Overwintering alocasia and colocasia

From: ken at spatulacity.com on 2004.08.15 at 17:29:30(11982) For those of us in northern US states, the Amorphophallus are attractive for two reasons - their flower and form, and the fact that most of them are dormant in the winter so they're easy to store. Like many of us, I grow many more plants in the summer than I could ever house over winter. Now that I have a number of Colocasias and 5 Alocasia macrorrhizos I want to make sure I can overwinter them. I believe I read that the A. macrorrhizos can be dug, cut back, cleaned of dirt and stored dormant. Is that true? +More I know that I can do that to Colocasia escualenta. What is the likelihood that I can treat the other Colocasias the same way? I know I'm asking a lot since I don't have ID's on them, but they're "escualenta-like" hybrids with dark petioles and/or dark metallic-sheen looking leaves. One of them is a prodigious producer of runners (even here in New England). One reason I ask is because I have the chance to give some of them a permanent home at Mom's house in FL and I'd rather have them there than dead! Another reason is that I want to get more but I don't want to treat them as annuals. I appreciate the advice, Ken Mosher

From: "Julius Boos" <ju-bo at msn.com> on 2004.08.15 at 17:55:33(11984) >From: ken@spatulacity.com >Reply-To: aroid-l@lists.ncsu.edu >To: Aroid list +More >Subject: [aroid-l] Overwintering alocasia and colocasia >Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2004 13:29:30 -0400 > Just a quick note--I`d get the Colocasia w/ stolons to Florida, from what I`ve read they do NOT winter well as they don`t go dormant, even the C. e. esculenta (taro/dasheen vars.) that do form a tuber, they might be difficult as their dormancy may be longer than your winter. I don`t know about the Alocasias, maybe someone w/ actual experience can gige you some better advice. Without a heated g/house you really are at a terrible disadvantage trying to grow tropical plants year round. Good Luck, Julius>For those of us in northern US states, the Amorphophallus are >attractive for two reasons - their flower and form, and the fact >that most of them are dormant in the winter so they're easy to >store. Like many of us, I grow many more plants in the summer than >I could ever house over winter. > >Now that I have a number of Colocasias and 5 Alocasia macrorrhizos I >want to make sure I can overwinter them. I believe I read that the >A. macrorrhizos can be dug, cut back, cleaned of dirt and stored >dormant. Is that true? > >I know that I can do that to Colocasia escualenta. What is the >likelihood that I can treat the other Colocasias the same way? I >know I'm asking a lot since I don't have ID's on them, but they're >"escualenta-like" hybrids with dark petioles and/or dark >metallic-sheen looking leaves. One of them is a prodigious producer >of runners (even here in New England). > >One reason I ask is because I have the chance to give some of them a >permanent home at Mom's house in FL and I'd rather have them there >than dead! Another reason is that I want to get more but I don't >want to treat them as annuals. > >I appreciate the advice, >Ken Mosher

From: "Harry Witmore" <harrywitmore at witmore.net> on 2004.08.15 at 20:20:15(11987) I have over wintered both types of Colocasias. What I always do is dig them up and place the entire rootbal with soil and place it in a trash bag. The bag then goes under the house for storage during the winter. It works great. Harry +More -----Original Message----- On Behalf Of Julius Boos Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2004 1:56 PM To: aroid-l@lists.ncsu.edu Subject: Re: [aroid-l] Overwintering alocasia and colocasia >From: ken@spatulacity.com >Reply-To: aroid-l@lists.ncsu.edu >To: Aroid list >Subject: [aroid-l] Overwintering alocasia and colocasia >Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2004 13:29:30 -0400 > Just a quick note--I`d get the Colocasia w/ stolons to Florida, from what I`ve read they do NOT winter well as they don`t go dormant, even the C. e. esculenta (taro/dasheen vars.) that do form a tuber, they might be difficult as their dormancy may be longer than your winter. I don`t know about the Alocasias, maybe someone w/ actual experience can gige you some better advice. Without a heated g/house you really are at a terrible disadvantage trying to grow tropical plants year round. Good Luck, Julius>For those of us in northern US states, the Amorphophallus are >attractive for two reasons - their flower and form, and the fact >that most of them are dormant in the winter so they're easy to >store. Like many of us, I grow many more plants in the summer than >I could ever house over winter. > >Now that I have a number of Colocasias and 5 Alocasia macrorrhizos I >want to make sure I can overwinter them. I believe I read that the >A. macrorrhizos can be dug, cut back, cleaned of dirt and stored >dormant. Is that true? > >I know that I can do that to Colocasia escualenta. What is the >likelihood that I can treat the other Colocasias the same way? I >know I'm asking a lot since I don't have ID's on them, but they're >"escualenta-like" hybrids with dark petioles and/or dark >metallic-sheen looking leaves. One of them is a prodigious producer >of runners (even here in New England). > >One reason I ask is because I have the chance to give some of them a >permanent home at Mom's house in FL and I'd rather have them there >than dead! Another reason is that I want to get more but I don't >want to treat them as annuals. > >I appreciate the advice, >Ken Mosher --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.737 / Virus Database: 491 - Release Date: 8/11/2004 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.737 / Virus Database: 491 - Release Date: 8/11/2004

