Five tips on how to store callas at home during the winter

The perennial calla flower, which many consider to be a houseplant, thrives in open ground and decorates many garden areas. Unfortunately, this plant is not resistant to cold weather and cannot overwinter in the ground. Therefore, flower growers dig up these flowers for the winter. But in order to see flowering next year, you need to know how to store callas in winter at home. We'll talk about this today.

Selection of planting material

A high-quality, healthy tuber is the key to the normal development of the plant. Therefore, the choice of planting material must be approached very responsibly. The tuber should not be soft or show signs of disease or mechanical damage.

The size of the tubers plays an equally important role. The larger they are, the faster flowering will begin, and the more inflorescences there will be. The number of inflorescences in a plant with a large tuber can exceed 20 pieces.

Before planting in the soil, the tubers are washed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then rinsed with clean water and dried.

Features of callas

These plants of the Araceae family are characterized by simple agricultural techniques and long flowering. It is necessary to choose a sunny, open place with fertile soil for them. In nature, callas grow along the coast of stagnant bodies of water, so they need good watering in the garden. Tubers are planted at a depth of 5-10 cm.

You should not wait for flowers to sprout before roots form. Often this process takes a long time. Callas cannot overwinter in Russian weather conditions, so they must be dug up in the fall and properly stored until spring.

Preparation

In order for the wintering of plants to be successful, they should be dug out of the soil at a certain time. Harvesting tubers too early will lead to the fact that the plant, whose growing season has not yet ended, will not be able to survive wintering normally. And if you wait until severe frosts to dig it up, the flower may die from the cold.

In the climate of the middle zone, calla lily tubers are collected with the onset of the first night frosts (the first days of October). And in more southern areas this can be done a month later: in early November.

With the arrival of the first frost, plants need to be pruned. Dry leaves are cut so that they are visible 5-7 cm above the ground.

You should dig up the rhizomes very carefully, using a garden fork, so as not to harm the plants. The flower is dug up at a safe distance from the roots, after which it is pryed up with a pitchfork along with a lump of earth.

Root tubers need to be cleared of soil residues. To do this, they are placed in a container with water, after which they are gently washed under a small running stream.

When the tubers are cleaned, they are carefully inspected. Planting material that has damage, rotten areas and signs of disease is discarded.

Small damaged areas can be removed with a sharp knife, and then treated with brilliant green or crushed coal.

Drying the tubers

The next stage of preparation is drying the tubers. This should be done in places with good ventilation, away from sunlight. In such places it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature within +20°C - +25°C.

Drying of planting material should continue for at least 2 - 3 weeks , after which calla lilies can be stored all winter.

Remnants of dry leaves must be completely removed from the tubers. This is done a few days after the start of storage. After which, after about a week, the roots are removed. By this time, the roots will separate easily. This must be done so that the flower does not begin to grow prematurely without spending enough time in “cool dormancy.”

During this period, small tubers (babies) have not yet formed a special film that allows them to “live independently.” Therefore, it is impossible to separate them from the mother tubers. This should be done in winter, when they are already stronger. Then it will be a full-fledged planting material.

If the babies were separated from the tubers ahead of time and were damaged, they can be treated with brilliant green (coal dust) and dried. Calla lily bulbs should be stored in winter until the last days of March.

Is it necessary to dig up garden calla lilies for the winter?

These flowers, despite their southern origin, are not too capricious even when grown in more northern climates. But it is recommended to dig up the tubers for the winter - a small disadvantage, not to mention severe frosts, can easily destroy the plant. Plus, for tuberous calla lilies to bloom, a mandatory period of “cool dormancy” is required; this also applies to many indoor varieties.

In the southern regions, some gardeners leave rhizomes and tubers to overwinter in the ground, covering it well with mulch. But this technique usually does not bring anything positive. It's like playing roulette. In recent years, winters have been unpredictable even in the south. It is safer, and more effective, to remove calla tubers for the winter. Moreover, this agricultural technique allows you to examine the bulbs after digging and identify the onset of diseases in time. The harvesting of plants from the garden itself takes place in several stages.

