Alocasia

[kracker]

For some reason i'm fancying some Alocasia next year and i have read can be temperamental depending on location i'm looking for a sun loving and a clay soil if there is such a thing a nice big leafy plant would be nice or and merry christmas to all

[greendragon]

Sounds like you would be better off with Gunnera Manicata, all you have to do is soak it on a regular basis and it will grow fine in clay soil.

Alocasia require free draining or they will rot.

[miketropic]

found a US source for gunnera manicata Im going to try it out here in KY. I think it gets way to hot for it but I'll throw it in some deep shade and see what happens

[kracker]

I have a Gunnera Manicata it's only last years i did plant out but something was eating it .so i dug it up and it recovered well. so next year back out it goes ..

[Sal73]

Why don`t you simply grow them in large pots and sink them in the clay soil ,when winter is coming simple pull them out . I`ve got about 9/10 variety all coming from my local asian shop .

http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/v ... 09&t=18510

[greendragon]

found a US source for gunnera manicata Im going to try it out here in KY. I think it gets way to hot for it but I'll throw it in some deep shade and see what happens

If you are away from home for a day or two during a heatwave it could be game over.

[kracker]

Why don`t you simply grow them in large pots and sink them in the clay soil ,when winter is coming simple pull them out . I`ve got about 9/10 variety all coming from my local asian shop .

http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/v ... 09&t=18510

Thanks sa i was thinking of doing just that but are they good for full sun !

[Sal73]

They are not really good for a sunny position , unless they have lots of water , why don`t you create a little bog area
with some pond liner , just make sure to pull them out before the first frost , they can happly grow in water , but in cold water they will rotting .
also tra to plant as many as you can for a nice display , just go to your local asian shop and buy some eddoes .

[greendragon]

They are not really good for a sunny position , unless they have lots of water , why don`t you create a little bog area
with some pond liner , just make sure to pull them out before the first frost , they can happly grow in water , but in cold water they will rotting .
also tra to plant as many as you can for a nice display , just go to your local asian shop and buy some eddoes .

If an Alocasia doesn't get sun it won't grow in the UK. Maybe they can grow in shade along the equator but not here. Your getting it mixed with Gunnera which can grow in the shade or sun providing it's roots are wet.

[Sal73]

Greendragon , you can be amazed of what you can get from a local asian shop
look viewtopic.php?f=109&t=18510 plus got more tubers stored and ready for summer.

In the last years I`ve moved my plants around , just to find the best position , from the pond
to half shade , for my experience in the sunny position they don`t grow and if they get a sunny hot day the leaves
will wilted in half day , overall my pond is in full sun , they do fine but as the water is colder then the soil they don`t grow so much.

[Dim]

I bought 2 Black magic from Dave earlier this year .... I planted them in airpots and nurtured them on my bathroom window sill for a few weeks, waiting for the weather to warm

I fed them home brewed actively aerated compost tea, seaweed extract, dressed with worm humis, occasional bat guano fertilizer and foliar fed them regulary with fish hydrolsate mixed with seaweed extract ....

they grew rapidly

Then I planted them out in a sunny position, (I cannot remember exactly when, but it was in late spring) .... and they suffered for a few weeks, several leaves drooped, and I lost a few leaves, but then they started growing again ...

In mid October, I lifted them from the ground, but they were not as large as what they were when growing on the bathroom windowsill (strong morning sun) ... On the windowsill, they were producing a new leaf a week, and the leaves were huge

so, I think the planting location is very important and I will try them again next year in a different location ... I'm still learning with these, and I may even try one in a large pot indoors (they do 'weep/drip water' through the leaves though)

[Sal73]

Hey Dim , How you doing? long time didn`t see you .

Lets` not forget that last year was just raining so the sunny spot was just a raining spot
as experience they love a free drain soil but humid , mine have always done great along the fern .
Overall I`ve suggest to create a bog spot in a sunny position , maybe that would be a master position.