From: <plantguy at zoominternet.net> on 2004.08.15 at 22:30:21(11988) I have also had no problems overwintering the Colocasia and Alocasia that form large tubers here in zone 6a. I simply dig them up and let the leaves completely dry back and toss them in some peat for the winter in my basement. Us northern gardeners do this for lots of tropicals, including Curcuma, Crinum, Canna, Dahlia, etc. It's just the cost of doing business in the northern climate zones. For those that do not form large tubers.....illustris, Nancy's revenge, etc. you should keep them growing in front of a window or under a grow light if possible. They may end up going dormant, but will likely pop back up next spring. Best of luck, Dan Dan Devor +More Pitsburgh, PA zone 6a ----- Original Message ----- To: Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2004 4:20 PM Subject: Re: [aroid-l] Overwintering alocasia and colocasia > I have over wintered both types of Colocasias. What I always do is dig > them up and place the entire rootbal with soil and place it in a trash > bag. The bag then goes under the house for storage during the winter. It > works great. > > Harry > -----Original Message----- > From: aroid-l-owner@lists.ncsu.edu [mailto:aroid-l-owner@lists.ncsu.edu] > On Behalf Of Julius Boos > Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2004 1:56 PM > To: aroid-l@lists.ncsu.edu > Subject: Re: [aroid-l] Overwintering alocasia and colocasia > > > > > > >From: ken@spatulacity.com > >Reply-To: aroid-l@lists.ncsu.edu > >To: Aroid list > >Subject: [aroid-l] Overwintering alocasia and colocasia > >Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2004 13:29:30 -0400 > > > Just a quick note--I`d get the Colocasia w/ stolons to Florida, from > what I`ve read they do NOT winter well as they don`t go dormant, even > the C. e. esculenta (taro/dasheen vars.) that do form a tuber, they > might be difficult as their dormancy may be longer than your winter. I > don`t know about the Alocasias, maybe someone w/ actual experience can > gige you some better advice. Without a heated g/house you really are > at a terrible disadvantage trying to grow tropical plants year round. > Good Luck, > Julius>For those of us in northern US states, the Amorphophallus are > >attractive for two reasons - their flower and form, and the fact > >that most of them are dormant in the winter so they're easy to > >store. Like many of us, I grow many more plants in the summer than > >I could ever house over winter. > > > >Now that I have a number of Colocasias and 5 Alocasia macrorrhizos I > >want to make sure I can overwinter them. I believe I read that the > >A. macrorrhizos can be dug, cut back, cleaned of dirt and stored > >dormant. Is that true? > > > >I know that I can do that to Colocasia escualenta. What is the > >likelihood that I can treat the other Colocasias the same way? I > >know I'm asking a lot since I don't have ID's on them, but they're > >"escualenta-like" hybrids with dark petioles and/or dark > >metallic-sheen looking leaves. One of them is a prodigious producer > >of runners (even here in New England). > > > >One reason I ask is because I have the chance to give some of them a > >permanent home at Mom's house in FL and I'd rather have them there > >than dead! Another reason is that I want to get more but I don't > >want to treat them as annuals. > > > >I appreciate the advice, > >Ken Mosher > > > --- > Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.737 / Virus Database: 491 - Release Date: 8/11/2004 > > --- > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.737 / Virus Database: 491 - Release Date: 8/11/2004 > > >

