Industrial cultivation of calla lilies in greenhouses protected ground. Noble callas on our sites. Planting callas in autumn
The calla plant (lat. Calla), or Zantedeschia (lat. Zantedeschia) is a genus of perennial plants of the Aroid family, or Aronnikovye. The calla flower grows in damp places of South America and in Africa, from Nigeria to Tanzania. It is a relative of such a plant as calla, or marsh calla, the only representative of its kind, whose range is located in the Northern Hemisphere. Zantedeschia is sometimes called Ethiopian calla, or richardia. The name "Zantedeschia" was given to the flower by the German botanist Kurt Sprengel, who named it after his friend the Italian botanist Giovanni Zantedeschi, but more often than not, Zantedeschia is simply called calla. The attractiveness of this plant for flower growers is not only in very large spectacular leaves and in an unusual flower shape, but also in the fact that calla can be grown both in the garden and at home, in a pot.
Calla varieties for planting in the ground
All callas can be divided into rhizomatous and tuberous. Rhizomes include all hybrid plant species, such as Ethiopian calla. Tuberous callas include Remann and Eliott. All of them are grouped into these two categories according to the structure of the root system.
Ethiopian calla
It is a tall plant that can reach 100 cm or more.
This type of plant is characterized by snow-white flowers.
Ethiopian calla belongs to rhizomatous plants, the roots of which are located underground. These flowers do not have bulbs.
The leaves and flower stalks of this type of calla are preserved even during the dormant period of the plant.
A very moisture-loving plant that prefers to grow in the shade, along the banks of rivers, lakes and reservoirs.
The best period for active growth and flowering from May to September. 
Popular varieties of Ethiopian calla:
Sort "Nicolai". very high herbaceous plant, which can reach a height of 150 cm. Leaves on long petioles and peduncles are of the same length. The leaves are arrow-shaped, mounted on long petioles, with a shiny and smooth dark green surface. The coverlet outside is green in diameter reaches 12 cm.
Variety "Pearl". It is a low-growing variety of the calla plant. It can reach a height of only 50 cm. This type of plant can be easily grown outdoors in pots.
Variety "Schone Zweibruckerin". A medium-sized calla variety that can grow up to 1 m in height. The leaves are quite large, have a heart-shaped shape. The bedspread is white, has a greenish tint from below, reaches 15 cm in diameter.
Variety "Green Goddess". It is also a medium-sized variety that can grow up to 90 cm in height. It is distinguished by bright green flowers.
Calla Remanna
This type of calla is different short stature. The maximum plant can grow by 70 cm.
The underground part of this flower is a tuber.
The leaves are oblong, dark green in color, can reach a length of 30 cm.
The bedspread is distinguished by a bright reddish-pink or reddish-burgundy bedspread.
This plant sheds its leaves during dormancy. This usually occurs in winter, and in spring new leaves and flower stalks appear in the calla.
Prefers to grow in dry areas.
Popular varieties of Calla Remann:
Variety "Chameleon". This is a low-growing calla variety that can be grown both in pots and in open ground without any problems. It is distinguished by a beautiful coloring of the bedspread: a delicate peach color with golden hues.
Variety "Evening". This calla is distinguished by a rather extravagant coloring of the bedspread: a rich black and purple hue. The very surface of the petal is satin.
Variety "Indian Summer". The coverlet of this variety of calla lilies has a reddish-garnet hue.
How to grow callas outdoors
Zantedeschia can be planted in open ground as early as mid-spring. The main thing is that the earth is well warmed up. Planting should be well watered immediately. The next time it is necessary to moisten the soil after 10 or 14 days. Water is best acidified with oxalic or citric acid. 
As mentioned earlier, their excess (especially those containing nitrogen) should be avoided. This adversely affects the plant. The tubers may not survive.
If the weather conditions are favorable, then four weeks after planting, this plant is already beginning to bloom. But this happens not in the first year, but in the second. After the calla has faded, it should be stopped watering. At this time, the plant begins a period of rest. In order for the calla to have such a rest time more favorably, it is best to leave 3 or 4 leaves on it. The rest are neatly cut off.
Calla will delight with its flowering until the end of September - mid-October. After the weather conditions become unfavorable, this crop will need to be transferred to containers or containers with a soil mixture. It should consist of sod land and peat in proportions of 2 to 1.
Callas with large rhizomes should be planted in separate pots. As for specimens with a smaller size, they can be seated in groups. True, in this case, their accuracy should be avoided - zantedeschia do not tolerate crowding. Those children who appeared during transplantation need to be separated. So calla can develop better and there will be a chance for its beautiful winter flowering. But this will be only if there was no overfeeding with nitrogen and the rest period was normally transferred.
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Choosing a place for planting callas in open ground
This plant develops better and blooms longer, and the bedspreads of inflorescences have a brighter color, when grown on open areas, being shaded from straight lines sun rays during the hottest hours. 
Calla is one of the most moisture-loving plants in the flower garden, the ideal place for it is the area near the reservoir, where the leaves will receive additional moisture from the air.
