks to the bright colors. Often they are distinguished by narrow covering bedspreads of pink or red-pink, lilac-burgundy, sunny yellow shades. May have wavy bedspreads in contrasting colors (for example, cherry on the inside and marbled white on the outside).
Calla, not to be confused with Ethiopian Zantedeschia
Considering that callas of the first group (“white”) have rhizomes, and the second (“colored”) have tubers, plant care is completely different. White callas, for example, like light shade, bloom longer and do not shed their leaves during dormancy. Colored, on the contrary, are not so demanding on soil and air humidity, they prefer sunlight and completely sheds leaves during the dormant period.
Photogallery of species
Colored callas: features of cultivation and care
When buying tubers, you should pay attention to their condition. They must be of a large size and acceptable appearance(not lethargic, not wrinkled, without foci of decay). It is better to store them until planting (if purchased in February-March) on the refrigerator door, wrapped in paper. If purchased or stored tubers have rotten areas, then they need to be cut with a disinfected tool, cover the wounds with brilliant green and allow to dry.
2-3 weeks before planting in open ground, it is necessary to prepare richardia tubers for temperature changes, i.e. get out of the refrigerator, put on moistened soil and germinate at room temperature (sprouts should peck on one side of the tuber). it important step on the way to growing a plant: leaf petioles will form correctly, will be thick, elastic and short. You can put a pot of tubers in a greenhouse, or on a closed balcony. It is not advisable to separate children less than 1 cm in diameter.
Colored calla tuber with babies
It is important to prepare the soil in advance. Colored callas are planted in early May, so two weeks before that it is necessary to dig up the ground.
Features of caring for rhizomatous and tuberous callas after flowering
Richardia prefers acidic soil, or at least slightly acidic. To create it, you can use peat or special deoxidizers. Also do not place sand (if the soil is not sandy), leaf humus, fertile land(all in equal amounts).
If the tubers were germinated in a pot with a substrate, then they should be transplanted into open ground with the full preservation of the earthen clod, i.e. without disturbing the integrity of the roots. The distance between the holes should be 30 - 40 cm. When planting, ascended callas can be somewhat deepened to give stability to the leaf petioles.
Germination of tuberous callas
Richardia blooms for a long time, up to 2 months. The number of flowering stems depends on the size of the tubers. Faded inflorescences must be removed when the covering leaf turns green so that the plant does not waste energy on seed ripening.
Richardia tubers must be dug up in the fall, before the first frost. It is better not to rush to cut off the leaves and roots, which in a week will be easy to separate. During storage, nutrients from the leaves and roots will flow into the tuber, which is best preserved during the dormant period. It is also not recommended to separate small children from a large tuber so that the first ones have the opportunity to grow up a little.
Calla in contrasting shades
After removing the dried leaves and roots, it is advisable to pickle the tubers in the Maxim solution for half an hour, dry and store. It is necessary to store until spring in packed paper bags at a temperature of 5-7ºC. It is important to check the condition of the tubers from time to time in order to remove spoiled planting material in a timely manner or to carry out treatment.
How to achieve flowering white calla in the garden
It is generally accepted that white calla is a greenhouse plant, in extreme cases, indoor. But it can also be grown outdoors. Of course, she will not be able to winter outdoors (with the exception of the southern regions and when good cover), but flowering in a flower bed can be achieved.
Zantedeschia Ethiopian in a pot
You can often hear the story that the rhizomatous calla was planted in the ground, it grew well, but never bloomed. The fact is that this plant does not bloom without a rest period. You can proceed as follows. Around March, reduce the watering of the snow-white beauty grown in room conditions, to a minimum, it is desirable to move to a cool room. She will drop some of the leaves, this is normal. In this state, the plant should be about 1.5-2 months.
After a rest, a white calla can be planted (dig a pot) on a prepared place with an openwork shadow, watering and feeding can be resumed. After rest, flowering will surely come.
Rhizome of white calla
When it gets colder (September-October), the plant will need to be transplanted into a pot, preserving the roots as much as possible. It should not be brought directly into the room. The change in temperature should be gradual, i.e. some time in an unheated bright room, and then on the windowsill. Flowering can continue in the room. Until next March, calla care will consist of watering and spraying the leaves. And then the cycle repeats.
Zantedexia in nature
Diseases and pests
Unfortunately, callas are often exposed to diseases. One of the most common is gray rot caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea. The disease manifests itself in the form of dirty gray spots on the leaves. The fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides causes anthracnose: spots appear on the foliage Brown color. In case of infection with these infections, systemic fungicides must be applied.
