Calla hibernating

From: Lester Kallus lkallus at earthlink.net> on 2000.11.30 at 03:24:10(5726) A couple years ago, some giant Calla were offered through this group. I purchased a few. Two years ago I kept them growing indoor over the winter. Last year I just couldn't get enough time in the fall and the hard winter hit them harder than I would have expected. In July I found some tiny Calla shoots and by this fall I had small plants growing. Another winter like last and I'll lose them altogether. Consequently, I'd like to keep them inside this winter. Space is limitted so ideally I'll store them as tubers (or corms, if that's what they are). +More So with that in mind: Can I store them as tubers over the winter? Some tubers are best washed of any soil and soaked in fungicide before storage. Others do better just being left with soil clinging to the roots. To which group do Calla fall? Some tubers do best stored at 45-50 degrees. Others like Caladiums need to be far warmer. What temperature would be best for Calla? Should they be stored dry or packed in perlite or could this be a good use for the endless supply of foam packing peanuts? Thanks, Les

From: Piabinha at aol.com on 2000.12.02 at 16:27:26(5745) dear les, years ago, i gave my parents a Z. elliotiana (the yellow species). here is how they grow and bloom it yearly in nyc: from may until it goes dormant, it grows outside in full sun, well watered, and as i said, it blooms yearly. when it goes dormant, around october or so, it goes in the basement, where it is stored in its pot until next may. so i;d say, don't bother shaking off the soil/cleaning unless you really have the time... as for temps, i understand they are native to south africa, so i don't see how 45-50 degrees would harm it (Caladiums in contrast are much more tropical). +More hope this helps. tsuh yang chen, nyc, USA http://www.egroups.com/group/orchidspecies

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