Calla is a flower of greatness and beauty. Translated from Greek, the word “calla” means “beautiful.” The second name for calla lilies is calla lily. Her homeland is wetlands South Africa. But despite its beauty, unique shape and variety of shades, in its homeland the plant is considered a weed.
Blooming calla lilies are a favorite element of interior designers. It is often used to decorate hallways, living rooms, and halls, especially when the interior needs to create an atmosphere of discreet luxury. The presence of indoor calla lilies in the interior not only decorates the room, but also fills it with a subtle magical aroma. Gardeners also love calla lilies, using them to create fancy landscape compositions. And what wedding bouquet is complete today without calla lilies? We can safely say that calla lilies have long conquered the world and gained a strong position in it.
Varieties of calla lilies
Calla has such a characteristic appearance that even an ignorant person will not confuse it with any other flower. The bare fleshy stem is crowned with a spadix and a spathe, which is a bract and has a funnel shape. It is this that non-specialists usually mistake for a calla lily flower. In fact, it is just a covering leaf that has an amazing shape and serves as a natural protection for the real inflorescence, which consists of small, inconspicuous, but strongly fragrant flowers. The stems of the plant have an average height of 50-80 cm, but some can reach 1.5 m. Dark green leaves with silver inclusions grow from the root and resemble arrowheads in their shape.
There are only 2 varieties of calla lilies, differing in the color of the covering leaf: white and colored. White callas are attractive due to their snow-white covering leaves and large size: this particular variety can reach 1.5 m in height. Colored callas are much smaller, but their beauty lies in their color: they can be yellow, orange, pink, red, purple and even black.
Representatives of both groups differ slightly from each other in appearance, but require various conditions content. Calla lilies white prefer shady corners and require more water, preferring high air and soil humidity. Colored callas are less demanding on humidity environment, but need bright diffused light.
How calla lilies reproduce
There are 2 ways to propagate calla lilies: bulbs and seeds. The more common method of propagation is bulbous. During the season, the calla bulb becomes overgrown with baby nodules, which are carefully separated from the mother tuber and grown in a special way in greenhouse conditions.
Each mother bulb can produce from 10 to 30 baby shoots per season. But it is very important that the plant is young, healthy and well developed.
The tubers separated from the uterus are placed in a specially prepared loose nutrient mixture to a depth of no more than 4 cm. As a rule, the tubers are planted in the form of beds, placing them tightly along the grooves. Density can be up to 500 pieces per 1 m². But once the first leaves appear, each plant will need more space. Now they should be planted at a density not exceeding 300 pieces per 1 m². The air temperature should be maintained at +16…+18 ºС. Regular watering and loosening the soil are required.
As soon as the second leaf appears, the plant begins to be fed with nitrogen-potassium-phosphorus mixtures. In the first year of life, young callas are grown without a dormant period: they continue to be watered, fed and loosened throughout the year. In the second year, in August-September, the plant can be transplanted to its permanent place.
Growing calla lilies from seeds is a much longer and more labor-intensive process. But the most interesting thing is that callas grown from seeds almost never look like their parents. And if you're lucky, you may end up with something completely unique.
If you decide to try to grow calla lilies from seeds, then first you need to germinate them. To do this, the seeds need to be wrapped in a damp, but not wet, towel for 1-2 days and placed in a cool, dark place. After 2 days, all seeds that have not sprouted can be safely thrown away, and those that have sprouted should be transplanted into a pot. You should not plant newly hatched seeds in open ground. The fact is that the planting depth is shallow, otherwise the seeds will rot. And for mice and birds it is tasty and affordable food. Therefore, plants from seeds are always grown in pots.
Pots should be small - this important condition so that the seedlings are strong and healthy. The seeds are placed under upper layer soil and, to protect against rotting, water through the bottom of the pot or by spraying moisture from above.
When the seedlings have grown and become stronger, they can be transplanted into the garden or large pots. Before planting in a permanent place, the roots of the plant should be washed with extreme caution so as not to introduce diseases.
Callas are unpretentious flowers, which makes them incredibly attractive for growing both in open ground, and in pots. The main requirement for plant care is timely and sufficient watering. This is not surprising, because the birthplace of the flower is the swampy humid tropics.
If you decide to start breeding calla lilies on personal plot, That ideal place the bank of a natural reservoir can serve as a place to place plants. Naturally, since an artificial reservoir is just a reservoir of water and there is no connection between water and soil, which means that the calla li’s roots will not be able to receive enough moisture from the soil. The wet bank of a natural reservoir, on the contrary, will allow the plant to receive as much moisture as it needs, which will significantly facilitate the care process. In addition, in conditions close to their natural habitat, the plants will quickly grow and create an unusually beautiful corner.
If your garden does not have a pond, then you will have to pay a lot of attention to the watering process, especially on hot summer days.
In order for the calla to feel comfortable and delight the eye with its blooming beauty, you need to take care of correct composition soil and regular fertilizing.
The most suitable soil for this type of flower is acidic and light soil, which contains peat, humus, leaf soil and sand.
Calla lilies usually bloom from June to October. But if the climate of your area allows it, that is, the thermometer never drops below 0 ºС, then you can achieve year-round flowering. To do this, the plants will have to be fed regularly once every 2 weeks. Fertilizers can be either in the form of compost or liquid mixtures, which should be diluted with water.
