lost a growing season, but then it sent up seven new leaves.
I'm dying to dig it up and see if it has split into seven corms (not a happy
outcome) but unlike all my other konjacs, it hasn't died back yet. <<
I don`t believe one can or should try pruning an Amorphophallus sp.. This
will probably encourage the division of the tubers into even MORE and
smaller tubers, as happens when the growers of commercial Caladiums remove
the central 'eye' or growing point, causing the rhizome to produce many
growing points which 'better' fill a pot with leaves.
I remember that Craig Allen from Fairchild Garden in Miami reported that if
he wanted his plants of A. titanum to produce many smaller tubers (in other
words to divide) he would 'under pot' them in a too-small pot, and if he
wanted a larger tuber ever year which would ultimately produce a bloom, he
'over potted' the tubers in large pots, he mentions 35 gal. pots in his
article, and I know that they are in even 'huger' pots now!!! He also
'feeds' them HEAVLY, and gives an impressive list of the 'groceries' he
feeds them. He has an A. paeoniifolius that I saw the last Aroid show that
must be 7-8 ft tall, 8-10 ft spread and a 'trunk' (petiole!) dia. of 10
inches!!!! Now THAT is good growing!!! I believe his guide would work on
the Konjacs also. A visit to Fairchild Garden in Miami JUST to see the
Amorphophallus species there grown as they are SUPPOSED to be grown to near
their full potential by a devoted grower in Craig is an experience WELL
worth anyone`s while!!!
There is a wonderful article on Craig`s VERY successful growing methods in
his article on A. titanum in Aroideana Vol. 21, which hopefully will encoura
ge any Aroidophiles out there to become members of The International Aroid
Society, a GREAT organization of FANTASTIC people, and a free Journal every
year with LOTS of information!!
Good growing,
Cheers to all,
Julius
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