From: ken at spatulacity.com on 2004.08.16 at 00:29:01(11989) Thanks, Julius. I dug some of the new colocasias and they were not tuberous at all - no corm to overwinter like an Amorph. I'll try to overwinter one of each in pots in my big sunny living room. Some others I've already dug chopped and boxed for the flight to FL on Friday. You're right about the greenhouse - except I *do* have one, a big one (23x52 feet, teak and glass)! Unfortunately it needs quite a bit of restoration. I hope to replace all the glass with polycarbonate this fall, but it still isn't heated. Last year I had extensive concrete repair, this year I had to have a new roof on the headhouse and a proper seal between it and the greenhouse - very expensive! Heat maybe next year... It seems there's always something to spend money on! -Ken Mosher +More Julius Boos wrote: >From: ken@spatulacity.com >Reply-To: aroid-l@lists.ncsu.edu >To: Aroid list >Subject: [aroid-l] Overwintering alocasia and colocasia >Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2004 13:29:30 -0400 > Just a quick note--I`d get the Colocasia w/ stolons to Florida, from what I`ve read they do NOT winter well as they don`t go dormant, even the C. e. esculenta (taro/dasheen vars.) that do form a tuber, they might be difficult as their dormancy may be longer than your winter. I don`t know about the Alocasias, maybe someone w/ actual experience can gige you some better advice. Without a heated g/house you really are at a terrible disadvantage trying to grow tropical plants year round. Good Luck, Julius>For those of us in northern US states, the Amorphophallus are >attractive for two reasons - their flower and form, and the fact >that most of them are dormant in the winter so they're easy to >store. Like many of us, I grow many more plants in the summer than >I could ever house over winter. > >Now that I have a number of Colocasias and 5 Alocasia macrorrhizos I >want to make sure I can overwinter them. I believe I read that the >A. macrorrhizos can be dug, cut back, cleaned of dirt and stored >dormant. Is that true? > >I know that I can do that to Colocasia escualenta. What is the >likelihood that I can treat the other Colocasias the same way? I >know I'm asking a lot since I don't have ID's on them, but they're >"escualenta-like" hybrids with dark petioles and/or dark >metallic-sheen looking leaves. One of them is a prodigious producer >of runners (even here in New England). > >One reason I ask is because I have the chance to give some of them a >permanent home at Mom's house in FL and I'd rather have them there >than dead! Another reason is that I want to get more but I don't >want to treat them as annuals. > >I appreciate the advice, >Ken Mosher

From: "Bamboo Chik" <bamboochik at earthlink.net> on 2004.08.16 at 13:22:09(11993) Do you punch some air holes in the bags? What is your climate? Rot would set in here in my AL zone 8 because of our irratic temp. swings during the winter yet I have to dig because of voles. ..b.f.n...deb > [Original Message] +More > From: Harry Witmore > To: > Date: 8/15/2004 3:53:55 PM > Subject: Re: [aroid-l] Overwintering alocasia and colocasia > > I have over wintered both types of Colocasias. What I always do is dig > them up and place the entire rootbal with soil and place it in a trash > bag. The bag then goes under the house for storage during the winter. It > works great. > > Harry >

From: "Harry Witmore" <harrywitmore at witmore.net> on 2004.08.16 at 13:43:35(11994) I don't tie them up tight. I'm in Zone 7 NC. I have done them this way for years and hardly ever loose any to rot. Of course many can stay in the ground here in the winter also. It stays no lower than 40 under my house. I also do bananas this way but no bag just toss them under there. +More -----Original Message----- On Behalf Of Bamboo Chik Sent: Monday, August 16, 2004 9:22 AM To: aroid-l@lists.ncsu.edu Subject: Re: [aroid-l] Overwintering alocasia and colocasia Do you punch some air holes in the bags? What is your climate? Rot would set in here in my AL zone 8 because of our irratic temp. swings during the winter yet I have to dig because of voles. ..b.f.n...deb > [Original Message] > From: Harry Witmore > To: > Date: 8/15/2004 3:53:55 PM > Subject: Re: [aroid-l] Overwintering alocasia and colocasia > > I have over wintered both types of Colocasias. What I always do is dig > them up and place the entire rootbal with soil and place it in a trash > bag. The bag then goes under the house for storage during the winter. > It works great. > > Harry > --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.737 / Virus Database: 491 - Release Date: 8/11/2004 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.737 / Virus Database: 491 - Release Date: 8/11/2004

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