Flowers will require more fertilizer if they do not receive enough sunlight. This fact should always be taken into account when calculating the amount of feeding mixtures. Excess fertilizer will not benefit plants. If you overfeed them with nitrogen, then don’t be surprised why the calla lilies don’t bloom. Nitrogen promotes the growth of green mass, but prevents flowering. An excess amount of nitrogen in fertilizers will be indicated not only by the absence of flowers, but also by the burnt edges of the leaves.
If climatic conditions If your area expects cold winters, then before frosts the plants should be dug up and prepared for a dormant period. To do this, the bulbs of the dug up bushes are washed and placed in a dark, dry pantry for 1.5-2 weeks for acclimatization in room conditions. Then the bulbs are cleaned of dried leaves and roots, being careful not to damage the small baby nodules. It is advisable to sprinkle the bulbs with charcoal: it will simultaneously dry them and disinfect them. The bulbs prepared in this way are placed in the cellar, on indoor balcony or in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment.
Tubers should be stored at temperatures from +2 to +7 ºС for 1.5-2 months. This time is quite enough for the plant to rest, without which they will not bloom.
General rules for caring for calla lilies at home
How to care for calla lilies at home? In this case, the rules of care will be somewhat different, although also simple. As in open ground, calla lilies in a pot require abundant watering. But now you will have to water the plant, taking into account the fact that quite a lot of water is lost in the pot. Fertilizing is needed when the supply of nutrients in the soil is depleted. But there is one subtlety here: if the amount of fertilizer is calculated incorrectly, then over time these fertilizers will accumulate in the soil, creating an excess mass of certain elements, which will immediately affect the condition and appearance of the plant.
Caring for callas at home involves annual replanting into new soil. Otherwise, the bulbs may grow excessively, taking up too much large space in a pot; Fertilizers can accumulate in the soil, increasing its chemical toxicity. All this together will lead to undesirable consequences and can destroy the plant.
Secrets of keeping calla lilies at home
In cold climates with harsh winters and cool summers, calla lilies are unlikely to take root on your garden plot. But this is how a calla lily houseplant can please you, even if you do not live in the Far North.
If you seriously decide to grow calla lilies in a pot, then caring for them at home will require knowledge of some subtleties, in addition to the specifics of watering and fertilizing.
Callas are planted in pots in the same way as in the ground. The depth of planting the bulb should be approximately 10 cm. If you want to plant several bulbs not in a pot, but, for example, in a decorative box, then the distance between them should be at least 12 cm, which will allow them to grow well. The bulbs are planted in such a way that the growing ends are located horizontally.
The process of planting calla lilies in a pot is extremely simple. But further care at home has its secrets.
So, calla lily shoots will become smaller if they are not fed with organic matter. And as organic matter, you can use a wide variety of human food waste: seed peels, used tea leaves, soft fruit peels. Dig a small hole along the edge of the pot, place organic waste there, cover it with soil and water it.
After fertilizing with organic matter, you should add mineral fertilizers, following the recommendations on the packaging.
Care at home, as in natural conditions, involves loosening the soil. Here, too, you can use a trick - throw earthworms into a pot with calla lilies. Worms will not only do an excellent job of loosening the soil, helping to saturate it with oxygen, but will also speed up the process of processing added organic matter.
As mentioned above, plants need annual replanting, but if you replace the top layer of soil with a new nutrient substrate from time to time, the plant will be able to grow longer in a pot without replanting.
Callas bloom very quickly. To make the plant bloom longer, you can add calcium fertilizer to the soil during the formation of buds, for example, water infused with eggshells.
Zantedeschia aephiopica(Ethiopian calla, calla lily, zantedeschia) grows as a herbaceous perennial that completely or partially dries out for the winter, about 80 cm high with a powerful fleshy rhizome. Juicy green smooth leaves are located on vertical petioles. The inflorescence consists of a white involucre leaf and a yellow spadix. There are also types of indoor calla flowers with yellow or pink leaves on sale. Family: Agaseae (Araceae). Homeland: Tropical Africa, South Africa. It should be noted that the plant received such an unusual name - Zantedeschia - thanks to the famous botanist Kurt Sprengel: the German scientist decided to christen the perennial in honor of his Italian colleague and comrade Giovanni Zantedeschi.
What does an overseas calla flower look like?
It should also be noted that now the flower is very popular among many gardeners precisely because it can be easily grown both at home and outdoors. In addition, because of how stunning the calla flower looks - it is a combination of spectacular large leaves, bright inflorescences on long petioles and a funnel-shaped bract - most connoisseurs choose this plant as a decoration for their home. By the way, the foliage of this representative of the flora visually resembles real arrowheads with beautiful silver inclusions! Zantedeschia has truly won the love of people around the world: in Europe it is associated with the embodiment of devotion and tenderness, and brides prefer to use it to create charming wedding bouquets. Despite this, when growing an indoor overseas calla flower, every gardener must remember that this plant is capable of releasing poison. That is why, when choosing a place for your “pet,” you must try to place it where children or animals cannot reach it.
When to dig up callas and how to store them in winter (with video)
According to experts, knowing what conditions are necessary for normal height and the development of callas, caring for indoor calla lilies can be a real pleasure. Based on this, pay attention to the following points:- Location: bright sunny or semi-shaded position, put outside in summer.
- Temperature: Warm in summer, cool in winter (about 10 °C).
- Substrate: flower soil mixture.
- Watering: after flowering, from the end of May, keep it completely dry for 2 months, then shake out the lump, plant it again and slowly increase the watering rate. Water abundantly in winter and spring.
