Storing calla lily bulbs at home over winter after digging them up in the fall

Flowers

Calla lily lovers should carefully study how to store them indoors over winter after digging them up in the fall. To ensure the plant survives the winter well, they need to create optimal conditions. Experienced gardeners help beginners avoid common mistakes and share secrets for preserving the tubers until next spring.

The main stages of preparation for winter

Experienced gardeners never question whether they need to dig up calla lilies for the coming winter. The plant is stored exclusively indoors, and the necessary conditions are created for this purpose. The tubers must be properly prepared for storage. The timing of this work also varies. The first frost should be considered.

In the middle zone they occur in mid-October.
In the southern regions, persistent cold snaps begin in early November.

How to properly dig up calla lilies

Digging up calla lily bulbs begins with the first drop in temperature to below freezing. This won't harm the plants. Instead, it will initiate the end of the growing season. The plant's nutrients will not be directed toward maintaining leaves or producing new ones. Gardeners have several recommendations for properly preparing the plant before digging.

Watering should be stopped approximately 2-3 weeks before the tubers are harvested.
The leaves need to be trimmed back to 7-8 cm. After the first frost, this can easily be done with pruning shears or scissors.
It's best to dig up tubers with a pitchfork. This reduces the risk of damaging the underground portion.
It's best to make a larger hole around the root system. Once the process is complete, carefully remove the soil from the tubers.

Please note!

Care must be taken when handling tubers after digging. The root system can be easily damaged even by a strong stream of water. It's not always possible to cure a damaged plant.

Drying calla lilies

Planting material requires thorough drying. Beforehand, the tubers should be inspected, and any damaged tissue or parts removed. A healthy base should be left. It's best to use a garden spade or teaspoon to remove individual sections. After removing the damaged tissue, healthy sections should be treated with a solution of brilliant green and sprinkled with crushed activated charcoal. This will prevent the risk of diseases affecting the root system. Dispose of the removed sections. They should not be used as fertilizer for future use in the garden bed. This could easily spread disease.

It's best to dry the bulbs in shallow cardboard boxes or plastic crates used for storing fruit. The bottom of the container should be lined with paper. Drying is carried out:

in a dark and cool place;
provided there is free air circulation;
in the absence of sunlight;
The room temperature should be between 15 and 20 degrees.

Gardeners prefer to place boxes of prepared calla lily tubers in a basement or well-ventilated garage. After a week, all remaining leaves can be removed without difficulty. After another week, the roots will have completely separated from the tubers. Young "offspring" should not be removed from the mother plant. They lack a separate partition. Dividing them can easily damage the plant. This process is carried out in winter, when the "offspring" have already matured.

If the mother plant is damaged during separation, the affected area should be treated with brilliant green and sprinkled with charcoal. On average, drying of the planting material takes 2 to 3 weeks.

How to store properly

The selected planting material should be inspected periodically during the winter. This will prevent any rot from being missed and remove damaged areas promptly if necessary. The bulbs should be stored in cardboard boxes in a cool, dry place. They remain dormant from October to April. Of course, these timings vary depending on the region. In northern regions, the plants should be dug up as early as August and planted when the weather becomes consistently warm. Gardeners believe that the best places for growing flowers are the central and southern regions.

Overwintering a plant in a pot

Calla lilies have successfully become a popular plant in many homes. They also require periodic dormancy. The plant's vegetative period must be artificially stimulated to cease. To do this, simply place the pot in a cool, dark place. Watering is also reduced. Many people doubt whether it's necessary to dig up calla lilies from their pots for the winter and store them according to established practices. Experts say this procedure is unnecessary. The tubers will overwinter perfectly well in a pot or container.

Choosing a storage location

Proper storage will ensure the plant continues to thrive. For storage, you can place containers with tubers in an apartment, basement, refrigerator, or on a balcony. Each location has its own unique characteristics that are important to consider.

Contents in the basement

This location is the most common for overwintering planting material. This storage method requires following certain rules.

Maintaining proper temperature is important. The boxes containing the bulbs should be kept in a basement at a temperature of no less than +5°C and no more than +10°C.
Excessive temperature conditions may cause premature germination of tubers.
The storage period should last until the end of March. After that, the bulbs should be transplanted into soil or pots.

Please note!

A basement isn't the best place to store tubers, as humidity levels there constantly rise. The flower requires a room with dry air.

Winter accommodation on the loggia

A balcony is a popular place to store flower bulbs. This is a great way to grow flowers in pots at home. This method requires the following conditions:

as autumn approaches, it is necessary to reduce watering, gradually preparing the plant for dormancy;
When the leaves die back, the flower pot should be moved to a balcony (be sure to have a glass door) or loggia. They will be stored there until spring.

Location in the apartment until spring

Storing prepared tubers in an apartment is possible for those who don't have the space to store the plants in a basement or on a balcony. Storing them in an apartment is a risky storage method and requires certain conditions:

The container with the tubers should be kept in the coolest place in the apartment. For example, on a windowsill, away from the radiator, or near the balcony doors;
It's important to ensure adequate temperatures (no higher than 20°C). Even at this temperature, the tubers can survive the winter; however, closer to spring, they will dry out and shrivel. This can negatively impact flowering during the summer.

In the refrigerator

If you need to overwinter a small number of tubers, a refrigerator is a suitable option at home. This is the second-best method of storing flowers after the basement. It requires two important conditions:

the tubers must be wrapped in paper and placed in a separate compartment of the refrigerator, where vegetables are usually stored;
The temperature should be within +5-7 degrees.

We wake up calla lilies with the arrival of spring

In temperate climates, calla lilies complete their wintering period in early April, while in southern regions, this period begins in March. To do this, the roots need to be removed and carefully inspected for damage. They should then be treated with potassium permanganate and a fungicide to prevent fungal infections. If the calla lilies weren't separated from the roots before wintering, this can be done now. The plant can then be repotted for further growth and flowering.

Common mistakes beginners make

To ensure vigorous flower growth, it's essential to follow certain guidelines. However, most novice gardeners often make mistakes that can lead to disastrous consequences, and the plant fails to achieve its desired results.

You need to dig up the tubers carefully – the root system is very delicate, and the slightest sudden movement will cause damage.
If there are babies on the roots, it is better to wait until they separate on their own, then remove them from the main bulb.
If you do not remove the small roots from the tuber, they will sprout during the wintering period.
The storage temperature should be between 3-7 degrees above zero with a minimum level of humidity.

In conclusion

Gardeners provide beginners with detailed instructions on how to care for calla lilies, dig them up for the winter, and store them. This information will help preserve the plants, and when warmer weather arrives, replant them and enjoy their delicate blooms. Following these simple recommendations will help preserve not only the beauty but also the health of the flowers, which is just as important.