Under what conditions should it be stored?

Conditions for storing calla lilies in winter are as follows:

• constant temperature within +5°C - +10°C;
• ensuring ventilation in places where planting material is stored;
• low level of humidity to prevent mold from forming;
• storing rhizomes at some distance from each other, sprinkled with sand, wood shavings or covered with moss and peat;
• regular inspection of planting material for timely identification of diseased tubers.

The container in which the rhizomes are located can be placed on an insulated balcony, in a cellar, basement, cool pantry, or refrigerator.

Let's wake up the callas with the arrival of spring

In order to complete wintering, the best time for the middle zone will be the beginning of April, for the southern regions - the beginning of March. Calla lilies root tubers are taken out, carefully examined, and treated with a solution of manganese or any fungicide against fungal diseases. If you didn’t separate the “babies” from the calla lilies in winter, you can separate them now.

Advice

“Children” are not cut off from the mother plant, but broken off. The separation area must be disinfected, treated with brilliant green, and sprinkled with ash.

In order for these beautiful plants to safely endure the period of winter dormancy, you need to properly dig them up, dry them and ensure they are stored in a dry and cool place.

In the basement

Storing calla lilies at home is best done in drawers, in a basement or cellar. Good ventilation and constant temperature are a must. The optimal storage temperature for calla lilies is +5°C - +10°C.

If the room is warmer, the tubers may begin to germinate prematurely, so maintaining the correct temperature is very important. The air should also not be too humid. The development of fungus in this case will destroy the tubers. Therefore, calla lilies can only be preserved in a dry room in winter.

Methods for storing plants after digging at home

There are several ways to store calla tubers until spring. An important point is that before planting for the winter, all roots are cut off, otherwise the flower may begin to grow.

Contents in the basement

Boxes with tubers are placed in the basement. Successful storage depends on maintaining the correct temperature, which ranges from +5 C to +10 C degrees. Under no circumstances should the temperature be allowed to increase; this will lead to premature, early germination of the bulbs.

See also

Planting and caring for perennial garden primrose, growing from seedsRead

High humidity is detrimental to planting material, so storage must be “dry”. The basement itself must be ventilated, with a constant flow of fresh air. Otherwise, the bulbs will simply be sprayed.

Winter accommodation on the loggia

This storage method is suitable for gardeners growing calla lilies in pots. In the fall, watering is gradually reduced, and after the first frost and the leaves die off, the pots are transferred to a glazed balcony or loggia. There the callas remain until spring. It is important to control the temperature - in severe frosts it is advisable to additionally cover the pots. And vice versa - it is advisable that there is no heating on the balcony, otherwise the callas will grow.

In the apartment

When there are no other options, you can store calla tubers in a city apartment in winter. To do this, boxes with planting material are placed in the coolest places. A vestibule, a pantry, a place near the balcony door, etc. are best suited.

To prevent the tubers from drying out and shriveling, they should be kept as far as possible from hot radiators and other heat sources. Even if planting material that has been exposed to temperatures above +20°C can maintain viability, flowering will not be as abundant as we would like. If the warm place is also damp, the flowers will quickly begin to sprout.

When to dig calla lilies from open ground in the fall

For successful wintering, tubers must be dug up on time. If you dig up a vegetative plant too early, it will not be able to successfully overwinter, and delaying the deadline until the onset of frost can simply destroy the flower.

Depending on the variety

There are 8 types of calla lilies in nature. They are divided into two main subspecies – rhizomatous and tuberous. Calla lilies Elliot and Remani are called tuberous. These species shed their leaves during the dormant period. The rhizomatous species include Ethiopian calla, which does not shed its leaves during the period of “hibernation” and does not have a pronounced dormant period.

Tuberous callas, which are more susceptible to low temperatures, are dug up first. But rhizomatous plants can tolerate a slight disadvantage. But you shouldn’t delay digging them up either.

