Visions of Colorful Caladiums

It's hard to believe but this is the best time of year to plan for your summer caladium plantings. After all, spring is the season dreams are made of. While we are in the mode with spring designs dancing in our heads you will want to be sure to leave room in your thinking (and budget) for adding those fabulous, low-maintenance foliage plants we've come to love in this region.

Compared to the numerous and endless good characteristics they exhibit in Florida's climate, caladiums are still surprisingly under-utilized in many gardens. A mass planting of them can become a focal point and showcase your garden for many months. A smaller group serves to complement existing neighboring plants. And popped into container gardens they easily add color, height, and a tropical flair of their own.

Now is the time to order your bulbs. Notice ... I didn't say PLANT your bulbs... but, yes, order now for best selections.

I start thinking about which varieties I will want to plant in a couple of months and how many bulbs it will take to create the displays of all those luscious leaves I can't live without in my mostly shady garden.

When I place my online orders I request a delivery date for around May or even June. I know, it goes against the normal advice, but I would rather wait until the soil is good and warm during the daytime as well as during the nighttime before I plant my caladium bulbs. This timing varies each year depending on weather patterns obviously. And it will vary for you depending on your region.

Bulbs will sprout faster if you wait for the soil to be the correct temperature than if you plant them in March or April (when the soil is still cool at night). In which case, typically, you'll have to wait a good 6 weeks before they appear. In my experience delayed planting prolongs their crop time.

What about succession planting? We do it with our edibles and I've been utilizing this method with caladium bulbs the past few years. I have to say I'm completely happy with the results.

Here's how it works. I always leave my bulbs in the ground from year to year after they go dormant. It stands to reason, due to various elements at hand, that not all of them return the subsequent season. Most do, but some don't. So, for instance, where 'White Queen' are planted in a sweep of glorious brightness it will be at least June before I can see clearly where spaces are missing in the mass.

Where there are gaps is where I will fill in with new bulbs in mid to late June. Accordingly, those caladiums will last longer into the year offering a prolonged crop time overall. Often caladium plants continue to shine all the way into November. I practice this method with my caladiums throughout the garden.

Here's something else to consider. Plant them (the taller varieties especially) closer together than the recommended spacing. They will actually help hold each other up more uprightly.

Recently I've had the privilege of touring one of our local caladium farms. Florida happens to be the caladium producing capital of the world. Most of the farms are geographically located in the center of the state.

Being invited to see the production facility of Classic Caladiums turned out to be a remarkable learning experience. They generously sent me home with some beautiful bulbs to trial in my garden. But even if I had come home empty handed ... I can honestly say that after spending two days with the growers I can confidently highly recommend their bulbs for purchase.

The elements and growing conditions have been hard on the caladium industry the past couple of years. The result is low production and less choice for many of the growers. All the more reason to get your orders in as soon as possible.

In my next post I'll share the experience of my visit to Classic Caladiums.

Which variety of bulbs are you planning to plant this year?
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***All caladium photos in this post except the last three were out of the caladium archives from past years in my garden. So nice to dream of summer's lushness.

Spring-like and Bulging Buds

An abundance of warm sunshine has rested over our beloved state these past few weeks. If I didn't have a calendar to tell me differently I'd think spring had arrived.

Nothing says transition from late winter into spring like the azaleas beginning to bloom. All my azalea shrubs are bulging with buds that puff up just a tiny bit more each day. Many of my neighbor's plants are already in full bloom. Any day now for mine.

With all the great weather there are some cheery views around the garden.

It is simply glorious to be out in the garden breathing it all in. Sweet alyssum is tucked into so many container plants and directly in the ground in the edible garden. Did I mention cheery!

A passalong bromeliad, Matchsticks, has been a constant bloomer right through the winter months.

Leptospermum scoparium New Zealand Tea rose shrubs have remained full with flowers and buds.

It's an especially interesting characteristic the way they start out pale pink and each single bloom turns deeper with each passing day.

One of the sturdiest, easiest, and year-round bloomers in all of Hoe and Shovel is the red pentas. Most of them were knocked back with winter freezes. All are pruned and returning. A few in containers survived. Just for fun more have been planted for an even bigger display and more nectar supply for butterflies.
It was so disappointing when Eranthemum nervosus Blue Sage was loaded with blooms in December and then ... you guessed it... the freezes took them out almost to the ground. The bottom of the shrub has pushed out several blooms of blue anyway in a show of persistence.
This is one of those plants you don't find in the garden centers. It was passalong to me from Susan at Simply Susan. It is heartwarming to have such good gardening friends.

And, most naturally, all this exuberant sunshine and goodness of late winter brings out the brave butterflies.

Red Admirals show up each day to keep me company and seemingly to check out what's new in the garden.

Resting pose.

Mourning doves cooing in spring-like fashion.

Yellow is noticeably present in the garden these past few weeks. The mystery of the yellow gaillardia is that I have no idea where it came from. I've only ever planted the native orange pulchella seeds. hmmmm????

Surviving every winter freeze are the bright yellow Gamolepis chrysanthemoidesAfrican bush daisies in the partially shady berm. Cheery and perky are their sunny blooms for much of the year.

Street side in the front gardens Bulbine frutescens ‘Yellow Rocket’ illuminates the edges. It really comes alive in late winter.

Again. From the other side view.

