How to Overwinter Caladiums (Lift, Cure, and Store Bulbs)

Keeping your caladiums safe during the winter is imperative to keeping them safe.

Harsh conditions are no place for these sensitive plants.

Thus, you need to learn how to overwinter caladiums properly to protect them until summer.

But the end result is worth it- you’ll get that array of color to brighten your yard!

Caladiums are truly unique plants. No two caladiums look alike. They’re almost like snowflakes!

In this guide, we’ll talk about:

How do I store caladium bulbs over the winter?

Caladiums (Araceae family) are gorgeous plants with a dazzle of red and green colorations.

The colors are striking and the tropical plant does well in hardiness zones 9-11.

For those that are growing this plant in the eastern, northern, or northeastern states, you’ll likely have to prep the plant for overwintering.

Those in the warmer states where it stays well above 60F annually may get away with doing absolutely nothing!

The plant can’t handle cold and will need to be moved indoors or preserved for overwintering.

Depending on where you live, and whether you have the caladiums in pots or the soil, this process varies.

They prefer weather that’s free from frost with minimal rain. They like well-draining soil with a rich, nutritious supplement.

If you live somewhere where the temperatures do drop under 60F, they may get a little uncomfortable and start to die back.

You’ll have to dig out the bulb (lift the tuber), cure it, and then store it for the winter to save it. Then in the spring, you’ll have a bunch of bulbs ready to be replanted!

Caladium is an annual plant but must be stored correctly to replant.

Get ready to learn everything you need to know about this mesmerizing plant.

There are a few different techniques you can utilize to protect your caladiums from the cold season.

Depending on how your climate is, you may have to lift them for winter storage.

Or, if you live in the right area, you can snake away without doing anything!

Let’s dive in and find out.

Method 1: Lifting caladium bulbs for overwintering

This is the most common method most people will end up using to get these bulbs out for the winter.

Sadly, not everyone gets the privilege of being in a warm, sunny area where caladiums flourish on their own.

So therefore we need to do some extra work to get them prepped for the winter.

Lifting caladium bulbs for the winter requires some work.

Thankfully, it’s not hard at all. Here’s what you need to know:

How to lift caladium bulbs

Digging up the actual bulb (AKA Tuber) is easy if you have the right tools.

You’ll need a garden shovel and a pair of gardening gloves. Kneel comfortably next to the caladiums and start digging around the edges of the plant.

Keep a distance of 6” away from the bulb so you don’t damage the plant. You can use a spade, shovel, or claw to do this. Dig 8” deep and 6” away in a circular perimeter.

Dig out a small circle around the bulb like a moat, and keep it a few inches away from the plant to avoid damage. If there’s dirt stuck on the bulb, you can use a BBQ brush to remove it when you lift the bulb.

Just start a few inches away from the caladium and dig towards it, gently removing the soil in a circular pattern. Lift the bulb gently.

Pick up the leaves together at the same time. Pull at the same time. The bulb will come out easily.

When to lift the bulbs

The right time to lift the tubers is before the cold arrives.

These plants are NOT hardy to cold temperatures and will be destroyed by the winter.

You don’t need to wait until it actually turns cold outside or until it’s “officially” winter. Just start lifting them as you notice the temperatures dropping constantly.

The foliage on the plant will start to show wilt once the temperature drops below 60F. You need to lift the bulb before then.

You’ll know when the time is right to dig out the bulbs. Their preference for soil temperature is above 70F, which is why they thrive throughout the summer.

When temperatures start to drop in the autumn or winter, the plants wilt and enter dormancy if stored. If not, they’ll be destroyed by the outside freeze.

Whether you have caladiums growing in the soil or in containers, you need to assess the situation and make sure the temperatures are OK.

Planted caladiums are easy to handle because you can just bring the pots indoors.

But if they’re planted in the soil, you’ll have to go through the process of uprooting them and preserving the bulbs for the dormancy period.

Caladium does well as houseplants when provided with correct amounts of partial light, well-draining soil, and a rich substrate supplement.

Remember to stop watering your plants during overwintering. Drying out is expected. If your water, you’ll do more harm than good.

If you live in a climate where temperatures stay above 65F all year long, you actually don’t have to do anything to overwinter them. They’ll take care of everything on their own.

These plants can handle some temp dips, but nothing where it’s cold for days on end.

Note that if your soil is wet or humid, this can lead to mold, fungus, or rot, even if temperatures are stable.

This is why it’s important to use well-draining soil. You can mix in some perlite, vermiculite, or even newspaper to help absorb moisture.