Mushrooms from the genus Phytophthora infect the root system of calla lilies. Inflorescences and leaves wither and begin to dry out. You should immediately stop watering, treat the plant with a fungicidal preparation.
When pests appear, such as whiteflies or thrips, it is necessary to process the aerial part and shed the soil special preparations(for example, Aktara, Fitoverm, etc.). After 5-7, re-treatment is required.
If you react to the problem in time, you can save the calla and give it new strength.
Calla color in the design landscape
Use in landscape design
Graceful and noble calla is one of the most unusual elements of garden design.
Preferring a humid area, the tropical butterfly will become worthy decoration shores artificial lake or stream. If this is not the case, then the beauty will look good in the shady zone, near the terrace of the house, neat bushes and more. These flowers, as a symbol of feminine beauty, go well with roses. But it should be remembered that zantedeschia requires privacy, so you should not plant other plants too close.
Tuberous calla in the garden
Sophistication, style, nobility give calla a unique charm, attract attention and evoke pleasant emotions. In addition, like all aroids, this plant is a harbinger of a change in weather: before the rain, dew drops appear on the tips of the leaves and the bedspread.
And finally, the legend of calla. Once in a charming young girl fell in love with a very cruel leader of a neighboring tribe. After the refusal of his beloved to become his wife, he attacked her people and took them away by force. The girl so hated the ruthless leader that on the wedding day she decided to throw herself into the fire so as not to get the soulless barbarian. But the gods intervened in her fate. Seeing the pure beauty of an innocent girl who is ready to sacrifice her life, they turned her into beautiful flower, which later people began to call calla. This story is being told around the world to this day. Despite the fact that some people consider callas a symbol of death, today these flowers represent feminine beauty, protection from evil troubles, as well as a happy married life.
Calla is an unpretentious plant, it grows on the well-lit and on the shady side of the house. For growing callas, you should choose a deep, at least 60 cm, wide pot, that is, there should be enough space for it. In winter, it is better to put pots with calla lilies in a lit place. In the autumn winter period The plant is well watered and fertilized once a month. The peculiarity of feeding callas is that you must first make organic fertilizer and then complex mineral. It is good to use a solution of urea for top dressing to increase the acidity of the soil.
In winter, the calla is at rest. Don't disturb her during this time. frequent watering and top dressings. It is necessary to periodically spray the leaves. AT summer time pots can be taken out into the garden or transplanted into the ground. soil mixture should consist of humus, clay-turf and peat soil. Yellowed leaves and faded flower stalks must be removed.
Calla (Calla lily) - graceful flower
The soil in which the flower grows should be in a wet state; bottom watering in a deep pot tray is more useful. If periodically changed upper layer soil in a pot for more nutritious, you can not transplant a flower for a long time.
Calla reproduction
Calla lilies are propagated during transplantation by tubers, which are separated from the root mother plant. They are planted to a depth of 10 cm. Phosphorus fertilizers are applied to the soil and regularly watered and loosened. When a second calla leaf appears, the plant should be fed with mineral fertilizers once a month. When flowering, potash and nitrogen fertilizers are added to the soil.
With simple care for this beautiful graceful flower, you can achieve regular abundant flowering and enjoy the sight and aroma of calla lilies.
mmm ... I didn’t know that callas were already blooming with flowers ...)
hmm ... who is enough for what answers ... Anna! I, too, just recently planted callas for the first time at home. so I can’t tell you anything ... google or dig in Yandex. there's a lot of information there.
Magnificent tropical plants have long been firmly established in flowerbeds and flower beds, continuing to increase their popularity. If only a few years ago they were considered exotic and were found only in pot culture or cut in bouquets, today planting callas in the garden has become a familiar procedure for many owners. summer cottages. These delicate flowers, elegantly elevating their arrows with buds, effectively decorate the landscape, introducing a touch of tenderness and mystery into it, and please the eye for a long time. Despite the fact that the calla came to us from South Africa, located in tropical latitudes, it is quite hardy and unpretentious plant. The flowering period of calla lilies ranges from three to eight weeks. Summer residents love zantedeschia for her long term flowering - from early summer to almost mid-autumn. Some gardeners specially grow such a plant in pots, and just before the onset of cold weather they bring it into the house. This helps to prolong the flowering of calla lilies. Every gardener who has given preference to this flower must know when to dig up callas in the fall and how to store callas. It is during the storage of callas that flower buds are laid for subsequent flowering.