Regardless of the fact that the process of caring for and growing a calla flower will take place at home, experienced craftsmen remind you that it is necessary to follow the rules of agricultural technology that are intended for garden specimens. In addition, experts and connoisseurs of this perennial share tips with beginners:
- It should be remembered that this plant does not sprout immediately after planting, since it takes time to form its root system. Therefore, there is no need to worry: you just have to wait a little - about 30-40 days.
- In addition, even indoor unpretentious plant Calla lilies should be carefully subjected to the planting procedure: we're talking about about sprinkling just a little soil on its roots so that it does not begin to rot in the future.
No matter how hard the gardener tries, the overseas perennial blooms no longer than a month.Be responsible and do not forget to periodically remove the top layer of soil from the flower container: instead, you need, in turn, to add a nutrient substrate. Watch a video about when to dig up callas and how to store them later: the fact is that this plant has very delicate tubers that can be easily damaged.
Moreover, this process must be carried out according to the rules, since zantedeschia can get sick. And the last thing: It is very important that the flower pot is porous. This is necessary, first of all, to prevent accumulation excess moisture. Moreover, do not plant other specimens together with the whitewing - it does not tolerate neighbors.
How to grow callas at home: lighting and temperature
Although it has been said that the conditions for caring for a houseplant are similar to those used for garden flowers, you need to know how to properly grow calla lilies at home. To begin with, it should be noted that Zantedeschia does not like dark rooms: in this regard, you need to ensure that it is placed in a well-lit corner. Moreover, a similar rule applies to both winter and summer.Remember that in December - February the plant may suffer from a lack of sun rays: make sure that this moment is compensated by artificial light sources.Not only lighting plays a role in the process normal development calligraphy: It is important that the temperature in the room does not drop below 15 ºC. But for caring for an indoor calla flower at home for stimulation good growth temperature readings of 22-23 ºC are required. Take note that this specimen should be protected from drafts, so when ventilating the room, do not leave it in open areas.
Caring for callas at home in pots with a tray
Gardeners consider the creation of a favorable humid climate for the flower to be an important point. To achieve the desired effect, it is necessary to plant calla lilies at home in pots with a tray so that they are cared for in accordance with their characteristics. In this case, the pan will serve as a reservoir for water, from which the liquid will gradually evaporate and saturate the perennial.
Collateral correct height and successful development will be ensured by abundant watering. It plays one of the key roles in caring for indoor calla flowers at home: since the calla lily loves high humidity, the soil in the pot should not be allowed to dry out. It is this oversight that can cause not only illness, but also the death of Zantedeschia.Soil moisture should be monitored especially closely during the summer months and during the growing season. However, after the flower ripens, it is necessary to reduce the amount of moisture and only ensure that the top layer of soil in the pot does not dry out.
Planting, replanting and further care of calla lilies at home
As you can already see, knowing exactly how to properly care for your home calla flower, you can avoid certain problems (for example, rotting and the development of diseases). However, you should pay attention to the following points:- Feeding: should be carried out from September until flowering (every week).
- Transfer: it should be carried out in July/August.
Please note that before transferring the seedlings, it is best to treat its roots with biostimulants. Try to do this as carefully as possible so as not to harm the sprouts. Already, you need to water it a little with distilled water diluted with peat-containing fertilizers.This is important for calla lilies at home: this technique will help the perennial to get used to it faster.
How to properly plant and transplant a calla bulb at home into another pot
Gardening experts say that it is important not only to know how to plant indoor flower calla lilies in a pot, but also what to feed it with. Only regular fertilizer will ensure year-round flowering of zantedeschia. However, you also need to be careful in this matter: if this specimen receives too many nitrogenous substances, it may get sick - its leaves will begin to turn black. Experts consider the most useful and effective fertilizers to be those that will stimulate growth and lush flowering perennial - namely superphosphates and containing potassium.In addition, you can try to find means by which the process of how to successfully transplant calla lilies at home into another pot can be carried out safely for the flower: you need to use store-bought fertilizers that include the optimal amount useful elements(indicated on the packaging). In addition, experienced craftsmen prefer to periodically resort to organic fertilizers.In principle, such a procedure as pruning the calligraphy is not carried out: most often, the person who cares for the plant simply removes the dried leaves in a timely manner. It is recommended to engage in this process during the period when the perennial is dormant - that is, from mid-June to mid-September.
How to prepare callas for winter: how to dig up the rhizome and how to preserve it
First of all, you should remember that this overseas specimen cannot be left in the ground. That is why you need to understand how to carefully dig up calla lilies for the winter and how to preserve them. First, after making sure that the zantedeschia foliage has withered, you need to remove it, then carefully rinse the tubers and soak them in potassium permanganate for half an hour.Only after this can the plant be sent for storage in a dark, always dry place, having first packed it in a paper bag. It should be noted that the temperature in the selected room should not be lower than 7 ºC. There is one more reliable way how to safely store calla lilies in winter at home: to do this, you need to slightly dry the rhizomes of the flower, completely get rid of the leaves, and then, after treating them with a solution of potassium permanganate, place them in any appropriate place. In this case, you just need to remember to periodically check the perennial so that it does not dry out or rot.
It is also necessary to note the following point: if a gardener grows calligraphy in a pot, he may not remove it from there, but it is still recommended to take it out to a cool room. Thus, having learned how to properly prepare callas for winter, you don’t have to worry that they will definitely bloom after a period of dormancy.