Depending on the region of growth

The timing depends on the growing region and how early in the fall the cold weather arrives. Typically, excavation is carried out in the southern regions from the beginning of October, and in the central zone, including the Moscow region, from the second half of September. And in more northern regions, preparations begin at the beginning of the month.

Flowers in pots

How to store calla bulbs, if they are indoor plants, worries many housewives. After all, these flowers also require a period of rest.

When flowering is finished, containers with callas are placed in a dark place with a low temperature so that their growing season ends faster. In this case, watering the plants should be reduced to a minimum.

You can store tubers of indoor calla lilies in winter directly in pots. Or you can dig up the bulbs, carry out the treatment as indicated above, and keep them in the general conditions for this plant.

Leading stages of preparation for wintering

In order for the tubers to be well preserved during the cold weather, they should be dug up correctly and carefully. There are several basic steps that will allow you to grow amazing flowers in the coming season without any problems. To learn information about how to store calla tubers, you need to follow the steps:

1. 
   In the last days of September, immediately after the plant withers, the tuber roots are removed from the soil. During the procedure, you will need to leave part of the plant above the ground untouched.

2. Next, the drying period begins - for 14 days, the calla tubers, inseparably from the stems, are placed in cardboard boxes and left in a well-ventilated and dry room.
3. When the leaves of the plant begin to easily detach from the dried stem, drying can be stopped.
4. The tubers are removed from the top and kept in a cardboard box for another 7-8 days.
5. Then the callas are stored until the petioles become easily separated from the tubers. After cleaning and examining each planting specimen, you can begin to place the callas for long-term storage.

Premature growth

When one of the tubers begins to germinate ahead of schedule, it is planted in the soil and grown in a pot as an indoor flower. And with the arrival of spring warmth, it is transplanted into open ground. After which the calla lily will again become a garden plant.

To ensure that calla lilies bloom as early and luxuriant as possible, the tubers of this plant should be dug up every autumn at a certain time and stored in proper conditions. And those who decide to leave them in the soil may be left without this beauty in the new season.

Storing callas in winter is not at all difficult, you just need to follow the tips given in this article.

Diseases characteristic of indoor calla lilies

When studying such an exotic plant as calla lilies, how to care for the crop in winter, few people pay attention to the fact that the crop is susceptible to fungal and bacterial infections. The reason for this is a violation of the rules of agricultural technology and lack of proper attention to the plant. Systematic inspection of the soil and the green part of the flower, proper watering, protection from cold air currents and direct rays of the sun will be the best prevention against diseases.

The most common crop diseases are:

• Anthracosis . Accompanied by the presence of brown spots, after a while the leaves dry out and crack. Damaged parts of the plant must be removed, and the crop itself must be treated with a fungicide.
• Gray rot . It is characterized by a coating of a characteristic color that can appear on any part of the plant. The cause of the disease is excess humidity in the air and soil. Affected plants must be treated with Rovral or Vitarox.
• Bacterial rot . The disease cannot be cured. The flower must be completely disposed of, which in turn will prevent the spread of the disease to other plants.
• Root rot . The presence of the disease causes complete wilting of the plant. The cause of the damage is a waterlogged substrate. Until health is restored, you should stop watering the crop. Ideally, the old soil should be replaced. They are also treated with a fungicide.

Why doesn't calla lily bloom?

Poor flowering can be caused by all sorts of factors. Changing the location and improper lighting have a direct impact on the formation of buds. Also, lack of nutrients and frequent transplants weaken the plant, which reduces the quality of flowering.

The calla flower, which is actually not difficult to care for in winter, can become an original decoration for any room. It is important to follow the rules of agricultural technology and not deprive the plant of attention.