It should be borne in mind that this flower needs slightly acidic or neutral soil. In no case should a plant be planted on calcareous soils, in the presence of construction waste in them, which usually have an alkaline reaction.
Callas are excellent material for landscape design. If there is enough space you can create original flower bed or a discount by planting one of your favorite varieties. Such a uniform fit looks extremely decorative.
How to care for calla lilies outdoors
Like most exotic flowers, this culture needs special care. And, if garden callas grow under optimal conditions, then their flowering will begin already 1.5-2 months after they are planted, and will last until autumn arrives.
So, how to care for calla flowers in the garden. Callas have an interesting physiological feature - first form a root system, and only then germinate. Therefore, in order to avoid improper root formation, planted tubers should not be watered in the first 2 weeks.
Watering can be carried out only when the first shoots appear. And this, as a rule, will happen after 2-3.5 weeks. When watering, make sure that water does not get on the tuber.
It is easiest to water by moistening the soil around the edges. Regular watering can be done when the garden pet has leaves. At the same time, watering should be moderate.
Depending on the weather conditions you can water the flowers 1-2 times in 7 days. In general, calla care should consist of watering, fertilizing, weeding and loosening the soil. The first feeding is done when planting callas.
For this, complex mineral fertilizers are suitable at the rate of 30-40 gr. per 1 sq. meter. For the normal development and growth of the plant, this will be enough for the entire summer season. For this, complex mineral fertilizers are suitable at the rate of 30-40 gr. per 1 sq. meter. For the normal development and growth of the plant, this will be enough for the entire summer season.
Due to the fact that callas love slightly acidic soils, they should be additionally (2-3 rubles per season) watered with citric (acetic) acid per one bucket of water - 1 tablespoon of acid. In terms of prevention of diseases and pests, care will not be difficult. A species such as garden callas is practically not susceptible to either disease or harmful insects. There are cases of the appearance of whiteflies, but they will not cause significant harm to flowers.
Calla lilies fertilizer in the open field
For the first time, fertilizers are applied to the soil at the stage of planting flowers. At this point, you can use complex mineral fertilizers, which are applied to the soil in accordance with the scheme - 30–40 gr. per 1 sq. m. This amount of fertilizer will be enough for plants not to lack nutrients for summer season. It should be borne in mind that for callas the most suitable type is a slightly acidic soil, therefore, at least two to three times per season, it is necessary to water with citric or acetic acid, which is added in the amount of one tablespoon per bucket of water. 
Callas belong to the group of those plants that do not cause trouble even during measures to protect against diseases and pests. The fact is that they are resistant to any external manifestation of this kind. Sometimes calla lilies may be interested in whiteflies, however, they do not cause serious harm to flowers.
Propagation of callas by tubers
Calla lilies usually go on sale at the end of February. Healthy nodules should be dense (like a young potato), only in this case the calla lilies will release arrows-peduncles already in the year of planting. If the appearance of the nodule is shriveled, sluggish, it is better to refuse to buy. The tubers are laid out on a tray and placed in a cool, dry place (5-7 ° C). Some zealous housewives have adapted to keep them in conventional refrigerator turning and airing regularly. 
In April, the tubers are planted in pots, sprinkled with soil by 2-3 cm and the room temperature is increased to 20-22 ° C. Please note that there is a tubercle on the nodule - this is the top. The tuber needs space, so place it in a pot with a capacity of 3-3.5 liters. You do not need to water immediately, water after a week and make sure that the soil in the pots does not dry out.
At the beginning of summer, sprouted tubers are planted in open ground. The holes are deepened by 8-12 cm and they are made at a distance of: 20 × 20 cm, 35 × 35 cm - for small and medium-sized plant varieties, or at a distance of: 50 × 50 cm - for tall varieties.
Callas are usually sent "to rest" just before the frost. The aerial part of the plant is removed, the tubers are dug up, leaving 2-3 leaves on the handle, and put into storage. After a couple of weeks, the left leaves dry up, giving the whole nodule vital energy and then carefully removed. It is advisable to carry out the procedure for digging and planting tubers annually, calla tubers do not tolerate the harsh Russian climate.
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Propagation of callas by seeds
Calla can also be propagated by seeds, but such a planting is welcomed only by breeders. Many avid flower girls complain about poor seed germination. Therefore, if you still decide to grow callas from seeds, soak them first for 5-6 hours in a solution of potassium humate - a natural plant biostimulant. 
Then put the seeds on a pallet, previously covered wet wipe, cover with another damp cloth, put in a warm place for 6-8 days and do not let it dry out. Sprouted seeds are best sown in trays with earth, hold them in warm room before germination and only then plant seedlings in open ground. The mistake of some summer residents is that they immediately place germinated seeds in open soils, where most of them, alas, die.
Reproduction of callas by dividing the bush
Calla lilies that have a tree-like root system are planted by dividing the rhizomes of the mother bush. In autumn, the root neck (baby) is carefully broken out from the main rhizome, trying to keep as much earth as possible on the roots. Then the root is placed in separate spacious pots. Store indoors with high humidity, at a temperature of 12-15 °C. In the spring, shoots appear from the root, and at the beginning of summer the African is ready for planting in open ground. If you do not have the opportunity to plant a bush in this way, ready-made seedlings can be purchased at a flower nursery. 