Options for propagating callas
Experts say that Zantedeschia propagation is best done by dividing the rhizomes after a dormant period in mid-July. However, you can try other methods of growing this plant at home. The first one is called tuberous, since it implies careful separation of small nodules from the central root. By the way, this required material sold in literally every flower stall. But you should pay attention to the fact that the purchased tuber must be grown before being planted: the fact is that its dimensions are not suitable for planting. Exactly how to propagate calla lilies in this way is being clarified. experienced gardeners: planting material should be grown in ordinary nutrient soil, after which - in April - it is necessary to plant the calligraphy.
Be careful: at this moment the temperature in the room should not be lower than 20 ºC.
Despite this, there are a few tips to consider that can make the breeding process easier. Firstly, before placing the seeds in the soil, be sure to soak them in a growth-stimulating solution - about 6 hours. After this, you need to take them out and lay them out on an ordinary, slightly moistened cloth in a warm and dry place. The seeds should be stored in this form for 7 days.
Experts clarify how to continue to grow calla lilies from seeds: after a week, shoots will appear, which you simply need to plant in a spacious pot. Please note that those who are going to place the future calligraphy in open ground, are very risky: quite often such flowers get sick and die.As soon as Zantedeschia has found its place, you should control the process of watering it: the amount of water should not be large so that the seeds do not begin to rot. But in order for the perennial to receive the necessary moisture, you need to carefully feed it through a small hole at the bottom of the pot - that is, using a tray with water under it.
How to care for home calla lilies: prevention of flower diseases
It must be said right away that the cause of all misfortunes is calla lilies. fungal diseases. However, this flower is also periodically bothered by insects - spider mites along with aphids. Most often, those specimens that suffer from improper care by the gardener or absolute neglect on his part are attacked by bacteria and all kinds of pests. The point now is that instead of treating diseases that threaten the flower, it is better to prevent them.- Watch the soil in the pot: do not allow it to dry out or, on the contrary, be too flooded with water.
- Do not leave the plant in areas exposed to direct sunlight.
- It is necessary to beware of drafts, which quite often cause numerous troubles.
If a gardener is faced with bacterial rot, then he should completely stop thinking about how to then plant the bulb of this calla lily: propagation of the plant using infected parts is impossible, since if this disease is detected, the source must be immediately destroyed.
How to make overseas calla bloom at home
Quite often people wonder how to make the overseas calla plant bloom at home. However, they do not think about what caused their indoor “pet” to not be covered in lush color. But this can be influenced by quite a variety of factors:- Frequent movements from pot to pot and the very movement of the container around the apartment have a very negative impact on the calliper.
- The lack of sufficient fertilizer and lack of sunlight does not promote flowering.
- Lack of control over growing tubers also leads to weakening of zantedeschia.
It should be said that fixing the situation is quite simple: the Ethiopian type of calla lily and its white varieties - Green Goddess, Nicolai - need abundant watering, so this factor will not affect their flowering in any way. But colored zantedeschias should receive much less moisture, but more sunlight in order to feel comfortable and delight their owners with bright inflorescences.By the way, you also need to know about these perennials that they tend to shed their leaves. That is, you don’t need to think that the flower has died - it was just preparing for a period of rest in this way.
Types and varieties of domestic callas: photos, names and descriptions of indoor plants
In nature, there are only 8 types of calla lilies, and gardeners are interested in only 3 names:
Ethiopian
Remanna
Elliot
It is these specimens that are suitable for breeding at home and numerous experiments by breeders. In addition, planning to grow such unusual flower, you need to know that its varieties can be divided into those that have a light cream color and those that delight the eye with rainbow colors.
Look carefully at the photos of various varieties Ethiopian calla lilies: the pictures show the most popular of them - Nikolai, Green goddess , Pearl And Schone Zweibrückerin.
First of all, Pearl small in size– its height does not exceed 50 cm, and it often becomes a resident of many apartments, since this plant is convenient to grow in pots.
And one more variety of Ethiopian calla lily, considered domestic – Schone Zweibrückerin – can be 1 m in height, has heart-shaped beautiful leaves.
It is interesting that all of the listed specimens do not shed their foliage during the dormant period.
As for this type of indoor calla flower, such as Remanna, then this is, first of all, a low perennial - no more than 70 cm - with an unusual pinkish-burgundy cover and narrow emerald leaves.
Unlike the Ethiopian whitewing, this one does not have a developed root system, but an underground one, often in the form of a tuber. In addition, this variety sheds its leaves in the fall.Among the most common varieties, gardeners distinguish the following:
Evening– a specimen with characteristic black and purple inflorescences
Chameleon – small plant, which is quite often grown in pots, but is also periodically bred in the garden, with beautiful golden-peach petals,
Calla is one of the most elegant plants from the Araceae family that blooms indoors.
Its “folk” names: whitewing, arum. It is native to the swamp forests of South Africa.
In nature, there are 8 types of calla lilies, which are divided into 2 groups: tuberous and rhizomatous.
In addition to the type of root system, they differ in the size and color of the spathe (varieties of tuberous callas have different colors, and rhizomatous calla lilies bloom mainly with white flowers).
Of these, the following are suitable for growing at home:
Ethiopian calla (zantedeschia) is the largest species cultivated in indoor floriculture. Big leaves have a heart shape. Blooms with funnel-shaped white flowers. Unlike colored callas, during the dormant period it retains its leaves and remains green. The most popular varieties: Green Goddess, Pearl, Nikolai, Childsiana; Albomaculata.
