Alocasia Macrorrhizos query

[sooty]

I'm wondering what's the best way to overwinter the above - I haven't got a heated greenhouse or conservatory (next year's projects), but I do have space in the house. Would it continue to grow/stay dormant with its current leaves or am I best off cutting it down and storing the corm . I bought it when it was a foot high and its now got 5 decent sized leaves and I'd love to know if I can maintain that over the winter.
I've also got 8 eddoes which are all at 2' high that I grew from corms from a market - should I treat them in a similar way?
Also, should I repot it (currently in 75%mp/25%grit) and how much should I water it?
Thanks

[becky]

i over winter mine in the hose , it does continue growing but i found it sulks due to lack of light, iv not tryed over wintering the corm as yet , but i have heared it takes a while to get them going again, but im sure everyone else will know a bit more than me oh i just water mine minimal over winter just as its starting to get dry i give it a little water

hope this i little help becky

[Eddy]

Hight Sotty, if I was you I would just worry about the 'Mac' because come spring 'eddoes' will be almost as cheap as potatoes. Early this year I bought a kilo of eddoes (about 8 eddoes) at my local Asian shop for £1.50p. If you brought the 'Alocasia Macrorrhizos' in for the winter at least you could bring it out on the odd mild sunny day as long as you take it in again before the evening. That might help with the light problem a little. Then all you have to worry about is damaging the leaves.
All the best mate.

[derrick]

I overwinter my Mac in a unheated conserv you just have to be careful not to damage the leaf and watch for green fly.I removed some pups from my Macs last year they seem to grow slowly . My edoes dont no yet last year i stored some in the loft .But there so cheap to buy i think my wife may cook them up.

[Dave Brown]

The eddoes can be dried off in warmth, which induces domancy, then stored after dusting with sulpher power in a frost free place.

Alocasia tend to be more difficult for us to start off as seem to need high heat. I re started a A. wentii Aline off form the trunk, but it took baking for about 2 months to get it going again.

The mac will be fine indoors if by a bright to sunny window over the winter. Watering will depend on the temperature, but make sure it is not in MP compost or it may rot. It just can't dry out fast enough in cool, dark conditions. If in MP compost wash the compost off the roots when winter preparing.

Aroid.org recommends 1 part of each Coir, river sand, crushed charcoal. I have not used these as not all are available, but I used equal parts JI No3, MP compost, sharp sand, and Hort grit or perlite, and this works well, and is not easy to overwater.

It will need watering once a week or so if temps around 20C, if not in direct sunlight.

Beware the leaves drip when happy

[sanatic1234]

I have just brought a Alocasia macrorrhizo rhizome i hope i can wake this up!
Im not feeling so confident now about it after reading the posts about waking it I will give it a go though..

[Mr List]

mine is going ok that came from amulree, i am pretty sure it was as stopped as stopped can be.

warm,bright and warm water.
won't take long imho.

[sanatic1234]

I think what i will do is mist the rhizome when needed and then just let the heated prop do the rest, and when i see signs of life i will then pot it up and place back in the prop till a shoot emerges, then i will put infront of my brightest window and warmest till planting out time.

[sooty]

Thanks for all the advice - took your advice and after re-potting the mac. in a mix of equal parts No3, MP, sharp sand and perlite, gave it pride of place in the house.
I've been watering warm water since Christmas and there are now 2 new leaves ... and a pup which is now 18" high with 3 leaves of its own.

Next question - what's the best way to remove the pup, and when?