How do I care further for my indoor calla lily?

Question

I have an indoor calla lily at my office and it has grown to about 1 1/2 feet tall. In the last week it has started to droop and the bloom is almost entirely green like the stalk. What is the next step I should take to prolong the existance of my plant? I am not much of a green thumb but would like to know how to make this one work, as it is the only pleasure I get from work.

None of the plant looks unhealthy; it just lays down to the side. (like it's taking a nap) :)

Answer 1

Callas are bulbs. Your indoor calla looks like my outdoor callas right now, which is good. It's blooming period is over. It needs to stay near a window so that the greens can continue to store energy from the sun. Eventually the greens will turn yellow, then brown. When they start turning brown, you can cut the calla completely to the surface of the dirt. It cannot stay in your office at that point. All bulbs need a cooling period of 10-14 weeks during the late fall and winter. Put the container in your garage if you live in a very cold place (gets below 30 degrees during the winter) but wherever you put it it must have a steady temperature below 50 degrees. Keep it and the soil dry - humidity during the winter is bad, and can make the bulb moldy and die. After three months of these cool temperatures, you can return your bulb and it's container to your office. Add some bulb fertilizer or something approximating 10-15-10 (your local hardware store or even your large grocery store will have some) and start watering (not overwatering!) on an infrequent basis until the greens pop back up from the soil. Then continue to take care of it like you have been. This will happen every year!

Answer 2

Hope this helps!