Diseases and pests of calla
We also note that callas have strong immunity, so they are not afraid of garden pests not illness. The only thing a gardener may encounter when growing them is the appearance of mold on tubers. But it appears as a result of a violation of storage conditions, with high humidity. If mold was found during the examination of the tubers, then it is recommended to ventilate them well and treat them with powdered foundation. The reason for the unsatisfactory appearance of callas can most often be either the completion of a natural life cycle plants when the leaves turn yellow and die (calla is preparing for a dormant period), or care errors when the tips of the leaves dry out, which indicates a lack of moisture in the air and soil. Don't forget to water and spray your zantedeschias.
Insufficient air humidity can also lead to the defeat of callas by spider mites. In addition to mites, callas can also be affected by aphids. Pest prevention and control methods are standard: keeping the plant clean, creating sufficient moisture, wiping the leaves with soapy water, followed by washing the leaves in the shower. In case of severe pest infestation, apply special means sold in shops. Processing is carried out repeatedly until the flowers are completely freed from pests.
Calla is a beautiful and elegant flower, caring for it is not so difficult, and the results of the efforts spent will please the most demanding flower growers.
This perennial plant, belonging to the aroid family, has other names: Ethiopian zantedesky, calla, lilikalla. It is considered to be the motherland South Africa. From there, the ancestors of modern gladioli "came" to us. That is why the principles of agricultural technology of these two plants have some similarities. But gladioli are more susceptible to disease, but with proper care, callas bloom longer, and it is not difficult to keep them on the site.
From about 1687 this tropical beauty started to cultivate. large plants with a white flower, can reach a height of 1.5 meters, they are descended from the Ethiopian calla. And there are varieties with multi-colored “spreads”, they originated from Calla Elliott (golden yellow) and Calla Remann (pink-red), such plants grow on average up to 70 cm, by the dormant period they usually completely lose their leaf mass.
It is customary to call a calla flower an inflorescence of an ear, similar to a yellow candle, which is wrapped in a “spread” (covering leaf). And the true flowers of the plant are inconspicuous and small, but they exude very pleasant aroma, which can be compared with vanilla. In modern varieties, the bedspread can be yellow, purple, orange, raspberry red, burgundy, pink. Sometimes during the flowering period, the color of the "spread" changes slightly. And all this against the background of elegant bright green heart-shaped arrow-shaped leaves, in some species they are covered with silvery spots. In Ethiopian callas, the underground part is represented by a rhizome, and in other representatives, by tubers or tuber-rhizomes.
It grows very well in the garden and the Mango variety propagates. Peduncles gives abundantly, coloring "spreads"
Orange-yellow, coral-red spots gradually appear. The leaves have a beautiful silvery pattern.
Conditions for zantedeschia
In nature, calla lilies have chosen places for themselves around rivers, on wet, heavy clay soils, sometimes muddy. Experience shows that not only clay soils the plant feels good, but also on loose loam. That is, sand, humus and peat can be added to the soil. The reaction of the medium is preferably slightly acidic. Choose a sunny or semi-shady site. It is better to plant callas near the pool, fountain or summer plumbing. The soil layer should not dry out, this will have to be especially monitored, because the plant big leaves, evaporating a lot of water. But it is also impossible to fill in callas, their rhizomes can quickly rot. Callas definitely need a dormant period (at least two months), otherwise they will not bloom.
Callas in the garden
When buying, inspect the tuber, it should not be overdried, shriveled and lethargic. The larger the tuber, the more likely it is that you will see flowers on the plant this season. Tubers purchased in February or March should be wrapped in a napkin and placed in the refrigerator, in the box where you usually store vegetables. It is necessary to “wake up” the tuber in April. To germinate, plant the tuber in a small pot to a depth of 4 cm. Please note that the side of the tuber with tubercles (buds) should be at the top, and the smooth side should be at the bottom. First, let it stand on a sunny window, then this pot can be taken out to the balcony or placed in a greenhouse on suburban area. In open ground for permanent residence, transplant your callas by transshipment only when the likelihood of a return of night frosts disappears. When transplanting, you can deepen the plant a little - to a depth of 5 cm. If it is not possible to germinate tubers, then it is allowed to immediately plant them in a flower garden in May days. Next, the transplanted plant should be watered. MirSovetov will remind you that good and abundant watering after transplantation and in the summer. In autumn, callas usually have enough natural precipitation. During the season, it is necessary to carry out 3 top dressings - with a diluted solution of mullein or liquid mineral complexes. It is worth remembering that with an excess of nitrogen, the “spreads” can become deformed and turn green, and few flowers will appear. Flowering continues from mid-summer until October. Each flower looks great for a month and a half, then the cover leaf begins to turn green, then it is better to remove the peduncle so that seeds do not form, in which case the tubers will increase.
