Anna_Lisa - thanks for the tutorial - very interesting and I think I'd like to try that. But, how do you know if the seed is fertile or not?

Susan

Hi most of the times it is. I have done this 2 years in a row and most of them have come up. I will be doing it again this year I have over 80 cally lily that are going to flower. Last year I planted about 9 flower and most of them came up I have pictures if you want to see them e mail me at vlorna49@videotron.ca I will send you the picture.Anna

So you leave them in the ground all year? What are your min-max temps?

Hi no I do not leave the calla lily bulbs in the ground all year. I store them in wood chip in the winter.And in may or june depending on the frost I plant the bulbs. They are very easy bulbs to keep in the winter. Anna

I see, thanks! here's another one for you: do you have a method for collecting seed? I mean do you allow all your flowers to go to seed or do you randomly select or do you have criteria. Is there some sense of qualities or traits or strengths that you glean from the flower?

Hi Bob I pick the ones with the bright and bigest flower that way I know that the seed that will germiate. If the flower is really small the seed will not develope. This year I don't think I will be geting lots of good flower cause I had to plant them all in pots. But we will see its just the begining of the year they are just starting to flower. Anna lisa

Good luck!

Hi, I'm new to this and have 5 calla lilies in pots. I don't know where to plant them outside and when to dig them up. I'm in zone 4 and it gets really cold here. All of mine are starting to seed so thanks for the tutorial. What's the best place to plant them? How much water do they like in the summer?

Hi half sun half shade is good. I water mine in the evening when it very hot everyday because they are in pot they tend to dry up fast in the ground a little less.The end of Sept. I dig mine up and leave them to dry for a couple of days make sure they are dry or they will rot then i store them in wood chips Anna

anna lisa,

I've only posted here once before but I just wanted to say thanks for the tip. It looks like one of my CLs is going to seed and I was wonder how to collect them. Your info has been very informative. You should put your "tutorials" on a website or maybe get yourself a free blog where you can host your info for easy access.

Have a good one.

Thanks so much for your info, you are the only one to give such info. I recently purchased colored Calla's from online, and got 1 bulb that gives double blooms! It has starteed to go to seed and I wanted to know what to do. The white Calla's grow here like weeds, they just sprout up where ever they want to here in the Santa Cruz Mtns of Calif. And I never knew what to do, so I just let them go! But I wanted colors. These blooms are great. Thanks again for your info. I will try it this year!

HI if they grow like weeds you can send me some white and I will send you some colors ones like yellow or pink. I have some white but not too many I could do with lots more. Also when you dig the bulbs up there are little bulbs attacted to the big bulbs. In the spring you can cut the babies off but it is important to let it dry for a couple of days before you plant it cause it could rot.Here is my e mail address vlorna49@videotron.ca if anybody has extra seeds and want to trade Anna

Hi I don't know if anybody has the same problem this year but out of all my cally about 10 have flowered they grew nice big leaves but no flower out of one hundred about 10 flowered i planted them in the same place as last year and everyone flower lastyear i don't understand. more homework to do anna lisa