Planting calla lilies and outdoor care
Calla lilies are easy to grow. Even a gardener with little experience can take care of the plant. The flower is large and serves as a decoration for the garden.
A special variety of calla lilies is grown in the open field – garden calla. The plant is prized for its long flowering time. It starts in the spring and lasts all summer. During flowering, large flowers form. Calla lilies are about 1 m long. The bright plant is used in landscape design. It can be combined with other varieties of spring flowers.
Calla lilies should be planted in warm weather.
The tuber for planting must be large and healthy. Its surface is smooth with root processes. Shriveled, dried and rotten tubers will not take root in the soil. The soil is suitable for planting:
- Fertile with low nitrogen content – during the growing season, the root system consumes a large amount of fertilizers and nutrients. With an excess of nitrogen, it begins to rot.
- Alkaline – in a soil with high acidity, the risk of flower disease increases. In neutral soil, flowering will not be abundant and bright.
- Clay – calla lilies prefer medium density soil. Before planting, it is necessary to add a mixture of sand and peat in equal proportions.
Planting is carried out in May – June. A young plant is unstable to cold snaps and sudden temperature changes. It is grown when the frost has finally passed, and the air temperature will be stably warm. The place for growing calla lilies should have diffused lighting. In the shade, they will not bloom, and in the open sun they risk getting burned.
Planting and caring for calla lilies outdoors
Before planting tubers, the soil must be loosened and holes about 10 cm deep should be formed. The distance between the holes should be at least 40 cm. The bulbs are sprinkled with soil from above, without tamping it. Then the flower bed is watered moderately. Further care involves:
- Loosening of the soil – the root system slows down growth in dense and heavy soil;
- Moderate watering – can only be done after the leaves are formed. It is enough to moisten the soil once a week. In dry weather, you can water the flower 2 times a week.
- Top dressing is done after planting. During the growing season, top dressing is applied 1 time. The plant prefers mineral and organic fertilizers.
The advantage of calla lilies is their resistance to pests. Their delicate scent repels insects.
For the active growth of calla lilies, it is necessary to provide them with suitable planting conditions. The tubers are easy to grow. If necessary, they can be stored in wooden boxes for a long time.