Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

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Dave Brown
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Re: Boiling Alocasia back to life

Post by Dave Brown »

The Codfather wrote:I notice its still sat in the bag.....so its keeping the compost mis fairly damp.....as the heat from the rad would normally dry this out at those temp's.
They have to remain in the bag to keep humidity high, otherwise it would be baking, rather than boiling. The bag is closed other than for taking the pics :wink:
GREVILLE wrote:(Thanks for the technical advice, Dave :oops: ) Will keeping the Alocasia too cold at this stage bring back dormancy?
The more cold hardy ones like Sanatic is talking about would be ok on the window sill after starting off this way but Black Stem responds best to tropical type temps. so a minimum of 15C :wink:

Day 4 : Let there be light :D
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Re: Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

Post by The Codfather »

Are......you have solved one issue......so how are you treating the ones that are currently BIG to give the humidity as one of mine is 18"high....which basically I have been baking from what you have explained as I have been able to give plenty of bottom heat in the heated all winter with my reptile matt.
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Re: Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

Post by Dave Brown »

The Codfather wrote:Are......you have solved one issue......so how are you treating the ones that are currently BIG to give the humidity as one of mine is 18"high....which basically I have been baking from what you have explained as I have been able to give plenty of bottom heat in the heated all winter with my reptile matt.
Baking dry, is what put most Alocasia to sleep, they need hot and wet for best growth, and dry when cool stops the roots rotting. Most of my larger ones are in the conservatory and although stop growing are not dormant. Some in the Lunar module which has gone down to 2C restarted into growth after it got up to 20C for a couple days when we had some sun, but has not been above 6,2C in there over the last week. :roll:

I'm only doing this on the more tropical Alocasia that need high heat to start them off. The more cool tolerant will start themselves in April or May just in the warmth of the conservatory. :wink:
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Re: Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

Post by The Codfather »

Have the biggers ones been getting water still......as I have kept my green house at a min of 12c over winter......but an odd few days recently hitting 30c.
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Re: Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

Post by Dave Brown »

The Codfather wrote:Have the biggers ones been getting water still......as I have kept my green house at a min of 12c over winter......but an odd few days recently hitting 30c.
They will need some water in those temps particularly as we go into March under glass. The problem I have had here is one day sunny and high 20s then 10 days gloom and 9 to10C max :roll:
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Re: Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

Post by Dave Brown »

Day 8 leaves now open icon_thumright
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Re: Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

Post by GREVILLE »

Don't think any of my alocasias have grown that fast even in summer :ahhh!:
cordyman

Re: Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

Post by cordyman »

wow they really are fast movers!!!

how hard are these to grow outdoors? I read posts of dripfeeding fertiliser and watering daily, them being fussy etc, are there any varieties that aren't as needy, but give a good show?
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Re: Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

Post by Dave Brown »

GREVILLE wrote:Don't think any of my alocasias have grown that fast even in summer :ahhh!:
The heat I'm giving them is nothing like anywhere except the hottest tropics. Max temp 52.6C and dropping to around 38C. When I saw the reading 52.6C I thought I had cooked it, but seemed to love it.
cordyman wrote:wow they really are fast movers!!!

how hard are these to grow outdoors? I read posts of dripfeeding fertiliser and watering daily, them being fussy etc, are there any varieties that aren't as needy, but give a good show?
Black Stem won't grow outdoors apart from high summer. They don't like lower than 15C. Even the cool tolerant ones don't grow as fast in cool conditions. at 15C almost stopped, at 30C fast. At 40C freight train. :wink:
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Re: Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

Post by cordyman »

Dave Brown wrote:
GREVILLE wrote:Don't think any of my alocasias have grown that fast even in summer :ahhh!:
The heat I'm giving them is nothing like anywhere except the hottest tropics. Max temp 52.6C and dropping to around 38C. When I saw the reading 52.6C I thought I had cooked it, but seemed to love it.
cordyman wrote:wow they really are fast movers!!!

how hard are these to grow outdoors? I read posts of dripfeeding fertiliser and watering daily, them being fussy etc, are there any varieties that aren't as needy, but give a good show?
Black Stem won't grow outdoors apart from high summer. They don't like lower than 15C. Even the cool tolerant ones don't grow as fast in cool conditions. at 15C almost stopped, at 30C fast. At 40C freight train. :wink:

What would be the best variety for me to try as a noob! to give the biggest foliage, but won't keel over if not mollycoddled?
Last edited by cordyman on Sat Mar 02, 2013 2:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

Post by Dave Brown »

cordyman wrote:

What would be the best variety for me to try to give the biggest foliage, but won't keel over if not mollycoddled?
Alocasia x calidora is the toughest for me. Big too :wink:

Sanatic's has done well in Licolnshire as well.
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Re: Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

Post by cordyman »

Dave Brown wrote:
cordyman wrote:

What would be the best variety for me to try to give the biggest foliage, but won't keel over if not mollycoddled?
Alocasia x calidora is the toughest for me. Big too :wink:

Sanatic's has done well in Licolnshire as well.

looks like a good one to start me off! and look at the height of it VS the musa and Trachycarpus!!! :shock: Where can I buy the tubers for this variety? or do any nurseries sell them already growing icon_scratch
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Re: Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

Post by GREVILLE »

52c, Dave :ahhh!: Cooking is right - you're serving up an Alocasia pot roast :lol:
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Re: Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

Post by Dave Brown »

GREVILLE wrote:52c, Dave :ahhh!: Cooking is right - you're serving up an Alocasia pot roast :lol:
Yes, I know seems too hot for most things :lol:

Here it is today, Day 9, on the windowsill, with the clingfilm removed so I can see the plant properly. 24 pups by the looks of it :wink:
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2013-03-03-11-55-34 Alocasia Black Stem.jpg
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Re: Boil in the Bag brings Alocasia back to life

Post by GREVILLE »

Now you've brought it to the boil, Dave, are going to carve it up into individual portions or serve up as is in a much bigger dish :wink:
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