How to Plant Calla Lilies

Plant calla lily tubers after frost, once daytime temperatures stay above 70°F, about 2 inches deep and 12–18 inches apart. They flower about 60–90 days after planting.

How to Plant Calla Lilies
When to plant
Outdoors after frost danger, once daytime temperatures stay above 70°F. Or start indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost
Depth
About 2 inches deep, no deeper than 4 inches, growing points facing up
Spacing
12–18 inches apart
Sun
Full sun for the most flowers, or part shade; afternoon shade in hot climates
Water
Keep moist but not waterlogged; overwatering rots the tubers
Soil
Moist, well-drained, rich in organic matter

Step by step

  1. For earlier flowers, start tubers indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost, 1–2 inches deep in potting mix, somewhere warm at 70–75°F. Move them to a sunny window once leaves appear.
  2. Plant outdoors after frost, once daytime temperatures stay above 70°F. Before planting out indoor-started callas, harden them off in a shady, sheltered spot for a few days.
  3. Choose a spot with rich, moist soil that still drains, in full sun, or with afternoon shade where summers are hot.
  4. Set each tuber with the growing points facing up, about 2 inches deep and never more than 4.
  5. Space them 12–18 inches apart, cover, and water in well.
  6. Feed after planting with a fertilizer such as 5-10-5 or 5-10-10.
  7. Keep the soil evenly moist but never soggy through the growing season.

After bloom

Callas usually flower through July and August. After the flowers fade, keep watering and let the leaves grow until frost; they feed the tuber. In zones colder than 8, dig the tubers in fall before a hard freeze. Dry them in a warm spot for 2–3 weeks, shake off the soil and remove the dried stems. Store dry and frost-free at 45–55°F until spring.