The famous glass of milk belongs to the genus Zantedeschia, originating in South Africa. With huge and exotic flower-like spathes, the plant never goes out of style.
Blooms from early to late summer on sturdy erect stems. The beautiful foliage adds to its ornamental value – the lush leaves are broad and bright green, often flecked with white or silver.
Most are soft and the fleshy rhizomes or roots can be stored over the winter and then replanted the following spring.
how to cultivate
Buy calla lilies as rhizomes or as potted plants. Grow in peat-free all-purpose compost pots in a sunny, cool-free location, indoors or outdoors.
Keep watered and fed regularly, then bring indoors in the fall to overwinter before repotting the following year.
where to cultivate
Grow on a well-lit windowsill, in a conservatory or in a heated greenhouse. Calla lilies can be grown in the garden, in pots or in a flowerbed.
A bright, well-lit spot in the strongest midday sun is ideal. Avoid full shade, but the plants will tolerate partial shade. They must be protected from the wind.
how to plant
Calla lily grows from thick rhizomes or fleshy roots that are sold when dormant in winter or spring. Ready-made plants can be purchased in spring and summer, usually when they are in full bloom.
To grow from dormant rhizomes, plant 8 to 10 cm deep in a good peat-free all-purpose compost. Or pot and start growing indoors for faster flowering.
Plants grown indoors need to be gradually hardened or acclimatized outdoors, standing out for increasing periods of time.
If growing lilies in the ground, improve the soil by adding plenty of well-rotted compost or a soil conditioner. Spread the plants 30-45 cm apart.
how to care
Regular watering is important to maintain beautiful growth. Ideally, keep the compost moist, but be careful not to over-water.
Once flowering buds appear, feed every three to four weeks with a potassium-rich liquid fertilizer, such as liquid tomato fertilizer. Regularly remove dead and faded flower stems and leaves.
After flowering is over, continue feeding and watering the glass of milk for several weeks, still being careful not to overwater, until the leaves begin to die.
Lilies that grow in the ground should be dug up and the rhizomes stored in wet compost trays for the winter, in a cool place in places where it is very cold. At the end of winter, repot the roots in moist compost and place in a warm place to initiate growth.
how to propagate
Divide the rhizomes in late winter before repotting.
Growing lily: problem solving
Aphids can be a problem, especially on indoor plants. Inspect the underside of the leaves regularly, and also look for a sticky substance on the surface beneath the plant: this is honeydew, produced by aphids and other pests.
A variety of treatments can be used to combat aphids, although often manual squashing is all that is needed if the pest is caught early.
*Via Gardeners World