Calla Eliot reaches a height of up to 50cm. Has large variegated leaves, flower cover yellow color. Famous varieties: Black-Eyed Beauty, Yellow Corner, Vermeer, Black Beauty, Captain Chelse.
Calla Remani is a compact tuberous species (up to 70 cm in height). On its basis, varieties with red, pink, purple, and black shades of bedspreads have been bred. Popular varieties: Chameleon, Evening, Indian summer. Anneke, Black Forest, Bolero.
Callas in pots, caring for them at home, which is not as difficult as it seems at first glance, still requires a special approach. In order for them not only to grow, but also to bloom in indoor conditions, the gardener is required to create an optimal combination of conditions that are most similar to natural ones.
Calla: care at home - propagation, transplantation
Reproduction
At home, calla lilies are propagated mainly vegetatively. In Zantedeschia, the rhizome is divided into parts. Each of them must have at least one kidney. The sections are dried and powdered charcoal or disinfected with brilliant green. The division of rhizomes must be carried out at least once every 4 years. Otherwise, small lateral shoots will form around the mother bush, which will not produce flowering. After this, the divisions are planted in a separate pot.
In colored calla lilies, daughter nodules are separated from the mother nodule.
1.
An overgrown calla tuber is ready for division
Propagation by seeds is the most difficult method. This is due to their low germination percentage. If you manage to get ripe seeds, then before planting they must be soaked in a growth stimulant (Kornevin, Epin, Heteroauxin, Etamon, Zircon), and then left to germinate in a warm place on a damp sponge or gauze. After the seeds have hatched, they can be planted in the ground. However, another difficulty arises here: planting material often rots. To reduce losses to a minimum, it is better to moisten the sprouts not from above, but through the wick. Plantings are grown at a temperature of +22ºС. Seedlings sprout 2 months after sowing.
Transfer
Callas are replanted annually in the spring after the end of the dormant period. At the same time, you can divide the rhizomes or tubers. Use pots that are wide and not too deep. At the bottom, drainage up to 5 cm thick is required. Whiteflies are planted in pots no deeper than 5-10 cm.
For colored calla lilies, the selected tubers should be elastic, lively, with smooth yellowish skin. Before planting, it is recommended to soak them in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or treat them with a fungicide.
Sections of white calla lilies are planted at a depth equal to 3 times the diameter of their rhizomes.
At first, you should not water the planting heavily - there is a high probability of rotting (it is better to spray it with a spray bottle). After the sprouts appear (approximately 14 days after transplantation), active watering and fertilizing begin.
Callas in pots: care at home - soil, lighting, temperature and humidity, conditions for flowering
For tuberous varieties of callas, a suitable soil composition would be: leaf soil, turf soil, humus, coarse sand in a ratio of 1:2:1:0.5. For rhizomatous varieties, you can use universal soil for flowering plants or replace it with the following mixture: equal parts humus, leaf soil, coarse sand, 2 parts turf soil, ¼ part clay. In both options, 1 tablespoon of superphosphate is added to 3 liters of total substrate volume.
Lighting and location
Callas need bright, indirect light. The duration of daylight hours should be 10-12 hours. In autumn and winter, it is necessary to provide additional lighting with an intensity of at least 700-800 Lux. A lack of light leads to a loss of decorativeness of the plant: the petioles of the leaves are elongated, there is no flowering, and the color of the bracts is observed in tuberous calla lilies.
In summer, the best location for zantedeschia will be western and eastern windows. In winter, on the contrary, to receive additional sunlight, it is better to move it to the south side.
Air temperature and humidity
For different types calla temperature and humidity in the room have some differences.
During the active growing season, rhizomatous plants feel good at +17-21ºС. After flowering during the dormant period, they are kept at +10-13ºС for at least 2 months.
“White” callas need high air humidity (70-80%). To do this, their leaves are sprayed with soft water, the pots are placed on pallets with damp moss and expanded clay. It’s even better to use special air humidifiers.
The optimal temperature for the development of “colored” callas will be +20-24ºС. During the “rest” of the plants, it is increased to +25-28ºС so that the tubers ripen and flower buds form. Tuberous callas require moderate air humidity (50-60%). Their leaves are wiped with a damp sponge every day.
Conditions for flowering: why doesn’t calla lilies bloom?
It often happens that store-bought calla lilies do not bloom at home. One of the reasons for this behavior is the disturbance of the “vegetation-rest” regime. Plants on sale are “pumped up” with phytohormones to maintain a presentable appearance. To send arum into hibernation, you need to reduce watering and place the pot in a cool room.
Not proper watering This mode also “slows down” the beginning of flowering. Whitewing, as a tropical plant, likes to actively “quench its thirst” during the growing season. This is especially true for Ethiopian calla lilies. It is important to remember that watering cold water these “green Africans” are not allowed - there is a high probability of rotting of the roots. It is better to use soft, warm (+20-25°C) settled water for this.
Inappropriate pot size is another probable causes lack of flowering in calla lilies. This tropical plant grows quite quickly. When it becomes crowded in a pot, it stops growing and is in no hurry to delight with its elegant flowers. After a period of rest in the expanded “family,” it is necessary to separate the “babies” that weaken the mother plant and transplant them into separate pots. At the same time, the soil is replaced with fresh one.