Garden callas description
It is a mistake to count callas exclusively houseplant. This opinion is refuted garden views, which can grow well in the open field, if they are provided optimal conditions. And it is quite realistic to implement this idea, even despite the fact that the tropics of South Africa are the birthplace of this representative of the aroid family.
An interesting fact is that in vivo Calla lilies bloom only in warm winters. In the conditions of our climate, these plants will feel good in gardens at any time of the year, fully demonstrating their beauty in spring and summer. decorative properties. If you are familiar with the rules for growing dahlias, then you probably won’t have problems with callas either. big problems. Although dahlias for domestic flower growers seem to be one of the traditional plants, but callas, which are also known as callas, are a rarity in the plots.
A clue when to dig up callas in the fall will be the yellowed leaves of the flower. This means that their biological cycle has come to an end. In order not to miss the moment, the calendar marks the period when it is allowed to dig up calla bulbs. The time comes at the end of September, as soon as the threat of frost appears.
Digging up callas for the winter
Before digging up callas, you need to prepare the plant. To do this, they stop watering it if the weather is dry, about 2-3 weeks before the expected harvest for the winter. This advice is relevant for the southern regions, where a dry climate in autumn is far from uncommon. Before digging, you need to cut the leaves of callas above the soil level by about 7-8 cm. After the first frost, the foliage has already dried up, and this operation is easy to carry out with ordinary scissors. When digging up callas, it is advisable to leave a sufficiently large distance around their roots. It is better to play it safe and dig a hole of a larger diameter than to treat a plant injured with a shovel or pitchfork. After digging, you need to carefully remove the soil from its roots, trying not to damage them.
How to store callas in winter
They are thoroughly washed and dipped for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate. Then again the tubers should be washed and kept in a dark place until they dry out. After the tubers are placed in paper bags and stored in a cool place, for example, in vegetable boxes in the refrigerator.
How to deal with pests?
The dug out rhizome needs to be stored in a cool place, but it can also be stored as tubers. However, it must first be dried slightly and the foliage removed. It is necessary to check once a week how the planting material feels. So, if the temperature is too high, then it will begin to dry out, and when high humidity rot may appear.
A houseplant for a dormant period, as a rule, is left in a container. It is transferred to a cool loggia or veranda. In the case when the calla is specially deprived of a rest period, provoking it further growth, resulting in no flowering.
How calla tubers overwinter
It is very important to check each spine for damage and rot. Answering the question of how to store calla lilies in winter, experienced gardeners focus on the integrity of the tubers. If black spots appear, they must be scraped off special tool or regular teaspoon. After that, the tuber is left for 2-3 hours so that the damage sites dry slightly. Then each "scratch" must be treated with brilliant green or crumbled activated carbon. They do the same when it is necessary to break the maternal root and separate the children. After the procedure, the tubers are wrapped in paper napkins and stored in this form in cardboard boxes. Sometimes you need to check the planting material for a new infection or rot. But with proper processing, such "complications" should not arise.
- When purchasing callas, make sure that they are already adapted to our conditions. Thanks to this, you will be sure that you will not have a problem with rotting, overdrying and spring attacks of planting material. As for the imported material, it takes several years to adapt it.
- When digging and cleaning its tubers, you should not make a lot of effort, because of this you can damage the unripe sitting nodules. In winter, these nodules ripen and are fenced off from the so-called mother plant with a special partition. After that, they can be easily separated. At the same time, if during this procedure the tubers are damaged, grease them with brilliant green.
- After digging, callas should be stored in a dark, cool room. They will ideally feel in basins and boxes. But keep in mind, the leaves need to be cut two weeks after digging, when they are a little tied up and the nutrients go to the root.
- We should not forget that you need to dig up callas in September. The thing is that light frosts do not damage the root system of the plant.
- The optimum storage temperature for tubers is 5-12°C. If the air temperature is higher, the plant will lose its moisture.
- We should not forget that if you grow callas in pots, then with the advent of autumn, watering should be stopped. Thanks to this, the leaves will begin to dry, and you can quickly prepare the tubers of the plant for rest.
If you have not been able to properly store calla tubers, do not despair. Sprouted plants plant in pots with nutrient soil. When shoots appear, treat them with ferrovit (to increase the efficiency of photosynthesis with a lack of lighting in early spring) according to the instructions on the packaging. In May, plant the plants in open ground, and they will not be as abundant, but they will still bloom.
