I've ordered some of the shorter caladiums that I want to try mixing in with the impatiens this summer. I've never grown caladiums before, the variety I picked is between 12"-18" tall. How many of the bulbs do I plant in a 12" or 14" container? Just looking for guidelines since I'll be mixing some in with impatiens too, but I'll have at least 1 container with just caladiums too.

This is one I ordered, Carolyn Whorton:

If you get full-size bulbs, 1 per pot should be enough, 3 if you don't really want to see the pots. I'm not sure there will be enough room for Impatiens because if you get fat, vigorous bulbs, they'll form a solid dome-shape from the soil level.

I love the thought, some pink and salmon Impatiens next to CW's would be beautiful. Maybe lean the Impatiens toward the rim a bit?

Do you want to consider pairing the CWs with something more trailing? One of the tiny-leaved Coleus, some kind of Plectranthus? Probably depends on the site of the pots. You know I love about any kind of combo, but would take some pondering to decide on a companion for potted Cal.

There are some great pics of CW here.
Fancy-Leaf Caladium (Caladium 'Carolyn Wharton')

Thanks for the info and suggestions. The location is my very shaded front porch that faces west. But there's a roof over the porch and a 60 year old Magnolia tree about 15' out that blocks all west sun. I've tried coleus there in an experimental pot one year and they just grew lanky and the colors faded, they looked horrible. But I might give one of the trailing types a try, they usually have smaller leaves and just might work.

The caladiums would be another experiment but I'm going to try them in the regular pots where I do want flowers next to the stairs. I'm thinking I'll put 1 in each pot surrounded by impatiens, and another pot with just caladiums that I could do without if they don't do well there. That way if the caladiums hate the location, the impatiens will still be growing to fill in the planters by the stairs. If the caladiums do grow well and hide the impatiens, the one I picked is still colorful enough that I won't mind. And there's a 6' row of the pink impatiens just a few feet away in the railing planters.

The most common old type impatiens do the best there and will flower all season until a frost turns the stems to mush overnight. I've tried New Guinea and SunPatiens there, and they do ok for awhile but then quit flowering usually by July.

Something to cascade down the sides would be great. I tried a newer type of upright potato vine last summer, both in a dark purple and lime green, and they actually did ok, the lime one the best though (Upside Key Lime or Sidekick Lime). But instead of the bushy upright growth, it actually did trail because of the limited light. They have smaller leaves than a standard potato vine, so they actually did look good there.

That all sounds well thought-out - and pretty!

Have you ever played with wax Begonias in deep shade, as a dangling plant? That popped in my mind reading the additional info about the spot.

I don't think I ever experimented with begonias out front. I keep them in the back planters where they get a lot of sun and I didn't think they'd do well with zero sun. I think the red-leaved begonias will lose their color, but the green ones might work out. I'll give them a try this summer in one of the test planters, even a red-leaved variety just to see how they do and if they flower until fall.

I'd love to know too, a report from a different latitude. : )

When I put those in any significant sun, they just shrivel up here when it gets hot, but the more I put them in less and less sun, the more I like the results.

If your CW Cals are as great as what I had once a few yrs back, nothing else will matter much. The CW leaves are so big and pretty, it's hard to notice much of anything else nearby. I can't wait to see yours, and whatever else ends up being in the mix.

Each year I keep diagrams of what I plant where and in what size planter, and a list of everything that I can search easily about what does well in a specific spot or not, where I can buy harder to find plants, seeds, etc. I also add notes about what to try the next year as well.

I'm adding a note now to be sure I remember to update this thread with how they all fared in the shade (or else I'll forget ).

Cool! I'm not that organized, but I do sort my pics into folders so the dates show me a progression over time. And I use categories in my plant list on here to remind me to do things.

I have such bad luck with plants that I buy because I went to a store looking for them, vs. shopping with zero expectations and just buying what looks good when I happen to stop by. But I admit, this leads to plunk-a-palooza. A garden of plants plunked in the most convenient spot when brought home. Most of which don't end up being as big or small or whatever as I thought when placing them.