About digging up tubers and storing them
Around October, the tubers must be dug up, having managed to do this before frost. Then rinse the underground part. Do not immediately cut off the leaves and roots, let the callas lie down in a cool place and dry, for example, in a garage or shed for 2 weeks. During this time, the nodules will draw out all the useful substances from the roots and leaf mass, better prepare for the dormant period. Then separate the leaves and cut off the roots. It is not necessary to immediately separate the children from the tuber in the fall (and there are 5-6 of them). It is desirable to divide the division in the spring, then the children will grow up, and the separation will be easier - according to the formed separating film. You can not divide the rhizome, then you will get a chic bush with many peduncles. In two or three years, callas will adapt to your garden plot, you will learn to understand your plants, they will repay you with beautiful ones for your care. unusual flowers. They don't even need to be sprayed. different means from pests and diseases.
Storage of tubers is possible in the refrigerator (in containers for vegetables), on a glazed balcony, in the basement, the temperature should be about +5 degrees. In the basement, it is convenient to put the tubers in boxes, filling them with coniferous sawdust or peat.
How callas grow in greenhouses
I remember that callas were my class teacher's favorite flowers, so we always looked for these plants for her by the holidays. This is how they are now grown in greenhouses and greenhouses. Plant soil, volcanic slag and peat are taken as a substrate in equal proportions. Another 2 kg of manure is taken per square meter. Ridges are made from east to west, 15 meters long and 1.5 meters wide. Large vegetative cuttings are planted in September on prepared soils. The base of the false stem must certainly be at ground level, then all plants take root successfully. Now the plants need good watering for intense leaf growth. At night, the temperature is required from 6 to 12 degrees, and during the day it should rise to 14 degrees. By November 10, flower arrows will appear on the plants. After December 15, the first cutting is already carried out flowering plants. If the bedspreads are half-blown, then the callas will stand in a vase for 14 days. Watering in greenhouse conditions is carried out twice a week. Fertilizers (nitrogen and potassium sulfate) are applied 2 times a month.
Try to purchase calla varieties that are already adapted to the conditions of Russia. Then you will not have problems with rotting, drying out and loss of planting material. But imported plants often upset gardeners with the absence of flower stalks in the first seasons after planting on the site.
Garden callas: planting and caring for these plants require compliance with several indispensable conditions. If you follow the recommendations provided, the plant will feel great in the garden and delight the owners of the site with the beauty of its unusual flowers. Every grower has a serious incentive to try his hand at growing garden callas.
In modern floriculture, two types of callas are used: rhizomatous and tuberous. rhizomatous callas originate from the Ethiopian calla lilies with large white flowers that have become familiar to us. Exotic species became the ancestors of tuberous callas: pink calla Remani and yellow calla Elliot.
Content:
What you need to know about callas
Botanical description
How to plant callas in the garden
How to plant callas
Callas in the garden: growing
How to properly dig and save tubers? What you should know about callas:
Calla ( vernacular name marsh calla) belongs to the genus of herbaceous perennials of the Aronnikov (or Aroid) family, which are coastal or wetland plants. Calla Zantedeschia belongs to a separate genus of the same aroid family.
Callas have perhaps the widest distribution range for plants, since they grow in temperate climates throughout the Northern Hemisphere. And this means that calla can be found in South America, and in Africa, and in Eurasia, and even in some zones of the Subarctic.
Callas love very wet places: a swamp, a flooded ditch, a swampy lakeshore - this is their favorite habitat.
Due to the content of alkaloids and glycosides, calla lilies are extremely poisonous and pose a serious threat to the health of cattle that decide to feast on their succulent leaves. This is possible if the herd grazes on the shore of a reservoir, the banks of which are densely overgrown with calla. In this case, mass poisoning of animals cannot be avoided.
Botanical description
Calla rhizomes are usually located on the surface of the nutrient substrate. In the internodes of the rhizomes, bundles of adventitious roots are placed.
glossy and thick leaf blades equipped with long petioles, have an oval-heart-shaped shape and pointed tips. Leaf venation is arcuate: numerous lateral veins, moving away from the central vein, merge in the upper part of the leaf and reach its very end.
True calla flowers are completely inconspicuous: they are devoid of petals, are unisexual and are grouped on a dense inflorescence-cob, surrounded by a spectacular cover leaf - "veil". It is this veil that many take for a flower.
The lack of attractiveness is more than redeemed by the wonderful aroma (reminiscent of the aroma of vanilla pods) that true calla flowers exude. Strong smell attracts insects that come to feast on nectar.
At the very beginning of flowering, the coverlet is painted in White color. After pollination of the flower, the coverlet turns green and takes part in additional photosynthesis. The flowering period of callas is at least three months and falls in May-July.
Four weeks after the cessation of flowering, calla lilies ripen: small ruby-red juicy berries, collected like a cylindrical cob. How to plant callas in the garden
Planting callas in the garden can be done in two ways:
The tubers are placed in a temporary planter, and then transplanted into open ground. Calla lilies are planted in spring in the last decade of March or in the first week of April. Planting depth should not exceed a couple of centimeters.
The substrate for planting can be bought at the store (the one used for ordinary seedlings is quite suitable). You can bring soil from the street, after sterilizing it in the oven for forty minutes. If necessary, peat is added to the prepared substrate.
