Caladium John Peed Care — What You Need to Know

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Caladium John Peed is a native of the tropical forest that is located in South and Central America. 

The Caladium John Peed is mostly grown for its stunning leaves that have a variety of colors in them. It has a pink center that spreads through the majority of the leaf, and the edges are green.

Caladium John Peed can be found in hardiness zones 9 and 10. This plant is now mostly grown indoors. 

However, if your outdoor environment is suitable for this plant, then it can even grow outdoors.

 

Caladium John Peed Care

To care for your Caladium John Peed use well-draining soil that contains damp peat, mushroom compost, and chopped leaves. Keeping it in temperatures ranging from 70°F to 85°F (21°C to 29°C) and a humidity between 60-70%. Fertilize every two weeks from spring to summer with 1/4 of the recommended strength.

 

Soil

Caladium John Peed likes to be kept in soil that is well-draining. Choosing a soil mix that has mushroom compost, chopped leaves, damp peat, and organic matter is the best option. 

This plant also likes to be kept in a soil pH ranging from 5.0 to 7.0 (acidic to neutral)

 

Water

Caladium John Peed needs to be watered regularly. They thrive in slightly moist soil. 

You can add pine straw to help your soil retain more moisture.

Water your Caladium John Peed once the soil’s top 2 inches become dry. Never let the soil dry out, or else the leaves can start to turn yellow, and they can become droopy.

 

Light

Caladium John Peed needs a lot of sunlight, but it cannot be kept under direct sunlight. Providing your Caladium John Peed with indirect sunlight is the best option. 

This is because, in its natural habitat, it usually takes the shade of other plants.

 

Temperature

Since Caladium John Peed belongs to tropical forests, it needs to be kept in temperatures that range from 70°F to 85°F (21°C to 29°C). 

Never keep your Caladium John Peed in temperatures lower than 32°F (0°C).

This is because Caladium John Peed is only slightly frost-resistant and will not survive in temperatures lower than 32°F (0°C).

 

Humidity

Caladium John Peed likes to be kept in high humidity levels. Keeping it in humidity levels ranging from 60 to 70% is essential for your Caladium John Peeds survival. 

Humidity levels can be maintained by purchasing a humidifier or placing your plant on a water tray filled with pebbles.

 

Fertilizer

Caladium John Peed does not require a lot of fertilizer, the only time you need to fertilize it is from spring till the end of summer. 

Fertilizing your Caladium John Peed too often can cause the leaves to burn.

Any flowering plant fertilizer is great for this plant. All you have to do is dilute the strength of the fertilizer by ¼ of what it was originally.

 

Repotting

Caladium John Peed does not need to be repotted too often. You only need to repot it after two to three years. 

When you repot your Caladium John Peed, make sure you:

• Place it in a pot larger than the previous one.
• Repot your Caladium John Peed only during the spring season.
• Provide your Caladium John Peed with the same potting mix as before.
• Plant your Caladium John Peed four to six inches deep into the soil (ten to fifteen cm deep into the soil).
• Use a sterilized tool.

Pruning

Pruning your Caladium John Peed can help it grow bushier. It is recommended that a Caladium John Peed should be pruned after every three weeks. 

You can also prune your Caladium John Peed when:

• The plant has become larger than your desired size.
• The plant has a lot of dead leaves.

When you prune your plant, it is essential that you use sterilized tools as unsterilized tools can cause many problems. 

Also, make sure the desired tools you use for cutting are sharp. This is because hacking away continuously at one part of your Caladium John Peed can damage the plant.

 

Propagation

Propagating Caladium John Peed can take a little bit of time as you must follow several steps. This is to ensure that your “mother” plant does not get injured in any way while you try to create more plants from it. 

If you wish to propagate your Caladium John Peed, follow these steps:

 

Step 1: Remove your Caladium John Peed from the pot

Turn the pot upside down for you to remove your Caladium John Peed. Then start tapping the sides of the pot to loosen the soil. 

Make sure you place your hand on the plant so you can grab it as soon as it starts sliding out of the pot.

 

Step 2: Separate the stems from your Caladium John Peed

Your Caladium John Peed will grow in groups of stems. Each of these groups grows separately and is not attached to each other. 

All you have to do is take one whole group of stems and separate it from the rest.

These groups of stems make it easier for you to propagate Caladium John Peed. Just make sure you untangle the roots and don’t pull on the stems too hard. 

Make sure each group of stems that you choose to propagate has its own root system.

 

Step 3: Place the separated stems in a new pot

Place your separate group of stems into new pots, and do not place every group of stems into the same pot. 

This way, you grow more Caladium John Peed.

 

Steps 4: Add in soil

Once you have placed each group of stems in its own pot, start putting them in the soil. Your new Caladium John Peed plant will only have the support of a few groups of stems. 

Thus, it will need another object to help it keep upright.

You can place a stick into the soil and loosely tie up your new Caladium John Peed to it. Since Caladium John Peed has soft stems, this step is crucial. 

Not doing it will cause your Caladium John Peed to start bending downwards.