It's a stupendous time of year. Dare I say it? It really does look as if this mild weather is here to stay. Fingers crossed and prayers said.
Happy gardening all... and here's to spring coming soon for you, too. Meems

Riverview Flower Farm Field Trip

Flower heaven. What gardener wouldn't find themselves bug-eyed at this lavish sight! Salivating is more like it.

Or maybe you prefer pink. Acres and acres of 1 gallon plants just waiting for eager gardeners to claim them and give them a good home this spring.

If you like orange and many gardeners must because an overwhelming number of purchasers make this Crossandra infundibuliformis 'Orange Marmalade' one of the top selling perennials for Florida gardens.

In 1982 Rick Brown and his brother Dave Brown founded Riverview Flower Farm. Rick is generous with his enthusiasm and information about plants and the industry in general. He is also a hearty encourager to every home gardener with any inclination toward creating their own gardens. His genuine passion is revealed by his desire to see common gardeners like me be successful in our endeavors.

You can also find him promoting Florida gardeners and bloggers through his Facebook page at Florida Friendly Plants and his blog by the same name Florida Friendly Plants. Anyone can join in discussions on a number of topics on his Facebook page once you click the LIKE button.

Rick hosted the Hillsborough County Master Gardeners for a tour of Riverview Flower Farm a couple of weeks ago. I'm one to be intrigued by the how's and why's of life. For me to see firsthand the process of how all those vigorous plants end up on the shelves for consumer purchase had my attention at the outset.

Breathe deeply. Can you smell the luscious, earthy scent of all that fresh dirt spinning its way into containers? Almost as pretty as the flowers themselves.

Riverview Flower Farm is always striving toward improved operational sustainability. The organic soil that fills these pots is alive with beneficial organisms that assist in growing a healthy root system before these plants reach your garden. You won't need as much salt-based fertilizers when you bring these plants home. Growing in rich organic matter means the microbes multiply and protect against disease and nematodes.

Plants not sold are returned and composted and mixed with other organics such as local yard and tree waste to supply 35% of the soil needs at Riverview Flower Farm.

It's time to spread some roots. The starts of tiny seedlings getting a larger pot for further growing room.

Just how do all those plants get watered and irrigated and fed and protected from the elements?

Frost cloth is used for freeze protection down to 20F in many of the growing zones. Closing off the heavens with this retractable 'roof' is used in other zones. These methods eliminate using warm ground water for heat.

An Integrated Pest Management program is practiced using spot fertilization, garlic oil extract, zone management, and the use of the lowest toxicity products available.

A drip irrigation system running for 10 minutes at a time with pots place under it (see pipe lines above) alternating left and right of the line to keep the drip line in position.

Capillary mats are used in other zones. Water soaks the pot from the mats evenly coming up through the roots. 6-8 ounces of water is applied as needed in the drip system. These methods save 95% of the water lost to evaporation of overhead systems.

Instead of using motorized tractors and trailers to move plants throughout the facilities a man-powered monorail system safely handles the transportation of plants from one growing area to another in an efficient manner.

And in a matter of weeks the final product is here. Healthy, lively, colorful plants on the conveyor belt being sorted and stacked onto shipping carts.

Riverview Flower Farm has 56 acres of production on 151 acres. They distribute to 144 Home Depot Stores from Tallahassee to Key West.

Speaking of generosity. We were each blessed with 6 of those 'Voltage Yellow' Osteospermum you see in the opening photo to take home with us.

And a tray of much-loved Sedum hybrid 'Florida Friendly Gold' was a parting gift as well. If I can just get the rest of the sod dug out I've been working on I know right where my new plants are going to be sited.

Thank you, Rick. And thank you Florida Friendly Farm for a wonderful morning full with plant talk and shared information.

What Organic Gardeners Eat For Lunch

A basketful of freshness is as close as a few steps into the garden.

Spring-like weather in Central Florida is signaling the edible garden to come alive in all its glory.

Cool season vegetables like Blue Curled Scotch Kale (Baker Creek Heirloom seeds) planted in November are all of a sudden putting on growth quickly.

Wando Garden Peas (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) are responding to plenty of warmth and sunshine while loving the cool nights.

Georgia Southern Collards (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds) are truly effortless to grow! Really. They are. And if you like greens ~~ their mild, tender leaves will remind you how glad you are to be southern.

Succession planting of a few cooler season edibles were seeded this week:
Petite Rouge Lettuce (Baker Creek)
Little Gem Lettuce (Baker Creek)
Carrot Sweet Treat Hybrid (Burpee)
Radish Cherry Belle (Pinetree Garden Seeds)
Spinach Monstrueux De Viroflay (Baker Creek)

Only a couple of warm season edibles were also seeded:
Rattlesnake Pole Bean (Baker Creek)
Blue Lake Bush Beans (Baker Creek)
Bartering space for squashes and cukes ... hopefully next week I'll get those in the ground.

Bulbine as a perennial border offers plenty of nectar for visiting pollinators.

Existing edibles received another side dressing of Peruvian Seabird Guano Pellets for another layer of organic fertilizer.

Besides the beauty of being in the garden this time of year there is another remarkable gift it affords. It is one of simplicity and yet so ultimately satisfying!

Decide to take a break and cull a harvest right from the ground to prepare a meal. A healthy organic garden salad for lunch in a matter of minutes. From garden to table. What could be better!

What's your favorite edible from the garden? I know I'll be happy to have bush beans again this spring.
Meems