It is not necessary to fertilize the planted tubers. Watering frequency should be limited to a couple of times a week. Before planting in open ground, callas must be hardened. To do this, pots with plants must be taken out to a glazed balcony or periodically kept with an open window or window sash.
When transplanting, it is necessary to protect the root system of young plants as much as possible, planting them together with an earthen clod.
Planting material is planted without an intermediate stage - immediately to the place allotted for the plant. This method does not cause any worries, so many gardeners prefer it. It is only necessary to take into account that plants previously germinated in a pot will bloom a little earlier.
How to plant callas
The tubers prepared for planting must be held for half an hour in a weak solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate).
After the disinfection procedure, carefully (to healthy tissue) cut off the damaged areas of the tubers and lubricate the sections with an alcohol solution of brilliant green.
A place for planting callas should be prepared in advance by preparing a nutrient substrate consisting of equal parts of leaf humus and sand. The soil in which the callas will grow should be light and well-drained, not allowing standing water, as this can lead to rotting of the tubers.
The depth of planting tubers should not exceed ten centimeters. Between them, at least 30 cm should be left. The planted tubers are not pressed into the soil, but only sprinkled with a nutrient substrate.
If, at the time of planting, a specialized mineral fertilizer is applied (at the rate of 30 g per square meter of planting area), then this will be quite enough for the plant to feel good throughout the entire growing season.
Lightly watering newly planted tubers, you can forget about watering them for the next couple of weeks. If after this time the first shoots did not appear, you can slightly moisten the edges of the plot with callas, avoiding moisture on the tubers themselves ( excessive moisture at this stage can lead to rotting of tubers).
Regular watering of young plants should begin only after the appearance of the first leaves. If the weather is not dry, two waterings per week is enough. Callas in the garden: growing
How to plant callas in the garden? We discussed this in detail in the previous section of the article.
Of course, the future well-being of the plant depends on the choice of planting site. Partial shade is best for callas. by the most good option location is a place that is lit by the sun until noon, and plunges into shade in the afternoon. As a rule, such a place is usually located under the trees.
Planting plants in open ground is carried out after the threat disappears. spring frosts. Usually this period falls on the first decade of May.
Garden callas - pretty undemanding plants. Caring for them consists in regular weeding, watering and loosening the soil.
Feeding tubers with complex fertilizer during planting is completely necessary procedure, allowing to provide young plants with the whole complex of necessary for them nutrients.
Considering that soils with a slightly acidic reaction are suitable for callas, once a month you can water them with a solution of lemon or acetic acid(one tablespoon of acid is added to a bucket of water).
To achieve an oxidizing effect on the soil, you can add a small amount of needles to the soil and dig it up along with the soil surrounding the calla. This effect is greatly enhanced by earthworms, for which needles are a favorite delicacy.
Products secreted by worms as a result of processing pine needles deoxidize the nutrient substrate in which callas are planted in the best possible way.
How to properly dig and save tubers?
It is necessary to dig up calla tubers before the onset of the first frost, since callas are not at all afraid of them. You can do this at the end of September and in mid-October (this largely depends on the weather).
Dig up the plant along with the roots and leaves, and then send it to a dry, well-ventilated area.
Two weeks later, wilted leaves should be carefully removed and the roots trimmed. The babies formed on the tubers are left until spring. In a few months of wintering, they will finally ripen and easily separate from the tuber.
The tubers freed from leaves and roots should be thoroughly washed, and then held for an hour in a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
After treatment with a solution of potassium permanganate, the tubers are rinsed again and placed in a dark and dry place to dry.
You can store processed tubers in the lowest compartment of the refrigerator. For storage of planting material, a paper bag with perforation applied to it is best suited.
It is necessary to look into the package from time to time, controlling the condition of the tubers. At the first sign of awakening of the kidneys, calla can be planted in flower pot and take care of it like a houseplant, and with the onset of spring, transplant it into open ground, following all the recommendations given by us in this article.
If there is a lot of planting material, and there is not enough space in the refrigerator, you can store the tubers in a box, wrapping each with a couple of layers of newsprint.
If the tubers did not survive the winter very well and had minor damage, they should be cut off. sharp knife, and treat the sections with a solution of brilliant green.
The experience of growing callas in a greenhouse of a candidate of agricultural sciences. Sciences K.S. Kocharyan:
"The substrate for callas is made up of plant soil, peat and volcanic slag in equal parts, with the addition of 1.5-2 kg of manure per square meter (soil pH 5, 5-6). In September, large vegetative layers of callas are planted in a greenhouse: in ridges 1.5 m wide and 15 m long, oriented from east to west. Planting density - 10 pieces per square meter. When planting calla lilies, it is imperative to ensure that the base of the false stem of the calla lilies is at the level of the soil, then there will be one hundred percent survival (when planting a little higher, the plants age prematurely and lose productivity, and with a deeper planting, the earth gets into the leaf sheaths, which causes the leaves to rot and inflorescence buds).
