I too will be planting caladium bulbs for the first time this year. A search turned up this zone map for planting out, though I think I will start them ahead of time in pots until the soil warms up some here. Another site said this... about planting 1. make sure the ground is hot. Be sure that they are in a well drained area. 2. partially shaded areas are best. 3. two or three inches under the soil is recommended. 4. hot and moist soil is needed for caladiums to germinate rapidly, water caladiums frequently keep the soil moist but not soggy. 5. every six weeks a light application of 6-6-6 fertilizer is sufficient. about caladiums Caladiums are tropical by nature and do not like cold weather. Consistently hot weather (day and night) is necessary for germination. The hotter the temperature, the faster they will grow. Bulbs can be planted in any direction. They will orient themselves as they sprout. If shoots are present when you receive your bulbs, they should be planted upright for faster growth. Lack of water during germination can result in initially smaller leaves. The bulbs should be only two inches under the soil. about color - If bulbs are planted in deep shade, the green color of the caladiums will tend to dominate -If planted in highly acidic soil, the darker colors will dominate - Miracle Gro can cause color variations - use carefully - Several varieties change color as they mature - please be patient about spacing Larger bulbs produce more leaves. Smaller bulbs planted in a cluster will give the same effect as a larger bulb. Leaf size is determined by the size of the eyes on a bulb. Larger bulbs have a better chance of having larger eyes. I would think that AM sun, and afternoon shade would be all right....but I 'could' be wrong. Sue Here is a link that might be useful: Caladium zone planting map

Oops-could not get the picture to happen. Plz see following post.

There's no problem with it breaking off. Just wait a day or two to plant it. The growers cut those off the first leaf spikes when they plant them. It forces it to send up multible spikes......cheryl

We have distressed oak flooring that we love. We didn't pick a color until right before it was ready to be stained. The walls and cabinets were already painted and stained. Our guys came in with a selection of colors and stained a few blocks on the floor so we could see the color in contrast to the other colors. I don't have time to post a picture right now, but my colors wouldn't work with your colors anyway. Does your builder have someone who can help with color? My builder had a good eye for color and helped direct me to good choices. I found the paint and stain guys to be pretty helpful too. Good luck on your selection.