Keep soil dry, but moist at all times during the growing season. Then do the exact opposite when you overwinter them.

Never rely on ambient temperature for gauging the soil temperatures.

This means not checking the local weather report on your phone or news channel. Use a dedicated soil thermometer to check the soil temperature for accuracy.

The news only tells you the weather in the air, not the soil. You can use this to predict when it’s time to start getting the bulbs ready for the winter.

This is usually when nighttime temperatures drop below 60F and daytime temperatures rarely go above 70F.

You may also see some telltale signs that your caladiums are ready to be dug out:

• Caladium drooping
• Turning pale
• Wilting flowers
• Damaged plants
• Die back
• Brown foliage

Preparing caladiums for the winter

After the bulbs have been lifted from the soil, you’ll have to cure them next.

Curing simply means placing them in a safe area out of direct sunlight for at least 7 days.

The bulbs need to dry and release excess moisture before they can be stored, or else you risk rot, fungus, and bacterial diseases. The bulb will become “crispy” and the leaves will fall off.

Peel off all the leaves gently around the 1 week mark. They should come off easily. Be sure to cure the bulbs in a dry room without excess humidity.

You can cure them with a garden hose or running water.

This will remove the soil stuck on the corms, leave, and root system.

Using a soft brush will also work. Remove any soft, withered, or rotten areas. Dispose of bulbs that don’t look up to part.

Do NOT risk storing those with the rest of the bulbs. Keep it out of sunlight and keep them in a cool, dry area while they cure. Curing can take up to 7 days.

You’ll know when the curing is done because the plant will be completely dry. The leaves will be easy to peel off from the bulb.

How to store the bulbs

After curing, the bulbs are ready for wintertime storage.

Similar to storing any other bulbed plants, you’ll want to keep them dry.

You can use peat moss as the substrate with a bit of perlite. Use a large storage container such as a storage box and fill it up with peat moss.

Avoid using cardboard or anything that can be saturated with moisture because this may lead to rot or fungi. If you don’t have perlite, you can use shredded newspaper.

The point is to keep it DRY at all times and get rid of moisture.

Place the bulbs into the container and use the peat moss to keep them apart from one another.

They should never touch each other and should be a few inches apart. The bulbs should be loosely packed in the substrate.

Move the container to a warm, dry area.

Keep the moisture low and temperature above 65F. Keep it out of sunlight. A completely dark room is OK.

When you place them into the peat moss, space them at least 2” apart from each other. If you don’t have peat moss, you can use sand or vermiculite.

Supplement with perlite, newspaper, or some other material that picks up the moisture content and absorbs it.

You can also add some fungicide to kill any fungus that may sprout after it’s stored. Some organic fungicides are sulfur-based, which works well.

Do your research and follow the label directions?

There should be 2” of substrate on the bottom, 2” of substrate to keep them separated, and 2” on top. Aim for the 2-2-2 rule.

Congrats. That’s all there is to it. You’ve successfully stored your caladiums for the winter!

Replanting

When the frost has settled and all signs of danger from cold weather have gone, you can replant your caladium bulbs once again.

The outdoor ambient temperature should be at least 70F. This is usually around early summer for most hardiness zones.

Remove them from storage and place the tubers bud side up in a container or into the soil. You can use whatever substrate you were using before- just make it well-draining.

Water the soil and keep it moist in partial sunlight.

And there you go. You’ve replanted your corms.

The key to storing caladiums over the winter

The most critical thing to keep in mind is to never let the tubers get wet.

Keep them as dry as possible in storage and never allow local humidity to raise beyond reasonable amounts.

That’s why you keep them in a dry room. If you don’t have anywhere in your home that’s dry enough, use a small closet and shut the door.

You can also run fans or use a dehumidifier to keep the humidity low. If you dig them up for replanting next spring/summer and find that there’s rot or mold, dispose of them. The bulb is not to be used.

Be sure to check the neighboring bulbs also as the mold may have eaten its way to the others. Keeping the overall moisture content low is key.

Method 2: Storing caladium bulbs using pots

You can safely store your bulbs using potting containers, especially if they’re ALREADY being grown in them.

There’s no reason to remove them from the container and disturb their root system.

All you need to do is bring the pots indoors when the temperatures drop below 50F or so. No need to remove them from the pots.

You’ll notice that the leaves begin to die back when the cooler temperatures arrive.

The plant will go dormant at this point and you can take them to a temperature-neutral area to help them extend their growing season.

This may help keep them growing rather than entering the dormant state if you do it early enough.

