Colocasia Thailand giants coming out of dormancy

Discussion in 'Tropical Gardening' started by Matt-tropical, Feb 9, 2018.

  1. Matt-tropical

    Matt-tropical Gardener

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    Last week I potted up my Thai giants in damp compost and they seem to be making a start into growth. Last year I kept it growing over winter but this year I cut it off and let it go dormant because of its size. I Would appreciate any advice mainly around the amount of water if any to give it at this early stage thanks in advance.
     
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      Last edited: Feb 9, 2018
    • Perki

      Perki Total Gardener

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      I haven't grown any colocasia yet , hoping to get black coral this spring. Personally I'd give it a light water sparingly, don't want it to get to wet are it may rot and wait until it starts growing. That how most bulbs / plants are brought back from being in dormancy.
       
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      • Matt-tropical

        Matt-tropical Gardener

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        Have seen them started off just on top of the soil in a pot when they start to root then potted up properly. Thanks for the reply Off to buy a spray bottle to mist the soil, think your right less is more in this case
         
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        • pete

          pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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          Not really grown Colocasia seriously myself but have grown Taro, (Colocasia esculenta), from supermarket tubers.
          I just started them off in a closed propagator on damp sand, pretty much 100% humidity and 30C temperature.
           
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          • Sirius

            Sirius Total Gardener

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            I have tried Colocasia a few times. They come up and do well the first year. But when they go dormant in winter, the leaves die but the energy doesn't go back into the bulbs.

            If I get them, it's from the supermarket, so cheap enough to start again on an annual basis
             
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            • Gail_68

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              Hi @Matt-tropical ...i hope this link helps mate :)

              HOW TO GROW COLOCASIA |The Garden of Eaden
               
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              • Sirius

                Sirius Total Gardener

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                Was out and about yesterday, and went past a local shop in the area that I know gets Eddos from time to time. So popped in and bought myself a few.
                Last night put them into plastic bags with some damp peat, and into the airing cupboard

                There were also what appeared to be 2 species of Amorphophallus. Will be interesting to see what these are.
                Bulbs are huge! Chap behind the counter asked if I want him to cut them up for me! Uh, NO!
                 
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                • PeterS

                  PeterS Total Gardener

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                  Matt - I think it is very easy to overwater - I have killed lots of things that way.

                  My feeling now it to start things off in very slightly damp compost, then give them nothing till they start to sprout. Until they have leaves they can't expire any moisture, therefore they don't want any at all.

                  I was talking to a chap yesterday, with a truly amazing range of rare tropical plants, about Curcuma (a tuberous member of the ginger family). I said I always killed them before they came back into growth. He said he had several and they were very easy to grow on condition you gave them no water at all until well into growth.

                  Sirius - it will be very interesting to see what you get. I think a lot of different tubers are grown for food in tropical countries. I remember Sal getting some Amorphophallus paeoniifolius tubers from an ethnic greengrocer. He sent me a couple but I killed them - I am sure by overwatering before they came into growth.
                   
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                    Last edited: May 2, 2018
                  • PeterS

                    PeterS Total Gardener

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                    2018_05030001.JPG
                    Matt, I am not really proud of this because its an Arisamea tuber that I should have potted up long ago. But it struck me that it illustrates the idea that a good sized tuber contains enough food and moisture to produce quite a bit of top growth, even though it hasn't received any water at all.
                     
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                    • Gail_68

                      Gail_68 Guest

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                      Peter it reminds me of a small mammal sitting there but with a birds beak [​IMG]
                       
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