Hey Evan,
It's not really as intensive as it is boring. You're driving back and forth all day, back and forth
I am not a grower like the big boys but more of a broker who is getting in to the growing side of things. I'm growing a couple of different Alocasia's on some land one of the growers I deal with is letting me use.
I have access to a 10,000 sq. ft greenhouse too. I've been using that in the past for growing some of the different Thai varieties. I wish I could get them to make a decent size bulb!!!! The first time I ever saw a Thai bulb was about 8 years ago. I bought 5 of them and when I opened the box and saw how big they were I almost fainted. They were smaller than my thumb nail. I was like I paid $25.00 for this!!!! They produced nice plants though!! You'd have be Willy Gates to do your landscape with them!!
The growing conditions this year were just about perfect, the rainy season did it's job and we had a lot more cloud cover than a normal summer. When the sun is blazing and there's not a cloud in the sky it can be tough on the plants.
Some varieties that normally always make a decent size bulb like Kathleen are really looking good this year. I saw some Mammoth Kathleen the other day that had to be 6"-7" in diameter!! This year I'm calling them Colossal Caladiums instead of Mammoths, from a marketing stand point I like the word Colossal better than Mammoth
Lake Placid produces about 97% of the caladiums that are grown commercially. The caladium fields are basically dryed lake beds. Lake Istapoga used to be a lot bigger than it is today. They diked it years and years ago and the soil is a rich black muck that the caladiums just thrive in. There is one grower that will remain nameless that grows them in the sand. Bulbs produced in the sand are no where close to being as nice as muck bulbs. The sand bulbs are real hard!!
Lake Placid is a quiet little Town, there's 3 red lights and one doesn't count.....
...... In fact Reader's Digest just named us "America's Most Interesting Town"
There's a two page article in the Jan. 2013 edition(Pg. 18&19) that has the whole town just beaming, especially us businessman!!!
I grew up in Fort Lauderdale which is a zoo now. The traffic down there is NUTS!!!!
......
Happy Holidays!!!
Bill
The picture is Florida Beauty. I'm the only mail order company in the country that stocks this particular variety!!
If you google caladium farming or such you find images of commercial growing. Bill, this looks very labor intensive, especially at harvest time! I found this Virginia Wesleyan College site which states ... Lake Placid, Florida, claims itself the "Caladium Capital of the World." ... http://facultystaff.vwc.edu/~p... 
Moving to Lake Placid is the Best thing I've ever done in my life!! The blood pressure is great, the air is clean and for the most part everyone speaks English....lol....
