Growing Guides: How to grow Calla Lily bulbs
Although most people recognize calla lilies as a long-lasting cut flower, it also deserves recognition as a beautiful plant for your garden. These flowers offer an elegant and delicate appearance to your garden while being easy to grow.
The best place to plant calla lilies
When planting your calla lilies, you need to keep in mind that they prefer well-drained soil high in nutrients and partial shade throughout the day. The shade is one of the most important factors to consider as these flowers will burn in direct, midday sunlight. Furthermore, if an area in your garden has excessively soggy soil after hard rains, then you might also want to avoid this location to plant your calla lilies. The is because the bulbs will begin to rot if left in wet soil for a long period of time. If you decide to plant your calla lilies in containers, then the same rules apply. Make sure the containers have good drainage holes and place the containers in a shaded area.
The best time to plant calla lilies
Once you have selected the best location to plant your bulbs or found containers with good drainage then you can follow these planting tips:
- Dig holes no deeper than 4 inches in the soil (this includes containers as well). Then plant the bulbs with the eyes facing upwards. Cover the tops with a little soil but you can leave the bulbs slightly exposed.
- Next and finally, water thoroughly. Soak the soil surrounding the bulbs and leave for approximately one week.
How to grow calla lilies
This part is one of the most vital stages as it will impact how the flower bloom.
- Aim for roughly 1 inch of water per week but if you have had heavy rains then check the soil first. Remember, calla lilies do not like to sit in soggy soil.
- Do not remove any foliage until after the calla lilies have bloomed and the season is over. The leaves are an essential part of photosynthesis.
- Add a layer of mulch or leaves around the bulbs in the autumn to protect them.
Tips and Tricks
- If you want to use some of your calla lilies for bouquets or a cut flower arrangement, then feel free to do so. This will not harm the plant and you can then have the best of both worlds, calla lilies in your garden and in your home.
- You can improve poorly draining soil by adding compost, bark or composted manure to the soil.
- The “eyes” on calla lilies are the green bumps along the bulb
