Zantedeschia - arum lily advice?

brogusblue

I keep seeing these around and love them .. i want to buy one or two but i have no idea how to look after them .. i would like to put them in containers.. also what to do in winter time especialy after we winter we have had..??

Any top tips on what to do?

Orange_King

I have loads of these and they give a stunning display (see the pic in my avatar!). Very easy to look after and can be kept in big containers or in the ground. The past winter wiped out a lot of mine in pots but the ones in ground survived no problem - best if you can cover them with mulch.

Once established you can split them and they will provide you with plenty of plants! I have so many that I sell mine on Amazon and at car boot sales. They are starting to come into flower now and need plenty of watering in the summer.

SmlSave

Hi

Mine died

but my nan and mil just put theirs in the shed and kept them dry over winter and they survived!

Kay_Peel

I had some in the ground, which I mulched over during the winter. They died.

I had one in a pot, which I covered over and put in the cold frame. it died too.

I planted one in the Spring and the slugs got it.

One day, I'll beat this curse. One day - just not this year. :rotfl:

Orange_King

How deep did you have them in the ground Kay?

I take it they just went all mushy witht he constant freezing and thawing?

Ours have only just started to flower at the front this week which is quite late really, but there are other clumps that won't be flowering for another few weeks. I have great success with these but its the Cala Lily that I just can't crack.

Kay_Peel

Yes - you're right O.King. They were all as mushy as peas. Do you think the planting depth might have something to do with it? I planted them about 3 inches down in a moist, shady site that gets the morning and early afternoon sun.

Any comments and observations would be really, really appreciated because I desperately want to grow them successfully.

brogusblue

Thanks for the replys .. I was wondering if i put them in large pots and put them in a unheated leanto over the winter they will be o.k..

As i haven't got space in borders due to my rose collection .. :eek: ... lol

Mushy bulbs .. yuk .. had that with my dahlias this year ...

Farway

I have one, never flowered, but it was a "rescue" from Wilikinson's lack of care a couple of years ago

In a large tub, and moved into unheated conservatory for winters

I live in hope as it is now sprouting nice green shoots

Davesnave

brogusblue wrote: »

Thanks for the replys .. I was wondering if i put them in large pots and put them in a unheated leanto over the winter they will be o.k..

As i haven't got space in borders due to my rose collection .. :eek: ... lol

Mushy bulbs .. yuk .. had that with my dahlias this year ...

Mine went down to -12C in big pots in a cold frame and most survived this years exceptional winter, so an unheated outhouse, if attached to a warm house, sounds OK. My conservatory only dropped to about -5C on the same night, for example, as it benefited from 'lost' heat from the living room. Everything in there survived.

Orange_King

Kay_Peel wrote: »

Yes - you're right O.King. They were all as mushy as peas. Do you think the planting depth might have something to do with it? I planted them about 3 inches down in a moist, shady site that gets the morning and early afternoon sun.

Any comments and observations would be really, really appreciated because I desperately want to grow them successfully.

It sounds like an ideal spot for them Kay, but if you try again, I would start off by developing the tubers in a decent pot then once they have grown to a decent size put them in the ground in a quite deep hole - maybe 5 - 10 inches.

In my experience, the tubers grow incredibly quickly and when I try to move some, there is always the odd baby tuber hiding in the depths only to poke its head up later in the season. So don't worry about putting them well down in the earth.

As far as I'm aware, these plants are supposed to flourish as pond plants too but I would think they prefer to be put somewhere moist but where the water drains away.

Primrose

Mine were in the ground and sadly all turned to mush after the winter snow.
This autumn I'm intend to plant new bulbs in a pot and move the pot into the garage during the winter months. I agree that these plants make a splendid feature in a garden and are well worth the effort of looking after them, especially as the bulbs are reasonably expendive.