Necessary conditions for storing calla bulbs

For the storage of corms to be successful, the following conditions must be met:

• Provide a dry room, without excessive moisture and fungal infections on the walls (basement, cellar, garage, balcony). This will prevent mold from forming on the tubers.
• The temperature should be constant, within + 5 ... + 10 degrees. If the temperature is higher, the tubers will begin to germinate ahead of time.
• Good ventilation.
• The tubers must be laid out so that they do not touch.
• Flowers should be stored in winter in a slightly moistened substrate. This could be sand, sawdust, peat or sphagnum moss.
• Periodically it is necessary to inspect for the presence of rot and diseases.

The tubers are stored until the end of March.

The calla has faded, what to do next. Watering

Proper watering is a key condition for the growth and development of calla lilies at home. For these flowers, it is important to organize regular watering and constantly moist soil in the pot.

If the soil is dry, it will stop the growth of the plant for a long time. White stool, which naturally grows in swamps, places special demands on watering.

It needs to be watered when the top layer of soil in the pot dries 1 centimeter. After a quarter of an hour, it is necessary to drain the water that the plant did not absorb.

Colored callas are less demanding when it comes to watering, but in any case you need to carefully monitor the lack of water in the tray of the flower pot. Water should be watered with soft, settled water when the soil dries a couple of centimeters deep.

The optimal humidity level for these flowers is 70-80%; this level can be maintained by spraying 2 times a day and wiping the foliage with a damp cloth, as well as by placing nearby basins and trays with expanded clay or moss.

After flowering is complete, watering can be reduced for all types of flowers. For colored callas, after a couple of months, watering can be stopped altogether. The plant's dormant period occurs from October to February.

Illumination. Callas require high levels of indirect sunlight all year round. If there is not enough light, then flowering may not occur, and only the stems of the plant will grow.

White callas require lighting even during dormancy. Without sufficient light, colored calla lilies may experience fading in color intensity.

Temperature. During the growth period, it is important for white callas to maintain a temperature of 18-20 degrees; after flowering is completed, the temperature can be gradually reduced to 10-12 degrees. The rest period is about two months.

For colored callas, it will be optimal to keep them at a temperature of 20-24 degrees. After flowering has completed, the tubers ripen for about a month without watering at a temperature of 25 -27 degrees. Then they are taken out without leaves to organize dry wintering at a temperature of 3-5 degrees, covered with sawdust.

The soil. Acidified soils are optimal for these flowers. The substrate for planting can be prepared independently on the basis that for 2 parts of turf soil you need one part of leaf soil, sand and peat.

Feeding. In the summer, it is possible to plant plants in open ground in garden soil, in which case they will receive additional feeding. When kept at home, it is necessary to feed with complex fertilizers once every 2 weeks. During the flowering period, it is imperative to feed the flowers with urea, and you can also add an infusion of egg shells.

How and where can you store tubers?

In the city, calla lilies can be stored on an unheated balcony, loggia, in a refrigerator or in an apartment.

Storage on a balcony or loggia

Garden calla lilies should be wrapped in newspaper or paper and placed in paper or plastic boxes. Place in a dark, cool corner.

Photo: It is better to store tubers in a newspaper and a plastic box.

Storage in apartments in pots and on the balcony

This method is not advisable, but sometimes there is no other way to preserve the tubers. We place them in the coldest place - near the balcony, on the northern windowsill, in a cool pantry.

Caring for callas in flower pots in autumn and winter:

• In autumn we reduce watering.
• After the leaves dry, place them in a dark place.
• The earth should not dry out.
• When frost sets in below 40 degrees, we bring the pot indoors and place it in the coolest place.

Photo: Flowering will not be abundant if the plant is stored at room temperature in the apartment.

Storing calla lilies in the refrigerator

If there is a small amount of material, the tubers can be stored in a household refrigerator. We wrap each onion in paper. Place in a craft bag or ventilated box. We pour sand, peat, sawdust or moss inside.

You need to store it in the vegetable compartment, it is located at the bottom of the refrigerator. We periodically inspect the tubers. Closer to spring, sometimes at the end of February, they may begin to germinate. Read on to find out how to deal with this.

You can save calla tubers in your apartment. True, flowering most likely will not be so abundant.