After planting, the plants are watered abundantly, after which their leaves begin to grow intensively. If after the first watering the plants lean, they need to be corrected (restore vertical position). In autumn, to ensure intensive growth of leaves, the formation of inflorescences and their normal development, we maintain 6-12 degrees in greenhouses at night, 12-14 degrees in the daytime.
In the period from the end of October to the first decade of November, flower arrows begin to appear, and the first flowers are removed in the second half of December; mass cutting is carried out in January. The height of callas reaches a meter and a little higher; the diameter of the "veil" of the flower is about 15 cm. We cut the callas in half-opening (the spread of the coverlet is not more than 80% of its length) - then the flowers remain in the bouquet for about two weeks.
In the winter months, the temperature in the greenhouse should be 14-16 degrees, but in extreme cold it can drop to 6-8 degrees at night (for plants, this passes without negative consequences). Regular, but moderate watering of plants is carried out twice a week. Once a month, we remove dying leaves and remove weak layers. Careful loosening of the soil in a greenhouse with callas (they have a superficial root system, root damage is undesirable) is carried out 1-2 times a month - only until the leaves close. We fertilize callas 2-3 times a month, applying per sq. meter 20 g potassium sulfate and 10 g nitrogen fertilizers.
In the first year, the yield of callas is 40 inflorescences per square meter. meters, and in the second year the yield of inflorescences almost doubles.
In addition to the soil culture of calla lilies in a greenhouse for cutting, the experience of growing callas in a greenhouse in pots is also practiced - both cut inflorescences and flowering bushes callas in containers.
The answer was prepared by Ziborova E.Yu.
Callas are a perennial of the genus Aronnikova (aroid). The main place of growth is South America and Africa. Its relative is the calla bog (calla). In its genus, this is the only representative that grows only in the Northern Hemisphere.
This flower is also called Ethiopian calla or richardia. This is favorite plant many gardeners because of the spectacular unusual flower and beautiful leaves. It is suitable for both open ground, and for cultivation in room conditions.
Among the eight main types of callas, 3 are distinguished. They are used by breeders to obtain new varieties.
Ethiopian calla (Calla aethiopica)
This is a type of tall calla lilies, which are characterized by large foliage. Under natural conditions, its height reaches 1 m. This is a rhizomatous plant, and during the dormant period it does not shed its leaves and does not go into hibernation. Only its growth is suspended. The flowers are predominantly white or green.
Popular varieties:
Nicolai- a plant 1.5 m high. The leaves are dark green in color, large flowers (diameter more than 10 cm) of a greenish tint. Suitable for outdoor cultivation.
green goddess- a variety with unusually beautiful funnel-shaped flowers of a bright green hue. Plant height is about 0.9 m. Suitable for both open ground and indoor cultivation.
Albomaculata- plant with white large flower in the form of a candle. It has a vanilla aroma.
Schone Zweibruckerin - tall plant(1 m) with dark green flowers, which are covered with a waxy light coating. In diameter, the flower reaches 15 cm. Its heart-shaped leaves are light green in color.
Calla Remanna (Calla rehmannii)
Variety undersized species with a height of up to 0.5 m. A plant with narrow green leaves up to 30 cm, which sheds during the transition to winter dormancy. Small flowers of red, burgundy or pink shade. Propagation with tubers. Suitable for growing indoors.
Popular varieties:
Evening- the variety is distinguished by its uniqueness. The flowers are dark, sometimes black-blue or black-lilac. There are varieties with a purple border.
Indian summer- This rare variety with unusual compact forms. Flower bright red color with a touch of garnet color.
Chameleon- the grade is ideally suited for cultivation in pots. A plant with dark green leaves that are covered with white speckles. The flowers are golden and peach tones.
Calla Elliott (Calla elliottiana)
The plant is characterized by a small height and large heart-shaped leaves with white dashes. The flowers are variegated, the inflorescences are yellow-green. This tuberous variety reproduces vegetatively.
yellow corner- one of popular varieties calla eliott. The color of the stem from green gradually turns to yellowish. A flower with a pale yellow, sunny tint. The leaves are bright green speckled.
Vermeer- the plant is characterized by high decorativeness. Carved leaves with white dots. flower edges white shade with a smooth transition to burgundy to the stem.
black-eyed beauty- the leaves of the plant are dark green in color with large white spots. A wide flower of a light yellow hue with a rich purple middle, in the center of which is a corn-yellow stamen.
How to grow callas outdoors
Callas are great for growing outdoors. Secured necessary care, they will delight with their flowering for a whole month.
The plant requires enough space in open glades. Doesn't tolerate summer heat well. Therefore, it is good to plant next to shrubs or trees so that they create light partial shade.
For callas, places where there are no drafts are selected. They can harm the plant.
soil for callas
The soil for growing plants should be fertile and slightly acidic. Ideal ground for a flower is a composition of peat and leaf humus, garden soil and sand. Before planting, be sure to drain to prevent stagnant water near the roots.
Since calla is a moisture-loving plant, it would be nice to allocate a place for it near a reservoir, where additional moisture will flow to the leaves from the air.
Planting calla lilies in spring
To plant a flower in open ground, they wait for the last frost to stop and sufficient heating of the soil and air. Usually this process is carried out in early May.