Incorrect feeding regime negatively affects the ability of calligraphy to flower. With an excess of nitrogen, the plant “fattens” - it develops leaf mass to the detriment of flowering. Therefore it is necessary to enter phosphorus-potassium fertilizers, “responsible” for flowering.
If the depth of planting a tuber or rhizome in the soil is insufficient, there is an active growth of lateral shoots. If they are not separated and replanted, there will be no flowering.
Calla: care at home - feeding and watering
Calla lilies also have different requirements for watering. Thus, “colored” callas are watered sparingly: stagnation of moisture in the soil can be fatal for them (rot forms on the tubers). Excess water drained from the pallet. Next watering carried out when the top layer of soil dries 2-3 cm deep.
“White” callas love abundant watering, especially during the period of active growth. The soil in the pot should always be moist.
After flowering, in all species of this plant, watering is reduced to 1 time per week, and after 1-2 months of this regime, tuberous specimens stop watering altogether.
Top dressing
As calla leaves its dormant period, it is fed every 2 weeks, alternating mineral and organic fertilizers. When conducting foliar feeding the plants are sprayed so that the liquid does not get on the bracts (unsightly spots form on them and the flower loses its decorative effect).
Callas in pots: care at home - why do they die?
Callas in pots at home most often die due to improper care, as a result of which weakened plants are exposed to pests and diseases.
The most malicious “lovers” of the whitefly are spider mite, whitefly and aphids. To destroy them, acaricides (Aktelik, Sunmite, Vertimek) and insecticides (Fitoverm, Biotlin, Aktara, Akarin) are used.
With improper watering and temperature conditions, callas are often affected by various bacterial and fungal infections. Root rot can be recognized by the following signs: massive wilting of leaves and peduncles, necrotization of the root system. Its occurrence is promoted high humidity and air temperature, excess nitrogen in the soil. To help the plant in this case, you need to temporarily stop watering it, partially replace the wet soil with dry soil, and treat the plant with a fungicide solution (Fundazol, Previkur, Rovral).
Gray mold, caused by the pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea, spreads through contaminated soil, water, and wind. Its characteristic feature is a gray coating on the plant.
When affected by bacterial rot, the peduncles, roots, and bases of leaves darken, and over time the plant dies. Sick callas should be destroyed.
If round brown spots appear on the leaves, gradually merging, this means the plant is suffering from anthracnose. Damaged parts of calla lilies are removed, and the plant itself is treated with fungicidal preparations.
Why do calla lilies' leaves turn yellow at home?
The leaves of calla lilies turn yellow when kept at home for 2 reasons: preparation for the dormant period and errors in care.
After the plant has flowered, it begins to prepare for a “well-deserved rest”: all the leaves of “colored” calla lilies turn yellow and die, while “white” zantedeschias retain green foliage.
Improper care of calla lilies affects the appearance of the plant. As a tropical plant, it needs high air humidity, which is difficult to maintain at the proper level in residential premises (especially in heating season). Therefore, calla lilies should be frequently sprayed with settled water and moved away from heating appliances.
Overmoistening or overdrying the substrate also leads to a change in the color of the leaves and their wilting.
Although feces require long daylight hours (10-12 hours), too bright lighting depresses it. Therefore, if the plant is on a south window, it must be shaded or moved to another location.
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Burn on a calla leaf
Long-term cultivation of calla lilies in one pot without replanting and replacing the soil leads to its depletion and, as a result, to yellowing of the leaves. Nutrient deficiency also causes increased fragility of leaf petioles. With a lack of nitrogen, the leaves lose their glossiness, their ends droop, and when potassium is consumed, they rise upward.
Calla lilies are exquisite and incredible beautiful flower. Most often it can be seen in the house of a refined and romantic nature. This flower is a representative of the aroid family, which came to us from distant South Africa.
The main feature of calla lilies is its unpretentious attitude to the place where it grows. She feels equally at home in the wild and at home.
Flowers of Death
You can often hear that callas are the flowers of death. The sources of this opinion are unknown. According to one version of its origin, calla lilies are often brought to funerals in some countries. Therefore, they began to be called the flowers of death.
But in real life they have nothing to do with death. In many countries, these flowers are a symbol of love. They are often used when making wedding bouquets in European countries.
Varieties of calla lilies
IN modern world There are more than a hundred varieties of calla lilies, which differ from each other in the color of the buds and their shape. Professional florists divided all these flowers into two types: terrestrial and wetland.
The care that calla lilies require at home (photos of the plant are posted in this article) is not particularly difficult.
It should be planted in a wide container. small size. In order for it to grow well, it is necessary to build drainage in the pot, provide the plant with regular watering and timely application of fertilizers.
Features of reproduction
Calla lilies can be propagated at home in three ways:
- tuberous;
- shoots;
- seeds.
The first method of how to grow calla lilies at home and propagate them involves separating small tubers from the mother root. This planting material can be seen in almost every flower shop. The daughter nodules are small in size (5-15 millimeters), so they should be grown before planting. To do this, they need to be buried in nutrient soil.
To carry out propagation using shoots, it is necessary to separate them from the main stem and root them in nutrient soil. And only after that they are transplanted into a pot filled with fertile and well-drained soil.
Propagation by seeds
The most troublesome thing is to propagate calla lilies from seeds at home. This is due to their low germination rate. Therefore, sprouts very rarely appear even among experienced professionals.
Before propagating callas at home by planting seeds in the soil, they must be soaked for about six hours in a growth stimulant solution. After this, they are placed on a damp cloth in a warm place for about seven days. After of this period the seeds should sprout. Only after this can they be planted in the ground.
