Why doesn't calla lily bloom?
There are several reasons that prevent the formation of inflorescences on a plant. All of them are similar to each other both for growing calla lilies at home and in open ground in the garden.
Types of flowerpots for home and garden
At home
When kept indoors, the plant blooms only twice throughout the year (late spring and mid-autumn). If inflorescences do not appear, then the growing conditions should be changed. The most common reasons why callas do not bloom at home:
- overgrown tubers;
- lack of light;
- frequent change of location of the flowerpot;
- improper care during the growing season;
- constant transplants;
- lack of nutritional components.
For your information! It is recommended to add fertilizer to the soil once a week in winter and spring.
To avoid troubles when growing an African flower, the top layer of soil should be removed and replaced with a new, more fertile one. All manipulations must be done with extreme caution so as not to injure the root system. This technique allows you to reduce the frequency of transfers.
Outdoors in the garden
Callas that are planted in the garden react negatively to shade and lack of sun. It is better to choose a place with diffused lighting, where ultraviolet rays will appear in the first half of the day. Planting a plant under the scorching sun is considered no less destructive, resulting in burns on the leaves. Calla lilies must be exposed to indirect light to bloom.
Flowering in open ground
The reason for the lack of flower stalks can be planting callas on a hill, so it is better to place them in a low-lying area. The plant is not afraid of even close proximity to groundwater, but frequent transplants and excessive neglect are detrimental to the flower.
Important! The distance between callas should be maintained at 30-40 cm, and the planting depth should be from 10 to 20 cm.
Flowers will not bloom if the soil is highly acidic. The soil should only be neutral.
What you don’t need to feed callas for abundant flowering is preparations with a high nitrogen content, so as not to delay the appearance of flower stalks.
Preparing tubers for winter
Tubers cannot be left in the ground over the winter, as they will not be able to withstand frost. They need to be dug up in mid-September, carefully inspecting the entire root system. If damage is found, they should be repaired and treated with a disinfectant. Next, the tubers are laid out to dry in a shaded place that will be well ventilated.
Tubers can be treated with potassium permanganate both in spring and autumn. If this event is carried out in the fall, then after processing the tubers need to be laid out again to dry. After this, the planting material is folded into a paper bag and placed for storage in the refrigerator, in the lowest compartment. With the onset of spring, small shoots, called children, separate from the main tuber. All material for planting is treated with potassium permanganate, after which they can be planted again.
Factors causing lack of flowering
The beauty of calla lilies is compared to anthurium, which is distinguished by large white flowers and bright large leaves. Gardeners love to grow both flowers not only indoors, but also in open ground. Sometimes it happens that the plant grows well, new leaves appear, but there are no flowers.
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There are several factors that are the reason for this:
- wrong landing site. It is better to grow the plant in lowlands, especially since it is not afraid of groundwater;
- lack of light. Calla requires diffused lighting throughout the day, shade prevents flowering, and open sun provokes burns on the leaves;
- increased nitrogen content in the soil leads to oversaturation of the root system and slows down flower growth;
- tight fit. The optimal distance between holes is 30-40 cm;
- increased soil acidity. It is necessary to select neutral soil; to reduce it, it must be treated with a vinegar solution;
- surface landing. The tuber should be deepened 10-20 cm into the hole, depending on the size of the root.
Improper care is one of the main reasons why there are no flowers. Callas require periodic loosening of the soil, moderate watering and mineral fertilizing during the growing season.
For your information! The absence of flowers in a young plant is considered a natural factor, because calla lilies form inflorescences only from the second year of life.
Infectious diseases of calla lilies, methods of combating them
As a result of improper care or poor-quality planting material, poor soil, calla lilies are susceptible to infectious diseases. They quickly make themselves felt: the color of the plant fades, the calla leaves curl or turn yellow, dry out, and the stems become brittle.
To avoid the death of the plant, it is necessary to calculate the cause of this condition and take the necessary measures in time.
Anthracnose
Anthracnose is a fungal disease of calla lilies.
This disease is quite common among these beauties.
Calla lily anthracnose has the following manifestations:
- depressed brown spots appear on the leaves;
- over time, the spots become larger in size, a red border appears on their edges, and white mold appears in the center;
- leaves crack and dry out;
- the stems weaken;
- the flowers fade and curl.
The causes of such damage are:
- increased air temperature;
- excessive air and soil humidity.
Fighting methods:
- remove damaged leaves from the plant and soil;
- reduce watering;
- move the plant away from batteries;
- treatment with fungicides (Fundazol, Fitosporin-M).
Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew develops due to infection of calla lilies by fungi.
With such a disease, a white coating appears on the leaves of the plant, which very quickly increases in volume and after a while covers all the leaves of the flower. Externally, the coating looks like grains of flour that abundantly cover the surface of the calla lily. Over time, the affected parts turn black and disappear.
- removing damaged leaves (if there are not very many of them);
- fungicide treatment;
- moderate watering.
Gray rot
Gray rot of calla lilies is caused by the fungus Botryts cinera.
