Callas and Caladiums, Growing Artichokes, Building A Hugel Mound and Aloe Vera
My flower show talks have wrapped up for 2025. It was great visiting small regional shows and the largest flower show in the country to get inspired for spring. Hopefully you got a chance to visit your regional flower show for some ideas.
One talk I did at our Vermont Flower Show this year was on Summer Bulbs. While we often think of dahlias, gladiolus and lilies when we talk about summer bulbs, there are others that are worth growing even in the North. I highlight two of my favorites: calla lilies and caladiums. Read more about these bulbs here.
I also talked about Foodscaping or edible landscaping at the show. It reminded me about getting my globe artichoke seeds started. Globe artichokes are thought of as a warm weather crop growing mostly in California. But you can grow these beautiful plants all across the country. You just have to be a little tricky with how you grow them. I share my tricks for growing globe artichokes in this newsletter.
As the snow disappears from our zone 5 yard, I’m noticing lots of dropped branches. I could simply toss them into the woods, or I could make a hugel mound. Hugelkultur is an ancient practice of piling up wooden logs into a mound, covering it with organic materials and soil and growing gardens on the mound. I talk about how to make a hugel mound and what to grow on it here.
I continue chatting about houseplants with a classic up next. Aloe vera plants are not only attractive as houseplants, the sap from the leaves is useful for healing burns. I talk about the different types of aloe vera plants that are available, in this newsletter.
Until next time I’ll be seeing you, in the garden.
Charlie
Where to Find Charlie: (podcasts, TV and in-person)
- In the Garden (WCAX-TV CBS) – This week: Shelburne Museum Gardens
- All Things Gardening on Vt Public Radio– This week: Flower Shows
- WJOY In The Garden Podcast– This week: Pruning trees and shrubs, seed starting, houseplant care and more
- Where’s Charlie Speaking? 3/12/25- Nolan Murray Center, Springfield, VT
How to Grow: Calla Lilies and Caladiums
Calla lilies (Zantedeschia) are a subtopical plant grown from a rhizome (bulb) that features dark green, strap-like leaves and colorful “flowers” ranging from white to deep burgundy. The flowers are actually modified leaves or spadex. The benefit for having spadex is the color lasts longer. This plant grows well in part shade in the South and full sun in the North. You may have to protect the leaves a bit in the North during hot, dry periods from getting scorched.
Calla lilies are beautiful, low growing plants in the landscape and make for great cut flowers. They’re hardy to zone 8, but can be grown as an annual in colder areas. Calla lilies like warm, well-drained soil. Planting the bulbs out in spring in cool, heavy soils usually results in bulbs rotting. Be patient and wait until the soil warms into the 60Fs before planting. Plant en mass for the best visual effect. There has been lots of breeding of calla lilies recently. Calla lilies come a wide range of colorful flowers. Try ‘Orange Pitcher’, Rocket’ (red), and ‘Tequila Sunrise Mix’. They look great in the front of a border or even in containers. Container growing has the advantage of planting earlier because the soil warms faster.
In cold areas, cut back the flowers after they fade and let the foliage naturally die back. In fall, dig up and store calla lilies bulbs indoors. Cure the bulbs for a few weeks. Store the bulbs in a 50F to 60F basement or room in a box or perforated bag filled with slightly moistened peat moss. Check monthly in winter for rotting bulbs and discard.
Caladiums are another sub tropical plant that is hardy to zone 8. Unlike the calla lilies, caladiums are primarily grown for their showy leaves. Caladiums also like warm soil, so don’t rush to plant them in the ground in spring. They also look great in containers. Because of their showy leaves, they provide color all summer. Caladiums plants grow 1- to 3-feet tall. There are many new varieties with even showier leaves than the common varieties. Try ‘Caladium Mix’ and ‘Red and White Mix’.
Plant caladiums as you would calla lilies, but keep them in part shade where ever you live. Caladiums like warm, humid weather. That’s why they’re favorites in the Southeast. Keep plants well watered and fertilized monthly. Deadhead yellowing leaves. In fall after a frost, dig and store your caladiums bulbs as you would calla lilies. Some gardeners like to grow both of these plants as houseplants. Ideally, grow them under lights or in a sunny window in winter.
Dear, rabbits, and woodchucks don’t seem interested in either of these plants.