Sorry, babbling. I thought more lovers of containers of Caladiums would get involved in this. They have gotten so expensive the past few years, I have passed them by. And I buy them with unrealistic hopes of seeing them again the following year. The rate on that has been about 5% in my yard.

I just ordered bulbs. The prices of caladiums already growing in pots here is also very expensive, which is why I never considered them before.

Keeping the detailed lists became a necessity. I couldn't remember what name was the color I liked, or what it was that didn't flower much, or which garden center had the salvias I want, etc. The lists save my sanity when it comes time to plan out the next season's planters.

It is funny that you love a same thing that drives me nuts. Knowing exactly what Coleus I had last year, for example, is like a hex on finding the same one again. LOL! How interesting. Definitely something to talk about.

My planning rarely goes beyond clearing as many weeds as possible from where I will want to put the plants I'll find when I go shopping, and wondering where to put this or that new little plant, now that I've propagated more of it.

I don't buy perennials often anymore. My planning is all for what goes into the 40 planters for this summer. I do start a lot from seed, mostly what I can't find any other way.

But one thing I've learned is to never go to the garden centers without a specific list of what I need and how many. It's when I don't have a complete list, or deviate from that list trying something different that I liked when I saw it in person, that gets me in trouble. I always end up buying far more than I have room for and spending much more than I should have.

I guess I also grow caladiums in their own pots, but I have stuck a bulb in with a pot of Hakonechloa. I would do a carex also. That particular caladium had a stalky habit, not rounded and full. I have also grown annual vinca (Catharanthus) next to one but not in the same pot. That is similar to the impatiens idea with all the candy colors they come in.




You can always try sticking in some impatiens. The worse that would happen is the caladiums will eventually cover them up. Or you can add some pots of impatiens around it.

Thanks for those ideas. Those white leaves look gorgeous and I can picture them surrounded by pink impatiens.

I am aware the caladiums might cover up the impatiens, but since Carolyn Whorton is so colorful, I won't mind that. There's the 6' row of bright pink impatiens on the shady west railing I mentioned, and also a 6' row of bright pink petunias and alyssums mixed in on the south railing that gets more sun. I'm just not sure how well the caladiums will do in that much shade, or if they'll lose their color as other plants I've tried there often do. So it definitely falls into experimenting for me this summer!

They haven't lost color in shade like coleus.

That's great to hear! I think they'll look great where I plan on putting them.

I can't wait! Your pots are always so gorgeous, Nancy!

If you're using another plant to fill in I'd use 3 Grade #1 or maybe 2 Jumbo's in a 12"-14" pot. The bigger the bulb, the more eyes it'll have hence the more leaves you get. Those bulbs are getting bigger for a reason too!! It's genetics that's wayyyy above my pay grade!! All I know is the Jumbo's and Colossal's produce plants that can be spectacular!!
Pic is from (1) Colossal FL Elise bulb

Happy Gardening!!
Bill

The description says the bulbs are 1-1/4 to 1-1/2" in size, they don't use a grade. I might switch the 2 stair planters to 14" or 15", then I think I'll definitely put 3 in each pot surrounded by the impatiens. Maybe even if they stay 12", I'll see how the bulbs look in spring.

Murky,

The grade scale we use is as follows:
Grade #2 1"- 1 1/2"
Grade #1 1 1/2" - 2 1/2"
Jumbo 2 1/2" - 3 1/2"
Colossal 3 1/2" and up.
I'll have some Super Colossal's where the bulbs are every bit of 5"- 6" in diameter

(2) #2's are the same thing as (1) #1
(2) #1's are the same as (1) Jumbo
Take a Jumbo & a #1 and that's a Colossal... It's like a pound of lead or a pound of feathers, they're the same.. The bigger bulbs make nicer plants though!!