 

Step 5: water your Caladium John Peed

Once your Caladium John Peed has been planted in soil, you will need to water it to help it replenish its moisture. 

Propagating plants can cause a lot of stress to them, and thus watering right after potting is essential.

When propagating your Caladium John Peed, make sure all the tools are sanitized. You can clean each tool by using a disinfectant or by placing each tool in bleach for 30 minutes. 

Remember to rinse the tools in water once you take them out of the bleach and then use it on your plants.

 

Blooms

Caladium John Peed is capable of growing red flowers. But ornamentally, the flowers have no significance, and the plant’s only grown for their stunning pinkish-red leaves with green edges. Oftentimes it is hard to make Caladium John Peed bloom indoors which is why they are not a common sight.

 

Growth

Caladium John Peed can grow 26 inches tall and be at least 30 inches wide once they are fully matured. Caladium John Peed does not like to be overcrowded. 

Thus, when you grow your Caladium John Peed in masses, make sure each of the plants is kept 20 inches away from each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Common Problems for Caladium John Peed

 

Tuber Rot

Tuber rot is a common occurrence in plants that have a lot of tubers. Caladium John Peed is one of these plants that often suffers from this disease. 

Tuber rot is caused by a bacterial fungus that causes your Caladium John Peed to start rotting.

Various reasons can lead to tuber rot, the most common of which include blight, contaminated equipment, blackleg, and pink rot.

Blight occurs in plants when there is a lesion on foliage, while pink rot occurs due to fungus within the soil. Blackleg enters your Caladium John Peed through root stems. 

These problems occur due to an opening within the plant and can be avoided easily if you take good care of your plant.

Another way to avoid tuber rot is by keeping each plant at a distance from the other. This is because Caladium John Peed does not like to be overcrowded. 

An excess amount of fertilizer should not be used on your Caladium John Peed as it can cause the tubers in the soil to rot.

Fertilizers with a large amount of nitrogen should never be used on this plant. 

Do not overwater your plant either. This is because overwatering can cause the roots to rot and thus give an entry to the bacterial fungi that causes tuber rot.

 

Southern Blight

Southern Blight can cause your Caladium John Peed leaves to look water-soaked. This is often seen on leaves present on the stem’s lower levels. 

Southern blight occurs within the soil, and if any part of your plant is touching the soil, then it too gets infected.

Caladium John Peed that is infected with Southern blight, will start to turn yellow and wilt within days. The only solution is to remove any infected parts of your plant and repotting the plant in new soil.

 

Leaf Spot

If you’re a Caladium plant grower, you’ll know that leaf spot’s a common disease affecting them. However, it is hard to diagnose this disease as the symptoms vary from one plant to another.

Leaf spots are often caused due to an infection from pathogenic fungus.

They can also be caused by air pollutants, insects, and even bacteria. 

Once your plant is infected by leaf spots, the tissue within the leaves begins to get destroyed. This destroyed tissue then causes your plant to have some spots on it.

The leaf spots can vary in size as some can be large while others may be much smaller in size. Leaf spots often have a brown, tan, reddish, brown, or black color. 

Some infected leaves may also have red spotting with purple borders.

The reason why leaf spots are hard to spot on Caladium John Peed is because the plant already has a pinkish-red center. 

So, when leaf spots occur on Caladium John Peed, it just looks like the plant’s natural color if the spots are red.

The majority of the plants infected by leaf spots can still live a long life as the plant eventually defoliates the infected leaves. 

However, to make sure the rest of your plant survives, you should prune your plant once you see leaf spots on some leaves.

To avoid leaf spots in the future, spray your Caladium John Peed with chemical sprays when you propagate or repot it. This reduces infection risk and leaf spotting.

 

Tips for Growing Caladium John Peed

Growing a plant is never easy, but when you know the basics of your plant care, then it becomes a lot easier to grow a healthy plant. 

Here are some tips to take note of to grow a healthy Caladium John Peed:

• Keep your Caladium John Peed under partial shade and provide it with indirect sunlight. Do not keep it under direct sunlight as the leaves will burn.
• Keep your Caladium John Peed in temperatures ranging from 85°F to 32°F (29°C to 0°C).
• Provide your Caladium John Peed with 60 to 70 percent humidity.
• Keep the soil moist throughout the day. Do not let it dry out, as the plant’s leaves can turn yellow and start to become droopy.

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Caladium John Peed Care

 

Can Caladium John Peeds be kept under direct sunlight?

This plant isn’t capable of surviving under direct sunlight. This is because the leaves are sensitive and will end up burning under direct sunlight.

 

Is Caladium John Peed toxic?

Caladium John Peeds are toxic to both animals and humans. If ingested, you must visit a vet or doctor as soon as possible.

 

Conclusion

The Caladium John Peeds is a stunning plant that is capable of surviving in high pollution areas. This is why Caladium John Peed is perfect for offices and homes, especially those located within a city. 

Caladium John Peed also makes for perfect housewarming gifts as it can add a variety of colors to any home.