How to Start Caladiums in Minnesota

Minnesota doesn’t have the sub-tropical climate caladiums (Caladium bicolor) perform best in. Minnesotans can work around this, however, by planting fancy-leaf and lance-leaf varieties, such as “June Bride,” “Pink Symphony” and “Red Flash,” recommended for the area, and by digging up the tubers after the first hard frost and overwintering them. Minnesota growers also have to deal with high soil pH. Soil in the northern parts of the Midwest tends to measure high, or alkaline, making amending it with sulfur a must before starting caladiums.

Soil pH test
Broadcast spreader
Elemental sulfur
Spade fork or shovel
Compost
Garden trowel
Acidic mulch, such as pine needles, shredded pine bark, or shredded oak leaves
Soluble, 10-10-5 NPK fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Check the soil pH in a partially shaded area in the fall before you plant the caladiums.
- 2
  Broadcast enough elemental sulfur over the soil to lower the pH to between 6.0 and 6.5., using a drop spreader for the job.
  
  Use 1/2 pound of sulfur per 25 square feet to lower the pH of good loamy soil by one point.
  Use 1/4 pound of sulfur per 25 square feet to lower the pH of fast-draining sandy soil by one point.
  Use 2 pounds of sulfur for every 25 square feet to lower the pH of heavy clay soil by one point.
- 3
  Work the sulfur 8 to 12 inches deep in the soil, using a spade fork or shovel for the task. Remove any debris from the soil as you turn it over and discard.
- 4
  Condition the soil with compost as soon as it warms up enough to cultivate in spring. Spread 2 inches of compost over loamy soil, and 4 inches of compost over sandy or clayey soil. Work the compost in to a depth of 4 to 6 inches, using a shovel or spade fork for the task.
- 5
  Dig holes in the soil that measure about 2 inches deep and about twice as wide as the caladium tubers, using a garden trowel for the task, after the nighttime temperatures stay above 65 degrees Fahrenheit in spring and after the soil warms to at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also dig a 2-inch-deep, 3-inch-wide furrow and plant the caladium tubers in it instead of holes.
- 6
  Place the tubers in the holes or the furrow with the buds facing upward and the finger-like roots facing downward. Space the largest tubers 12 inches apart, and the smaller tubers 8 inches apart. Backfill the holes or furrow until the soil is level.
- 7
  Water the soil with enough water to reach the bottom of the holes, or about 3 inches deep. Don’t water the caladiums again until leaves emerge in three to six weeks.
- 8
  Spread 2 to 3 inches of acidic mulch, such as pine needles, shredded pine bark, or shredded oak leaves, over the soil.
- 9
  Spread 1/2 pound of soluble, 10-10-5 NPK fertilizer over every 25 square feet of soil, or 1 tablespoon per square foot of soil, after the leaves emerge. Keep the fertilizer 2 to 3 inches away from the caladium stems. Reapply fertilizer every four to six weeks. Water the fertilizer in with 1 inch of water.

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