6 Easy Steps to Grow Caladiums Indoors from Bulbs

June 02, 2020 Alina Smith

Ah Caladiums. Is there a plant out there with a more striking variety of foliage than Caladiums? They can be a little tricky to find the adult plants for, but luckily the bulbs are easy to get your hands on in Spring(like these!). What’s special about these gorgeous plants, is that a lot of them prefer shadier spots, and many can even be grown indoors! What better way to add a pop of natural color to your home?!

Caladiums

Caladiums can look like intimidating plants to care for, but luckily they’re pretty easy once you get the basics down. Here’s a quick 6-point guide to get you started with growing your own Caladiums from bulbs:

Soil: You can use regular well-draining potting mix, however if you’d like to get more into specifics, try to keep the PH more acidic(5.5-6).
Spacing: Plant the bulbs with the little nubs facing up 2in below the surface with anywhere from 2”-12” between bulbs depending on the bulb size. The bulbs I have in my shop are a smaller variety that are better for growing indoors, so they don’t need as much spacing between plants.
Temperature: Caladiums love heat, so make sure whether you plant them indoors or outdoors that temperatures don’t drop below 65 degrees Farenheit. The warmer you can get the bulbs to be the faster they’ll sprout for you. You can expect Caladiums in temperatures above 75F to germinate within a couple of weeks or so, and on the other hand they can take up to 12 weeks when they’re in temperatures below 75F. Once temperatures start hitting 60F or below, you can expect your Caladiums to lose their foliage and to go back into dormancy.
Water: Don’t overwater Caladiums, make sure you only water when soil when it’s dry to the touch.
Light: Light depends on the Caladium variety, all the Caladiums sold in my shop prefer partial shade outdoors, although there are some that can handle full sun. If you’re growing indoors, offer them as much light as possible, but keep them away from too much direct sunlight.
Fertilizer: You’ll want to dose your Caladiums once a month or so with fertilizer, like bone meal, but keep in mind higher nitrogen content will likely alter the color of the foliage.