HOW TO STORE AND OVER WINTER COLOCASIA

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This area is for Reference and discussion of plant hardiness, overwintering methods and tips, and planr protection.
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derrick

HOW TO STORE AND OVER WINTER COLOCASIA

Post by derrick »

Esculenta mainly Black magic and Giant jack .Also can you keep them going in the house .Im ok with my Alocasia i keep them going in the winter .Also spring how do you aply bottom heat .Some type of heat mat or how help please .
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simon
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Re: HOW TO STORE AND OVER WINTER COLOCASIA

Post by simon »

If colocasia are kept frost free with minimal water they can be kept going over winter although not with any new growth. If you over do the watwer, they will rot. If they are allowed to dry out they will go dormant (i.e.die back to the corm and they can be started off again in spring. For space saving they can be tipped out of the pots and dried off, removing all roots and leaves. The corms can then be stored in bulk like bulbs.

Bottom heat han be obtained by various methods: heat mats, heat cables, standing pots in a propogator, over a radiator, in the airing cupboard, etc., whatever you have to hand.
derrick

Re: HOW TO STORE AND OVER WINTER COLOCASIA

Post by derrick »

Is it possible to create artificial lighting Say like keeping plants in heated reptile cage with thermostat .Thanks simon
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simon
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Re: HOW TO STORE AND OVER WINTER COLOCASIA

Post by simon »

Anything is possible but I wouldn't say it is worth the trouble. They are so easy to get going and so quick to grow. It is best to let them tick over or go dormant rather than try to keep them growing.
derrick

Re: HOW TO STORE AND OVER WINTER COLOCASIA

Post by derrick »

Thanks again Simon they grow very fast .To store dormant gives me more room also.
BristolAnna

Re: HOW TO STORE AND OVER WINTER COLOCASIA

Post by BristolAnna »

I too have been wondering about this as I hear that black magic is very difficult to overwinter and goes dormant at 10 degrees. I've taken a pup off and plan to treat this as a houseplant for the winter but don't know what to expect - any advice? Also when should I be digging them up for winter? They still all look fab at the moment but will one cooler night kill them if I've not got my eye on the ball? :!:
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Dave Brown
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Re: HOW TO STORE AND OVER WINTER COLOCASIA

Post by Dave Brown »

Colocasia come from the tropics where there are marked seasons.... not temperature variations but an 8 or 9 month wet season followed by a dry season. In the dry season the rhizome dries out and goes dormant. This is not a reaction to cold as many think. although many can take cool temperatures,

Colocasia requirements are

When Hot, wet
When Warm, moist
When Cool, dryish
When Cold, dry

The most common reason for failure is that they are either watered when cool or cold during the winter, or fail to dry out quickly enough and the rhizome rots :roll:

If you wanrt to overwinter a Colocasia growing I suggest downsizng the pot in autumn and using a well drained mix. This is to allow quick drying out in cold weather. Also don't expect much growth, maybe 1 or 2 leaves over the 3 month winter period. Water sparingly and always from the bottom.

To store the rhizomes dry, allow the pot to dry out in a warm place when the leaves die off remove them completely by pulling and twisting the base so they peel away from the rhizome leaving concentric rings. Allow the rhizome to dry a couple of day more then store frost free. Dust with Sulpher powder to avoid any rots setting in.

Don't try to start into growth untill April or mgrowth will be painfully slow :wink:

BristolAnna, Blackmagic can take cold temps if dry, but are the first to suffer from cold and damp. The 2 of the one I call Colocasia mammoth took -4C under cover while in leaf last winter with no damage so looks like one of the more cold/wet tolerant ones. :wink:
Best regards
Dave
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simon
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Re: HOW TO STORE AND OVER WINTER COLOCASIA

Post by simon »

BristolAnna wrote:Also when should I be digging them up for winter? They still all look fab at the moment but will one cooler night kill them if I've not got my eye on the ball? :!:
Anna if you are dry-storing the corms you can leave them in until the first light frosts destroy the leaves. The corms will be unharmed and you can the dig the up and dry them out. If you plan to pot them up and keep them 'in the green' then it would be best to get them out before the first frost.
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