Hi there, I live in Surrey, BC. I am wondering if I can grow Calla Lilies in my garden and if so, do they grow like other blubs? Can I leave the bulbs in ground during winter months?
I don't grow them myself but my neighbour does, about 30 every year, she plants them at this time, when the night time temps are mild. What is your hardiness zone, I have a sister in Burnaby and she has hers in the ground. She also picks the bulbs up in the Fall after they die off. There only good in the ground if your in a Zone 8 or above. Hope this helps.
I left the bulbs in my flower bed for the past few years, and they look okay. Also, well-drained soil is necessary.
MannieBoo, thanks for the reply. I don't know what is hardiness zone in my area. I will try to find the hardiness zone first.
Kome, thanks for the reply. I did the same last year and when they didn't come out this spring, I dug them out to see what happened and they were really mushy and dead. It was my first time. So, I am going to try it again this area. I don't know where I can find the hardiness zone in my area, so, that's what I'm going to do first.
Looks like your in a Zone 8b, you should be able to leave your calla lilies bulbs in ground with a mulch on top just in case you get a bad winter. Or like I wrote earlier do what my sister does and just lift them, puts her mind at ease.
Brown and mushy Calla Lilies could be because they died off from the cold, but it could also be from a Erwinia sp. that is extremely devastating to Callas. Not a lot you can do if it is the latter, but just a warning.
I came across this forum when looking for ways to get rid of Calla Lillies. I had no idea that they cause trouble to some folks trying to grow them. I grow the "standard" white variety that rockets up to about 4 feet high with huge leaves about a foot across or more. I have always left them in the ground overwinter and never had a real problem. Some winters they would have some die-back, but enough would survive that they would always come back. I believe that Calla's are very heavy feeders, and that many problems with Calla's are really about lack of food which weakens them to diseases. Feed them hard, grow them tall, and then just try and get them out when your wife says she wants to "redesign the garden." :-) Ed
The white (hardy) callas that we grow in our garden are Zantedeschia 'aethiopica' and can be left in the ground, sometimes affected by a cold winter as this past winter. We grow other varieties, but they need to be dug up and stored as they are not hardy. The Zantedeschia 'elliottiana' vibrant yellow variety grows best in full sun and has a long blooming time. Many of the other varieties need to be in more filtered sun light. We leave ours in pots and store in their pots and put them in the garden where we want extra color. When finished we take away and then store for winter.