Keep watching the temperatures and monitor them for signs of frost.

Anything below 60F should trigger a mental alert! This is where you can start taking the container indoors for storage.

Keep them in a dry area where the temperatures hover around 60F. The leaves will slowly dry out and wilt. This is normal as the plant goes dormant and overwinters.

The plant does NOT need any care during the entire winter- this means do NOT water it. At all.

This will kill the plant from rotting bulbs, so avoid any moisture content.

Be sure to cut all foliage and roots from the bulbs. The bulbs should look like plain, irregularly-shaped tops after you’re done cleaning them.

They need to be 100% clean before you store them to prevent any root rot or mold.

And yes, you can leave caladiums in pots over the winter without any problems.

Method 3: Overwintering planted bulbs

This is by far the easiest method to overwinter caladium.

Why? Because you don’t need to do anything!

For those that are planting in a warm environment, caladiums will do just fine on their own. There’s no need to lift the bulb, store in a container, or even move them indoors.

As long as the temperatures stay above 60F, they should be OK. The leaves will wilt and the plant will die back, but that’s normal as the plant enters dormancy.

When winter is over and the spring comes around, the leaves will grow once again. The only thing you need to keep in mind is to keep them dry during the dormancy.

Excess moisture may make them rot, which can kill the plant during this period.

Whether you have caladium in pots, or in the soil, you should be okay if you’re somewhere warm. Just be sure to keep watch on the temperatures.

How long can you store caladium bulbs over the winter?

The bulbs can be stored safely for months without any problems.

The main concern?

Water.

Keep them dry, dark, and moisture-free. This will help them stay dormant and protected over the winter (and then some).

Avoid any rot and dispose of tubers that have mold.

You can check on them periodically by taking them out of the peat moss and then putting them back. This doesn’t disturb them and it’s good practice to do checks.

Can caladium bulbs be saved from year to year?

Yes, you can save the bulbs and prevent the cold winter from killing your caladium.

You need to properly overwinter them depending on your conditions. If you’re planting in pots, you’ll have to take pots indoors.

If you’re planting in the soil, they need to be lifted and brought indoors into a soil container.

But if your local climate hovers above 60F even during the coldest months, you can safely leave them outside without doing anything.

Can you plant caladiums indoors?

Yes, it’s possible to grow caladiums indoors. They need plenty of heat, partial light, and moisture.

The plant will go dormant during the winter whether you keep it indoors or outside. This is normal and there’s no way you can prevent the dormancy.

During this critical period, you’ll want to do what you can do to preserve it until next spring so you can replant the bulbs again.

Do caladiums go dormant indoors?

Yes, caladiums will go dormant whether you keep them indoors or not.

They’re not hardy plants to the cold and will wither when temperatures drop below 60F.

Even if you keep them inside, they’ll still go dormant during the wintertime.

They naturally need a dormancy period during the cold, so you need to let the plant “recharge” during this time.

Can you leave caladium bulbs in the ground over winter?

Yes, but only assuming your local temperature stays above 60F.

If it drops below that for extended periods, your caladium will wither.

They don’t tolerate cold and need to be brought inside if the frost is too cold.

Caladium dormancy

Caladiums have a special function that puts them into dormancy during the winter.

When the ambient temperatures drop below 60F and the days shorten in the fall, they’ll start to wither.

The leaves will turn discolored and the plant will droop. But you don’t need to worry.

This is a normal part of their lifecycle and they need to go dormant anyway. Most gardeners will have to take them indoors during the winter to protect them and replant them next spring/summer.

But if you’re in an area where temperatures remain above 60F even on the coldest nights, you don’t have to do anything! Yup. zilch. Nada.

How do you get caladiums out of dormancy?

This process is automatic. There’s no way to “force” them out of dormancy unless you plan to do it prematurely.

After being stored in the dark and cool area for 3-4 weeks, this makes them dormant.

The curing and letting them dry out puts them into a dormant state, to which they expect to be placed in the dark for a month or so.

When the temperatures rise again, the plant will come out of dormancy on its own. You can replant the bulbs in the following summer.

Avoid planting molded bulbs or damaged ones.

Did you learn how to overwinter your caladium?

Keeping these plants safe over the harsh frost is easy.

If you’re in a warm and sunny climate, you’ll have to do some extra work to get these plants to go dormant safely. But the end result is worth it.

You’ll see them bloom once again in the spring with their amazing colors.

Did you have any difficulties getting it done? Do you have any tips to share? Let me know in the comments section!