How to prepare planting material for planting
For this purpose, it is planned to use strong and strong tubers. In a wrinkled and lethargic state, they may not take root. Before planting, the tubers are processed. Acquired planting material held at the bottom of the refrigerator.
Having passed all the stages, the tubers are ready for planting.
How to prepare the site for planting
The site must be cleaned and dug up, adding sand and leafy humus in the same proportion. The soil must be provided with good drainage. Adding needles to attract earthworms, acidify the soil. Be sure to use a mineral complex fertilizer.
Planting tubers in the ground
In wells prepared in advance, plants are placed 5–10 cm deep. The wells are placed between each other no more than 0.4 m. This takes into account the size of the tubers. They cannot be pressed into the ground. The tubers are lightly sprinkled on top.
Many gardeners in early spring tubers are planted immediately in shallow pots, which were previously disinfected, and the soil was calcined in the oven. Planting depth - 3 cm. In order for the plant to wake up, in April they are placed on a balcony or in a greenhouse. When transplanting, the tuber is transferred with a clod of earth very carefully to avoid breakage of fragile roots.
Do not worry if there are no shoots for the first 14 days. The sprouts do not stretch up until the root system is formed, which lasts almost 30 days.
Planting callas in autumn
Planting calla lilies in autumn in open ground is not carried out. Before the onset of cold weather, they will not take root and die.
Garden calla care
Like many ornamental plants, callas need special care. If they are created optimal conditions cultivation, the flowering period will begin 2 months after planting, and will continue until the arrival of the first cold weather.
Watering and spraying for callas
The plant is characterized by such a physiological feature - the initial formation of the root system, followed by germination. In order for the roots to form properly, the tubers are not watered for 2 weeks after planting until the first shoots appear. This will come in about 3 weeks. During watering, it is necessary to ensure that water does not get on the tubers.
It is better to moisten the soil around the edges of the hole. When the first leaves appear, you can water regularly in moderation up to twice a week, taking into account weather conditions.
If it's cool outside, reduce watering if it's worth it. hot weather- increase. Do not allow overmoistening or dryness of the soil.
Top dressing when caring for callas
Adding humus to the hole when planting will allow you to feed the plant throughout the growing season only mineral fertilizer with exact proportions. Otherwise, excess nitrogen will provoke an increased growth of calla greens, which will negatively affect flowering. Liquid fertilizers with a balanced content of potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen - best option when choosing a feed.
If the soil is not provided with humus, mullein diluted in water in a ratio of 1:10 is brought in throughout the season.
If there is no need to collect seeds after flowering, it is worth cutting off the peduncle. This will prolong the flowering time.
Callas withstand temperatures of -2°C. In places with a more severe climate, it is grown as annual plant. Before night frosts come, the faded plant is dug up, keeping the green part. It is left indoors at a temperature of +5 - 10 ° C for 14 days.
At this time, there is a transition of nutrients from the leaves to the rhizomes and tubers. After two weeks, the leaves are cut off, and the tubers are washed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and dried. At the final stage, the tubers are placed in well-ventilated packages and stored at a temperature of +5 - 15 ° C until spring.
Compliance with the temperature regime during the dormant period is necessary for further flowering, because it is at this time that the formation of a flower bud occurs.
Recommendations for growing calla lilies at home
In cold climatic conditions, where cold winters and cool summers prevail, it is unlikely that calla lilies will grow in a flower bed. Calla lilies with compact rhizomes are planted in pots and grown indoors.
Growing features
The natural place of growth of calla lilies is the openings of rivers with a mild and warm climate. Growing it at home, it is necessary to control soil moisture, especially during the growing season.
When forming a peduncle, it is required a long period lighting (at least 12 hours).
To successfully grow this plant, it needs a certain dormant period. Considering our climatic conditions, this time falls on the winter.
Pot and soil selection
This process should be given due attention. To grow Ethiopian calla pick up enough big pot, whose diameter is not less than 40 cm, and the height is 0.5 m. If you use a small container for planting, in case of top dressing, only the green part will develop, flowering will not occur.
The pot must have drainage holes. Pebbles or expanded clay should be laid at the bottom.
When choosing soil for planting, porous structures are preferred. Thanks to this, excess moisture leaves the pot, providing the plant with natural respiration. Usually it consists of peat (1 hour), sand (1 hour), leaf humus (1 hour), soddy land (2 hours). You can cook it yourself, or buy it in the store.
Planting callas indoors
The landing process is almost the same for both cases. The bulbs are laid to a depth of about 10 cm. When planting several bulbs in a decorative container, keep a distance of 12 cm. This will allow the roots to develop well.
Features of care
Due to the peculiarities of the origin and structure of calla, caring for it is somewhat different compared to others. indoor plants.
Lighting
Calla needs good lighting throughout the year. Best grown in indirect sunlight. The plant feels its shortage especially in winter - there may be no flowering, only the development of stems is noted.
For white callas, lighting is required during the dormant period. In colored varieties, due to its lack, the characteristic color is lost.
