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Re: [Aroid-l] Cultivation of Taccarum
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From: "Derek Burch" <derek at horticulturist.com>
on 2011.12.20 at 18:57:29
Dylan,
It was the correspondence about what to do
when the aroids are dormant that got me thinking about this, but if you would
care to expand it to the broader topic I think that it would be a great
contribution. Thank you for considering this. Derek
From:
aroid-l-bounces@www.gizmoworks.com [mailto:aroid-l-bounces@www.gizmoworks.com] On Behalf Of Hannon
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011
5:24 PM
To: Discussion of aroids
Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] Cultivation
of Taccarum
Derek,
Do you mean something like "Caring for dormant tuberous
aroids" ? Or something broader about growing tuberous aroids in pots? I
agree that a detailed essay in either area would be helpful to many growers. I
am happy to contribute however I can.
Dylan
On 18 December 2011 14:19, Derek Burch <derek@horticulturist.com> wrote:
Dylan, and anyone else who would like to join in,
Organised notes on this would make a great article for Aroideana,
and if several people want to put in their own experience it could swell to a
neat little ‘horticultural’ item.
Derek
Hi Christopher,
That is a good
point. The "average humidity" for nearby Pomona is 43%, which in reality means daytime
humidity mostly <43% and nighttime humidity over 43%, often reaching the dew
point. The Los Angeles
area is a semi-arid zone with a strong coastal influence. It is not a desert.
The drying of the
soil we are concerned with is toward the end of the growing season and during
the dormant period. A plant that has just lost its leaves by yellowing and
withering should already be in relatively dry soil. It should not be watered
until the next growing season in most cases. If the plant has had a good season
with vigorous root growth then this root system will help pull water out of the
soil just before the leaves die down; the roots are dying back at this point
also. Dormant tubers should not be put away wet so to speak but I don't know if
humidity alone is enough to prevent soil from drying "enough". This
issue will vary between species and genera.
It is worth
re-emphasizing that plants are best grown 'snug' in their pots so that the soil
dries out regularly and the roots can develop mainly around the perimeter of
the rootball, where there is better aeration and more warmth. It is important
in avoiding excess moisture whether the plant is dormant or growing, especially
with tuberous aroids that experience a pronounced dry season in nature. I like
to say that if you can master watering (to your own needs) then you have
mastered half of horticultural practice.
There is probably
an ideal moisture level for the dormant tubers of any given species but there
is also a considerable margin of error for us growers. Sauromatum can grow here
outdoors in gardens with winter rainfall when it is dormant (and in St. Louis
for that matter); conversely plants like Amorphophallus gigas or A. titanum can
suffer if the soil gets so dry that the perennial roots die back. Perennial
roots are often a good indication that a plant receives or is adapted to off
season rainfall (or watering). Some tuberous aroids have them while others do
not.
On 14 December
2011 07:15, D. Christopher Rogers <branchiopod@gmail.com> wrote:
What are your
local humidity levels? It seems that the more humid you are, the harder time
one will have keeping the soil in the pots dry.
On Mon, Dec 12,
2011 at 6:38 PM, Hannon <othonna@gmail.com>
wrote:
Dear Marek,
The best
protection for dormant tubers is the soil that surrounded them in the growing
season. It acts like a perfect cocoon. A tuber will have greater exposure to
pests and desiccation if taken out of its soil. The idea of unearthing bulbs
and tubers after the growth period persists in many hobbyist circles and I
believe it is the wrong approach in most cases.
1. Attentive
culture should result in no pests in the soil at all. Such pests should be
evident in the growing season and treated then, especially root
mealy. When withered leaves are removed I push some soil into the hole
left by the petiole to prohibit entry by ants, mealies, etc. When the soil
dries out as the leaves yellow there should be no
moisture at all at the bottom of the pot. "Dry soil" is
not as dry as you might think and will retain some beneficial moisture for
months while the plant is dormant. (This can be demonstrated by allowing a few
small weeds to stay in the pot and observing them 5, 10 or 15 weeks later after
zero watering). When they have had a good season (in plastic pots) aroid
tubers/corms will often distend the pot so that it is firm and compact; this
'package' is the ideal state for storage over winter (or summer).