Open soil is not the best option in order to grow calla flowers at home, since they most often die in it. To prevent rotting planting material Watering should be reduced to a minimum. It is best to replenish calla lily seeds with moisture through a small hole at the bottom of the pot.
Air temperature and humidity
When growing calla lilies at home, you need to pay attention to some characteristics this process. This flower is a light-loving plant, so it is necessary to provide the place where it grows with good lighting both in summer and in winter time of the year. In addition, in spring it is necessary to gradually accustom the plant to the fact that the length of daylight hours increases.
These flowers are heat lovers. Therefore, they develop very poorly in cold conditions. The temperature in the room where they grow should be between 18-23 degrees Celsius. Ventilation of the room must be done very carefully, avoiding the formation of drafts.
The air in the room should be humid. To do this, you can plant plants in pots with trays, which will ultimately serve as water reservoirs. As moisture evaporates, it will saturate the air, simultaneously increasing the humidity in the room.
The first transplant should be done only after the seedlings have strengthened. A tall and wide pot is suitable for this. Sand drainage is placed at its bottom and filled with nutritious soil. After this, you need to make holes in the soil into which the sprouts and roots are placed.
During this operation, it is advisable to treat the roots of the seedlings with a biogrowth stimulator. But this must be done very carefully in order to avoid harming the fragile flower sprouts. After transplantation, the plant is carefully watered with distilled water.
If the calla lily was purchased in a store, it should be immediately transplanted into a larger pot at home. The most optimal soil for this flower is slightly acidic soil. You can make it yourself using leafy soil, peat, and a small amount of sand. Mature plants are best replanted late autumn, In November.
Watering and spraying
Calla has fairly wide leaves that require regular care. They must be especially carefully removed from dust using a damp, soft piece of cloth. In addition, they need to be sprayed regularly.
An important condition for good growth and development of calla lilies at home is watering. It was already mentioned above that these flowers love moisture. Therefore, they must be watered regularly and often. If the soil dries out in their pot, various diseases can develop, which often lead to the death of the plant. Particular attention should be paid to watering during the hot summer months.
It is especially important to maintain soil moisture in the container at the desired level during the growing season of the plant. After the flowers ripen, watering can be reduced. They should be carried out only after the top layer of soil has dried.
Feeding and fertilizer
Many people are interested in how to make calla lilies bloom at home. When growing these flowers, you should not forget about periodic feeding. In order for these plants to delight you with their flowering all year round, you need to significantly increase the amount of fertilizing. But too much will not do him any good. For example, nitrogen in large quantities can cause blackening on the edges of leaves.
The most optimal time for feeding calla lilies at home - January - March. In order to ensure full flowering, fertilization should be carried out once every 5-7 days.
For these plants, those types of fertilizers that stimulate growth and flowering are suitable. These include superphosphate and potassium nitrate. In assortment flower shops There are a large number of special supplements containing the optimal amount of microelements and nutrients.
Also, at least once a year, calla lilies should be fed with organic fertilizers.
Houseplant diseases
The main pathogens home calla lilies are fungi and bacteria. However, you will never encounter them if you know how to care for calla lilies at home. The best option to combat diseases is prevention.
It is necessary to very carefully monitor the condition of the soil in the pot, excluding its drying out or waterlogging. You also need to protect the flower from direct sunlight and drafts.
The key to successfully combating emerging diseases is knowledge of their characteristics and symptoms. The most common diseases of this indoor flower include:
- anthracnose, accompanied by the appearance of spots on the leaves Brown. Over time, they crack and dry out;
- gray rot, which forms on all parts of the plant due to improper care, high air or soil humidity;
- bacterial rot, which is very difficult to treat and quite often requires immediate destruction of the infected flower to prevent spread to other plants;
- root rot, which contributes to the gradual withering of the plant and appears as a result of abundant watering and waterlogging of the soil;
- lack of flowering as a result of frequent rearrangements or transplants of calla lilies, poor lighting or insufficient amounts of fertilizer, and so on.
How to care for calla lilies at home is not a very complicated process. But we must not forget that the varieties of these plants require different care. For example, white callas at home require more moisture. But at the same time, they do not stop growing during dormancy or absence of flowering.
Calla lilies "mix" at home are unpretentious to air and soil humidity. But at the same time for them good development good lighting is required. In addition, during the dormant period, such a flower sheds its foliage. Therefore, you should not panic - the plant is simply sleeping. And with the onset of summer, its leaves will grow again.
Calla is a perennial herbaceous plant aroid family. The calla is an elegant, classic indoor flower with a distinctive appearance. home flower calla lilies may have different shades bracts, which makes it very popular among gardeners.
Optimal conditions for keeping home calla lilies
Despite the fact that calla lilies came to us from South Africa, located in tropical latitudes, it is a fairly hardy and unpretentious plant. The flowering period of calla lilies ranges from three to eight weeks.
Place for a pot of calla lilies
When choosing a place for flowerpots with calla lilies, consider two important factors:
- Calla is very demanding on lighting;
- There are heat-loving species.
Callas grow well in partial shade - under the influence of indirect sunlight. In summer, it is advisable to keep the flower closer to the window, but in partial shade. IN winter period plants are acutely aware of the lack of sunlight. But correct lighting very important for the growth of calla lilies. If there is insufficient lighting, white calla lilies may stop blooming, allowing only stems to grow. Colored species in conditions of lack of light may lose their beautiful shade. To form the stems of these flowers, sunlight is required for 12 hours a day. In the daytime, after flowering, there should be at least eight and no more than ten hours of light.
