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panhandlelady_6b

Colocasia explosion

PanhandleLady_6b
10 years ago

Yeah, I got suckered. I got lured in by tropicals. I got a number of alocasias, colocasias, and related. I bought a mature (stunted in pot) Thai Giant colocasia; with a daughter on the side and a bloom stalk. I managed to get it home in the back seat of my car without harming it; and harvested the berries.... pipped 15 berries for 17 seeds. Got 13 sprouts and 10 made it past 2" and 4 leaves... then. That was mid September that I started the seeds; I built a greenhouse to winter things; and it is now the start of March. Those 10 seedlings ranged from 4" tall with a 2" leaf to 2' tall with a 10" leaf. And one twinned and one tripletted. I did the uppot on the 2nd of March. I have three full months to when I dare harden them off to live under shadecloth. The daughter is still on the mother corm, have not had the chance yet to repot mama, who is just approaching one year old (corm start said the nursery).

HELP! Help? Um, what am I going to do with rampant success?!?!?!??!?

I also have three Mojito, and one is almost faded to nothing. I have been keeping them wet-toes and only thing I can think of is not enough light. I just finished redoing the 40x48" top deck with all the baby Thai's, the miniature roses, and the pothos and spider plant explosion; now I need to do the jungle of the 'wet toes tub' under it with the umbrella palms, mini papyrus, variegated plecanthrus and all the smaller alos and colos; the imperial is doing okay, the caladiums are middling. (floor pots in tubs include a violet stem, an unknown green that loves to grow aphids despite my best efforts, and the Hilo Beauty, plus the Thai and her two babies that had to go to floor pots.)

I guess it's mostly a warning to those seduced by the Thai Giant, be prepared to be overgrown? and to hear from other afficianados..

My hand is ON the leaf, and is 7" from tip of finger to the bend of back of wrist. This was the largest 'baby' who is now in 10" pot on floor next to mama.

Comments (8)

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    10 years ago

    Sounds like you're having a blast, fun to read! Do you have space to put them in the ground for summer? They can be stored dormant, dry & cool for winter.

  • PanhandleLady_6b
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I have a screen house, and last summer most of the collection lived outside in the real world under 60% shade cloth and loved it. I was too soft hearted (and headed) and brought them in with the pond tropicals. Just that the Thai is taking over!

  • tropicbreezent
    10 years ago

    A lot of Colocasia go rampant, currently my most prolific are "Illustris", but a few others are also spreading like wildfire and taking over parts of the garden. Some are doing it by runners, but I suspect the "Illustris" is doing it by seed as plants are turning up a fair distance from the rest of them. Still they're easier to control than some other plants and look quite good in a 'mass planting' (even if of their own doing).

  • garyfla_gw
    10 years ago

    Hi
    i have a similar problem with several species . They do make wonderful compost though lol Love aroids pbut too much of a good thing ?? lol gary

  • PanhandleLady_6b
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    yeah, well going rampant when I have limited warm space is what's taxing. I am hoping when it gets warmer enough to boot them all outside again to deal with it.

    Anyone have hints on how to make Mojito happy?

  • lomodor
    10 years ago

    a couple yrs ago.all my tropicals that "pup" produced
    a TON of plants..
    i think one thing we as gardeners can do..is to share our good fortune..
    introduce other gardening fans to tropicals.. some will take to them crazy..ME..LOL some for an accent plant, some
    just to experiment with..
    i wish ya great luck with them this growing season (northern hemisphere) and one thing ive learned with
    all my EE's.. they r heavy feeders.. of course..u will get
    MONSTER plants too..:)

  • PanhandleLady_6b
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Heaviest eater I have had to date is a Hal Miller water lily, gorgeous blooms if you could possibly shove enough fertilizer tabs in it. Honestly. I managed one summer to do that, the reward of the few huge perfect blooms was almost worth it.

    Yes I know Thai's and the other Colos and Alos like to eat. After the electric bill and potmix bill is the fertilizer bill... (my compost pile is going slow because of the cold).

    At least I use MetroMix, it's a good pot mix and can keep them happy for a few weeks on it's own as an uppot mix.

  • sultry_jasmine_nights (Florida-9a-ish)
    10 years ago

    My mojitos make lots of babies. They like lots of light but have better color with a little afternoon shade in my zone 9 yard during the hottest part of the summer. They like a lot of water once they get going. If they are small I would let them dry a little between watering. I feed mine fish fertilizer and miracle grow. If I put them in the ground I give them composted chicken and rabbit manure too. All my EE's love milorganite but boy does it reek!!
    ~SJN

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