2. At the
beginning of the season I wait for new shoots to emerge and repot then, when
the plant is active. If they are slow to wake up I will water well just ONCE
and see what happens. If nothing happens after a few weeks then I unpot and
look for signs of trouble. Unless the new roots are well along (with secondary
branching) it is easy to transplant a plant starting its growth. In fact, I
often wait until a leaf is formed and then shift to the appropriate next size
pot. Usually this does not involve disturbing the root ball at all. Note: some
geophytes like amorphos and their kin seem to need repotting every 1-2 years
while others (including Biarum) can go on for a number of years before new soil
is needed. Keep in mind that any soil mix used by a plant that is dormant half
the year is only on duty for about six months. Any soil mix that is exhausted
in six months is hardly worthy of the name. The addition of coarse sand helps
the longevity of a mix substantially.
It can be
difficult to gauge the need of a plant for a particular pot size until it is in
full growth and it is impossible to know the vigor of a plant until it is
growing. Vigor-- not necessarily tuber size-- determines pot size as well as
watering needs and the two are closely related. I prefer a smaller pot that needs
more frequent watering rather than a relatively large pot that takes too long
to dry out. Soil in a container that takes weeks rather than days to dry and
justify the next watering is a sign that the pot is too large for the root
system. It is important to let the soil
surface go very dry between waterings, assuming everything else is
in order. I grow over 70 amorpho species and hundreds of other geophytes in
'cramped quarters' and these techniques has been successful to date.
On 12 December
2011 11:02, Marek Argent <abri1973@wp.pl>
wrote:
I keep all
tubers dry when they're dormant, even I dont water them until the new bud grows
enough large to break.
As for the
soil - should the tubers stay in the old soil during the dormancy or should I
change it as the roots wither
or when it
starts to grow again?
In all the
methods there are good and bad things.
1.
Leaving the tuber in the old soil means leaving it with all
pests and the soil itself often remains wet too long at the bottom of the pot
what may cause rotting. Next season the tuber can start to grow too early and
repotting it while producing new roots may be fatal.
2. Repotting
it shortly after the leaves wither - the new soil left dry for a few months
loses its moisture and structure, it turns into dust and sand.
So when is
the best time to change soil in pots?
----- Original
Message -----
Sent: Saturday, December 10, 2011 3:46 AM
Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] Cultivation of Taccarum
Agreed that
keeping it in its pot when dormant is a good idea, as with all geophytes. But
Taccarum should be kept DRY when dormant. This is true for probably most but
not all tuberous aroids.
On 9 December 2011
05:53, <Zanezirklejr@aol.com>
wrote:
Your problem is taking it out of the soil, it needs to be kept in
the pot and moist at all times, also needs to be outside not in a window.
In a message dated 12/7/2011 11:47:28 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, abri1973@wp.pl writes:
I've had Taccarum
weddellianum since 2005, every year it produces a leaf
and usually a "baby" tuber.
But... it doesn't grow in size almost at all, although the tuber
very slowly increases, the leaf is 20-30 cm tall every year.
I use regular pot soil, and the plant is fertilized with natural
biohumus.
It grows in a southern window.
When it's dormant I store it without soil in the normal room temperature.
What do I do wrong? What should I do to make it grow larger?
Here are photos of my plant:
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--
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greatest service which can be rendered any country is to add an useful plant to
it's culture"
- Thomas Jefferson Memorandum of Services to My Country, after 2 September 1800
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--
D. Christopher
Rogers
((,///////////=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D<
785.864.1714
Crustacean
Taxonomist and Ecologist
Kansas
Biological Survey
Kansas University, Higuchi Hall
2101 Constant Avenue,
Lawrence, KS 66047-3759 USA
Vice President,
Southwest Association of Freshwater Invertebrate Taxonomists SAFIT.ORG
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greatest service which can be rendered any country is to add an useful plant to
it's culture"
- Thomas Jefferson Memorandum of Services to My Country, after 2 September 1800
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--
"The
greatest service which can be rendered any country is to add an useful plant to
its culture"
- Thomas Jefferson Memorandum of Services to My Country, after 2 September 1800
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