Optimum temperature
For all types of calla lilies combination high temperature and low humidity is detrimental. This creates favorable soil for pests. With a sharp temperature drop, the plants stop flowering.
For white varieties, during the growing season, maintain a temperature of +18 - 20 ° C, for color - + 20 - 24 ° C.
Watering and spraying
Growing callas indoors, pay special attention to watering. Plants are demanding for regular watering and moist soil. Dryness causes cessation of growth. Especially in need of moisture are white callas growing in marshy places.
During their active growth, watering should be plentiful, and is carried out when the topsoil dries up to 1 cm. After 15 minutes, the remaining water is drained.
Colored callas do not need such watering. It is impossible for water to stagnate in the pan, this can cause rotting of the root system. The water temperature for irrigation should be +18 - 22 ° C. It is required only when the soil dries up to 3 cm.
To create a flower comfortable conditions humidity in the room should be 70 - 80%. To help the plant, it is sprayed 2 times a day. Wiping the leaves with a wet rag is suitable, and placing wet expanded clay or moss on a pallet.
Callas foresee a change in the weather. With the appearance of dewdrops on the leaves and bedspreads, rain can be expected.
Necessary top dressing
In plants planted in a pot, as they develop, the roots grow, fill the pot, absorbing everything useful elements from the ground. If calla is constantly kept indoors, it needs timely feeding and complex fertilizer. This will allow the flower to develop properly.
If the plant does not receive the full amount of heat and sunlight, it needs fertilizer and top dressing.
For this purpose, universal complex fertilizers are used with an interval of 1 time in 2 weeks. The use of nitrogen fertilizers is unacceptable until the flower begins to bloom. As a top dressing, urea or infused water is added to the soil. eggshell. Such procedures must be carried out carefully. With an excess of fertilizers in plants, the edges of the leaves turn yellow and dry out, or even die.
Calla care after flowering
After flowering, plants need to establish the desired temperature regime, proper lighting, watering, humidity and top dressing. These conditions will help the flower to move from one stage to another harmoniously, without stress.
White callas are characterized by slow winter growth. Their flowering occurs in winter and spring time. They rest in the summer. And the cessation of growth of colored callas, the fall of leaves occurs in winter and ends in March-April.
reproduction
The division of the rhizome
One of available ways reproduction of callas is considered to be division of the rhizome. During the period of active growth, abundant growth occurs, which surrounds the maternal rhizome. Having dug it up for the winter, the root processes and the main stem are separated and planted in pots. In the spring they can be planted in a flower bed.
Propagation of flowers from bulbs
When growing calla lilies, children quickly grow on its bulb. If it is not replanted annually, young shoots will cover the entire surface of the soil, which will make it difficult to care for them. Transplanting plants from one such flowerpot will allow you to get enough planting material.
When extracting a tuber from the soil, it is necessary to carefully manually separate each baby with a kidney. It can be used when planting, both for open ground and for a pot. A slight delay in removing the bulbs leads to the fusion of the children and the mother tuber. Then the rhizome is simply broken into several parts.
Crushed coal is used to sprinkle the resulting wounds.
Propagation with seeds
For callas, reproduction is possible with the help of seeds. The presence of pollinating insects in the room is not always observed. Often, in order to obtain seed material, pollen from one flower to another is transferred manually with a brush.
Seeds do not need to be stored. Fresh - the best germination. After collecting, immediately wrap in a damp cloth and leave in a warm room. After two days, they will begin to hatch. The swollen seeds are sown in moist soil for growing seedlings.
To prevent rotting, do not water before germination.
To moisten the soil, the pan is filled with water, which will flow through the drainage holes. A spray bottle is sprayed dry upper layer soil.
When the first sprouts appear, the pot is placed in a bright place and the temperature is maintained at + 22 ° C. Seedlings dive into separate flowerpots after two months, and plants are planted in a permanent place in a year.
Some flower growers do not practice picking, they sow 2 swollen seeds in glasses. Having chosen a strong one among the shoots that have appeared, they leave it, and the other is thrown away or transplanted into another pot.
Young plants require watering as the soil dries out.
Diseases and pests
Callas at home are affected by aphids and spider mites. Helps get rid of pests soap solution for application to leaves. If this remedy does not work, insecticides are used for treatment.
High humidity provokes damage to the flower by fungal diseases in the form of:
- gray rot - the appearance of a grayish coating on flowers and leaves. Fungicides are used for processing;
- brown rot - drying out of leaves and peduncles. To eliminate, stop watering, introduce a hydrogel into the soil, treat calla with fungicides;
- bacterial rot - darkening of the bases of leaves and peduncles with gradual wilting and yellowing of the ground part. The disease is practically not treated, the affected plants are destroyed;
- anthracnose - the appearance and gradual increase in brown spots on the leaves until a reddish circle with a light middle is formed. The affected parts are removed, the whole plant is treated with fungicides.
By fulfilling the basic conditions for keeping and caring for callas, the appearance of diseases and pests can be avoided.
For cut flowers, it is more practical to breed flowers in a winter garden or greenhouse. And in an apartment or house, flowerpots with callas will become a great interior decoration that creates a good mood.