Unlike anthracnose, gray rot can affect all parts of the plant: leaves, stems, flowers. Diseased leaves become covered with a gray coating, and gray-green spots appear on the flowers. Over time, the flowering part acquires a brown tint and becomes covered with a gray veil.
- increased air humidity;
- excessive watering;
- planting in contaminated soil;
- infected planting material.
Fighting methods:
- remove all infected leaves;
- moderate saturated watering;
- treat the plant and soil with fungicides (Rovral, Fundazol).
Root rot
Calla lily root rot is caused by a fungus of the genus Fitovtora.
Signs of calla lily disease:
- leaves and flowers dry out;
- the plant quickly weakens;
- gray mold can be seen on the soil;
- the roots become rotten.
Causes of the disease:
- high air temperature;
- increased air humidity;
- excessive watering;
- overfertilization;
Fighting methods:
- transplant into dry soil and water very moderately at first;
- move the plant to a cool, well-ventilated area;
- review feeding practices;
- treat with fungicides (“Ridomir”, “Profit-gold”).
Bacterial rot
Bacterial rot of calla lilies is caused by bacteria of the genus Erwinia.
When the disease occurs, the root of the plant and the base of the leaves darken and eventually rot. The surface of the leaves becomes yellow. The plant does not dry out, but rather rots.
Causes of the disease:
- increased temperature and humidity;
- excessive watering;
- excessive fertilization with nitrogen.
Eradicating bacteria is very difficult.
It is necessary to moderate watering, treat the plant with fungicides and replant it in healthy soil.
How to make calla lilies bloom
Beginning gardeners, when purchasing a plant, are faced with various problems and do not know how to solve them themselves at home. Calla lilies can be made to bloom in simple and effective ways.
Ensuring proper watering
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Callas are moisture-loving plants, so they need constant watering. The optimal frequency of irrigation is daily or every other day, and the water should also be in the pan. Moisturizing is especially important at the stage of appearance and blooming of inflorescences. Taking a flower pot out into the summer rain shows good results.
Note! The humidity level for tuberous callas is from 50 to 60%, and for rhizomatous callas - 70-80%.
How to water black flowers correctly
The plant is moistened as soon as the soil dries 1 cm deep. When the soil completely dries out, the flowering stage is delayed for 6 months. Soft or settled water is ideal for irrigation, but not cold. At the end of the bud blooming stage, white callas can be watered less frequently, and colored callas can be moistened completely after 1-2 months.
Transplanting calla lilies into a spacious pot
The plant actively develops in natural conditions, but at home it experiences stress. After purchasing, the flower must be transplanted into a deeper and wider container. As the root system grows, you will have to change the pot to avoid the occurrence of various diseases.
Suitable pot for transplanting
The main parameters for purchasing a new container:
- the width should exceed the crown size by 5 cm or more;
- the height is selected depending on the length of the root system, exceeding it by 2 times.
It is necessary to control the reproduction of calla lilies and babies in the pot, which can displace the adult plant and prevent it from flowering. To avoid bad consequences, it is necessary to plant the shoots in time or replant them together with the main flower in a larger pot.
Providing calla lilies with a period of rest
Calla is a flower that periodically needs rest. In winter, the plant should be stopped watering so that the leaves can dry out on their own. Tubers that are in the ground need to be sprinkled with sawdust, placed in a cool, dark place and watered in very rare cases.
During the dormant period, the flower bulb gains strength. The minimum rest period is from 1.5 to 2 months. From mid-April, you can resume abundant watering, and in the summer season it is allowed to take it out into the sun and plant it in the garden. This will strengthen the tubers and make the calla bloom for a long period. If it is not possible to plant the plant in open ground, you can simply place the pot on the balcony or street. It is worth remembering to protect calla lilies from excessive scorching sun.
For your information! A symbol of the plant’s successful exit from the dormant period is the growth of lush green foliage and the formation of buds.
Increasing the amount of fertilizing
To achieve long and abundant flowering, regardless of the plant variety, it is necessary to fertilize it periodically. If calla lilies are transplanted into open ground in the summer, then it is enough to feed them once a month. Any organic fertilizer for garden calla lilies is suitable for this, but during the flowering period it is better to add minerals, eggshell infusion, and urea.
Feeding for active flower growth
Callas that grow in a pot at home need to be fertilized with combined products at least once every 2 weeks. An excess of nitrogen components will cause increased leaf growth, but at the same time leads to the absence of inflorescences. If flower stalks begin to appear on the stem, then what to feed the callas with is potassium and phosphorus-containing substances.
Note! If you are afraid to use different drugs, then it is better to ask a consultant at a garden store about permitted and prohibited drugs.
Callas occupy the top of the list of ornamental crops that are used in home floriculture. The plant of African origin is quite unpretentious with the right approach. Before purchasing, you should familiarize yourself with the information about what temperature conditions the flower needs, the frequency of moisture, and how calla lilies reproduce. If you follow all the recommendations, you can prepare for the appearance of beautiful buds to extend the flowering period.
