Divided caladiums usually bounce back well. Keep them in bright, indirect light out of hot afternoon sun, water when the top inch of soil starts to dry rather than keeping it soggy, and skip fertilizer for a few weeks while new roots form. A few droopy or yellow leaves at first is normal transplant stress, and fresh leaves from the tubers will tell you they’ve settled in.

Thanks for sharing, Bill, those Christmas tree caladiums sound beautiful! Most caladium tubers sold in the US are grown around Lake Placid, Florida, so buying directly from a grower there early in the season usually gets you firmer, larger tubers than general retailers. Mushy, custard-like tubers are often rotting from cool, wet soil, so check that they’re firm when they arrive and wait until the soil is at least 65 to 70°F before planting.

I’m sorry you’ve been battling these for so long, Imogene. Because they appeared right after the sewer problem, they may be drain flies rather than fungus gnats: drain flies are fuzzy and moth-like and rest on walls near sinks, while fungus gnats are slender, dark and hover around the soil. A yellow sticky trap beside each plant and one by your drains will show where they’re coming from, and if it’s the plants, letting the topsoil dry, adding a Bti product such as Mosquito Bits to your watering for the larvae, and dusting food-grade DE on dry soil for the adults should finally break the cycle.