Learn More About Growing Calla Lilies here
Learn More About Growing Caladiums here
How to Grow: Artichokes
I first saw globe artichokes growing in Castroville, California. I was amazed to see these plants in real life and see them growing so close to the beach. Globe artichoke is a Mediterranean plant that loves the sun and warmth, but also mild winters. It is a biennial plant in its native land. The foliage grows up into a 3- to 4-foot tall plant. It overwinters in mild climates outdoors. In spring it continues to grow and set flower buds (chokes) into the summer. It’s these flower buds that we eat.
You might think you have to live in a Mediterranean climate to grow globe artichokes, but you don’t. There are ways to trick the plant into thinking it’s gone through a winter and force it to set flower buds. The keys are growing the right varieties and treating them properly. Grow varieties, such as ‘Imperial Star’, Tempo’, and ‘Tavor’, that are specifically bred to grow in the North and cold areas. This is a good place to start. These varieties don’t require much winter vernalization to set flower buds. In fact, all they need is temperatures between 32F and 50F for 10 days in spring. I often place seedlings outside when we have those weather conditions for them to be vernalized. You can also check at local greenhouses who have already vernalized the plants for you.
Artichokes are beautiful plants, so we grow them as Foodscape plants in flower garden as well as in the vegetable garden. They grow quickly in spring and produce 3- to 4-inch diameter flower buds starting in early summer. Artichokes like full sun, consistent moisture and mulch to grow their best. We add compost to the beds when planting. Harvest when the flower bud scales are still tight for the best quality. Cardoon is related to artichokes, but doesn’t form the flower bud. The leaves can be blanched and eaten.
If you miss a few flower buds, they will open into a beautiful, purple, thistle flower. Some gardeners have had success heavily mulching their plants in fall and getting them to survive the winter. Another option is to grow artichokes in large containers and overwinter the containers in a cool, dry location above freezing. Bring them back outdoors in spring once it’s warm.
Learn More about growing artichokes here
Building a Hugel Mound
As the snow disappears in many yards, the damage from winter becomes evident. We have lots of branches, large and small, on the ground. Normally, I would just toss the branches into the woods to decompose. That’s a great idea because the branches provide habitat for insects that birds and other creatures love. And their decomposition feeds the soil. But another technique you can try is building a hugel mound. Hugel means “mound” in German. It’s ancient practice of piling up logs and branches into a mound, covering it with organic materials and soil and planting on the mound.
Here’s how to make a mound. Select logs of deciduous trees such as maple, alder, oak, birch and poplar. Evergreens, such as sir and spruce, can be used, but they should be allowed to age a year or two. Avoid walnut and cedar since they are slow to decompose. Stack the logs into a 3- to 6-foot tall mound. The thicker the logs, the longer the mound will last. I’ve seen some mounds last up to 20 years! Cover with sod, hay, leaves, and soil and water well. The logs will hold moisture and release it during the summer, so little watering will be necessary once your plants are established. The logs will also slowly decay giving off nutrients for the plants.
In the first year, grow vining plants such as sweet potatoes, pumpkins and winter squash. They will take over the mound and hold the soil in place. I’ve also seen gardeners grow beans to fix nitrogen fertilizer and potatoes. In subsequent years, plant a wide variety of plants, such as tomatoes, peppers and even shrubs and trees. I’ve see mounds with blueberry plants growing on them! Slowly the mound will shrink in size and it be able to work it more easily.
Go here for more on Hugelkultur
In Our Garden: Aloe Vera Houseplants
Most of the houseplants we grow are for their beauty. But there’s one that we grow for beauty and utility. Aloe vera is a succulent houseplant many gardeners are familiar with. This native of North Africa thrives in hot, dry conditions in zones 8 and warmer gardens. Mostly, though, people are familiar with aloe vera as a houseplant. it’s an easy to care for plant as long as it grows in a bright room and you don’t over water it.
With the houseplant craze the last years, there are many new versions of old houseplants. Aloe vera is no exception. The traditional indoor versions, such as spider and lace aloe, are small and the perfect size for a houseplant in a container. The small, spiky aloe plant we know of now comes in versions featuring wider and thicker leaves and interesting spiral growth. They all possess the clear sap that is a soothing balm for burns and scratches.
We keep an aloe vera plant around for this reason. We like the low maintenance of the plant and it looks great in a sunny window. Whenever we need it, it’s easy to cut a piece of the leaf to use on our skin. Water once every 2 weeks in summer and less in winter. Fertilize with a succulent or cactus fertilizer in spring and summer. Remove baby aloe veras as they form around the main plant and pot them in potting soil to grow new plants. Keep the soil moist at first until they get established. Place aloe vera houseplants on a tabletop, plant stand, or counter top for best viewing.
Go here to learn more about growing Aloe Vera
