How to Grow Callas In Containers

 Calla Lilies are one of the world’s most elegant and exotic cut flowers, yet they are easy to grow in gardens and containers. Calla lilies grow well in pots and planters. The flowers last for weeks and make beautiful centerpieces on patio tables or glamourous accent flowers for your porch.

What’s Included in Your Kit

Your kit includes a bag of soil, 3 calla lily rhizomes, decorative pot, lid and a small plastic bag containing rubber plugs.

Step 1: Save the Base Plugs

Your container comes with a bag containing three rubber plugs. These are installed when the container is moved inside or when starting plants indoors before being moved outside. When the plugs are removed for outdoor use, this provides adequate drainage for your soil. When indoors, these plugs prevent a leaking mess.

To install, press firmly on the top of the plug until the wider top is flush against the bottom of the pot.

Step 2: Arrange Bulbs & Soil

Fill your container with the bag of soil provided in the kit. Dig a hole 3” to 4" deep. Set the rhizomes into the hole with the “eyes” (top) facing up. Cover the rhizomes with soil.

Step 3: Watering

Water lightly upon first planting. Once the rhizomes are established, you can water the plants once a week, or more frequently if experiencing especially hot or drought-like conditions. Callas planted in pots tend to dry out faster than planted in the garden.

Water your callas deeply and thoroughly when the first inch or two f the soil is dry to the touch. Just know that if your foliage turns brown, you may be overwatering.

Step 4: After Care

Calla lilies grow best in full sun to part shade. Place your container in a location where it receives about six hours of sunlight each day. After planting, it may take 2 weeks or more for the first calla shoots to appear. Once this happens, the plants grow quickly.

In warm climates where calla lilies are perennial, the plants typically flower in early summer. When calla lilies are planted in the spring, flowering is usually delayed until late summer.

During the growing season, calla lilies appreciate a monthly dose of liquid fertilizer. This is especially important when they are grown in containers.

Step 5: Caring for Calla Lilies After They Bloom

In climates where calla lilies are winter hardy (zones 8-10), the rhizomes may be left in the ground to bloom again the next summer. If flowering decreases over time, dig and divide the rhizomes to restore vigorous growth.

In cooler areas (zones 3-7), calla lilies are usually treated as annuals, with new bulbs planted each spring. Alternatively, the rhizomes may be overwintered indoors, though flower production may be diminished the second year.

If want to try saving your calla lilies for next year, here's what to do. Fertilize the plants throughout the growing season. Cut off the flower stems as soon as the blooms fade. This will prevent the plants from setting seed and help conserve energy for next year’s flowers. Continue fertilizing until the foliage begins to yellow.

After the leaves have died back, or after the first frost, dig up the rhizomes and trim off the foliage, leaving an inch or two of stem attached. Let the rhizomes cure in a warm, dry place for several days and then put them into a box with barely damp peat moss. Store the box in a dark place at 50-60°F. Check once or twice during the winter to make sure the rhizomes are not too moist (rotting) or too dry (shriveling). Replant in spring.