Did you know?All types of calla lilies and all their parts are poisonous. Therefore, try to keep the flower away from children and animals. When working with the plant, do not forget to wear protective gloves.
Temperature
Do not forget that the usual habitat of calla lilies is high temperatures in combination with high humidity air. Therefore, calla lilies require similar care at home. The required temperature in the room where callas are kept depends on the time of year. The most favorable temperature range is from 15 to 25 ° C (22-25 in summer, 15-18 degrees in winter). Sudden changes in temperature are detrimental to all types of calla lilies and lead to the cessation of calla flowering. In hot weather, the crop requires frequent spraying with water and additional air humidity. Keeping the plant on the balcony is only permissible in warm weather. In winter, calla lilies should be kept in a heated room.
Features of caring for calla lilies at home
According to experts, calla lilies in pots are unpretentious and their cultivation does not require any special tricks. The main thing is to create optimal conditions and follow necessary rules care
Watering and air humidity
One of the main stages in caring for calla lilies in pots is proper watering. If the plant is not watered regularly, it will stop growing. And these flowers perceive regular watering and moist soil very favorably. This is especially important when growing white callas. Colored callas are not so picky about moisture. The amount of water depends on the growth period. The main thing is that the soil in the pot never remains dry. The air in the room where callas are kept should have high humidity .
The ideal humidity for calla lilies is 70-80%. Of course, this is difficult to achieve. Therefore, you need to spray callas with water more often (twice a day). Also try to wipe the leaves with a damp cloth.
Feeding and fertilizer
As the calla lilies grow, the roots of the plant fill the flowerpot and quickly absorb everything useful material from the soil. When constantly keeping calla lilies in a pot, timely feeding and complex fertilizer are required. This is necessary for the proper development of calla lilies.
Important! Remember one thing important rule growing calla lilies: what to do smaller plant receives sunlight and heat, the greater its need for feeding and fertilizers.
Calla lilies are fertilized with universal complex fertilizers and applied once every 10-14 days. It is not recommended to apply nitrogen fertilizers before flowering. The plant needs to be fed with urea or an infusion eggshells. The procedures are carried out during the period of active flowering of calla lilies. When applying fertilizer, you need to be careful - you can accidentally overfeed your calla lilies, as a result of which your plants will die. Symptoms of overfertilization include yellowed and dry leaf edges. In addition, due to excess nitrogen, the plant will intensively grow leaves, which negatively affects flowering. Did you know? With a lack of nitrogen, calla leaves become drooping, lose their shine, and stop growing. And with potassium deficiency, the leaves, oddly enough, rise upward.
Caring for calla lilies during the rest period
Once you have purchased indoor calla lilies, the first thing you need to do is to correctly determine the dormant period for the plant. Usually, for all callas, the period of “sleep” begins in October - November, and ends in February - March. Do not “introduce” calla lilies into the dormant period too early. It is not recommended to sharply limit watering or cut off leaves. In this case, the tubers do not have time to fully ripen. The resting period of calla lilies lasts from two to six months.
Caring for calla lilies during the rest period involves:installation of the required temperature regime, proper watering, lighting, air humidity and fertilizing. All this helps the plant harmoniously enter a dormant state after long flowering. White callas grow slowly in winter. They bloom in winter and spring, and rest on hot summer days. But colored callas completely stop their growth, lose their leaves and go into hibernation (until March-April). That is why in offices, houses and apartments we most often see white calla lilies.
Proper transplantation and soil for calla lilies
Do not replant plants with weak or damaged shoots. To quickly adapt calla lilies to new environment, it is advisable to use ordinary soil or a composition close to natural. Before transplanting calla lilies, wash the roots. This must be done with extreme caution. Do not damage the roots so as not to introduce new bacteria into the wound. Resulting in new soil will be infected.
Important! To reduce the risk of root rot, before transplanting, new tubers should be soaked in a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate). After this procedure, all defects become visible. If there are growths or dry rot, you can clean the roots with a knife and disinfect them with brilliant green.
Many owners of this crop often wonder how to water calla lilies after transplantation. Since calla lilies require large quantity water, transplanted sprouts should also be watered regularly. Of course, don't overdo it in this regard. It is worth noting that the desired soil acidity (pH) should not be higher than 6. Soil for calla lilies should consist of the following components:
- sand (one part);
- peat (one part);
- leaf humus (one part);
- turf land (two parts).
How to propagate callas
Indoor callas are propagated in two ways: by dividing rhizomes and by seeds. The second method is more complex and time-consuming, so it is rarely used.
Division of rhizomes
Division of rhizomes is the most convenient and quick way Calla lilies propagation. Division is usually done in the fall. Tubers should be dense and healthy. So, with a spatula or sharp knife you need to carefully divide the main rhizome into parts. You need to divide in such a way that each part has a sufficient amount of roots and soil. Each divided small rhizome is planted in a separate spacious pot.
You need to plant it in moist soil to a depth of about 5-8 centimeters. Since the planting was carried out in the fall, the new plants overwinter in a semi-dormant mode. In the first days, callas do not need watering. But after the first week, make sure that the soil does not dry out; Gradually increase watering and spray periodically. Also keep an eye on the lighting for new calla lily roots. Pots need to be protected from too bright and scorching sun.