Alocasias out for first spring airing ;-)

[Dave Brown]

Temps rose to a sunny 15.8C at the North facing front, and 18.6C in the sheltered south facing back, so took the opportunity to get the Alocasias out for an airing and a shower to freshen up. Normally do this is Feb but thye winter just kept going even to 13th March.

So good to see them out in the open Didn't leave them out for too long as they scorch in the sun..... grow much better in the shade

Left is Alocasia portadora, and right Alocasia calidora Var Kentgardener

[Adam D]

It's great to see things like this happening

Winter will be a distant memory soon I hope.

I love the "var Kentgardener", lol!

[Dave Brown]

I love the "var Kentgardener", lol!

With Alocasia, there are so many variations and getting a known good one can be difficult. John, Kentgardener, had a large leaved A. calidora, much larger leaved than my original. He gave me a pup off his original plant back in spring 2008 and It has lived up to its name, growing some monster leaves. It lives against the northfacing bungalow wall for summer and autumn, but has not produced any pups so far so no insurance at this point.

[Adam D]

I am sure that John would be well chuffed that you have named it after him

[derrick]

Some more Alocasias are on my list this summer .Any good suppliers names please.

[delboy12]

Hi Dave,
Had a pair of Alocasias in one tub found one rotted of at base and snapped, the other one ok but must of the leaves gone yellow brught it in to the house love the large leaves on yours,derek

[derrick]

There nice plants del i love that calidora.

[bobbyd44]

iave a calidora growing new leaves inside and a colidora mac.. are both of these better in mainly shade??

[no limit palms]

just placed an order from vale exotics for six different types of alocasias,cant wait to get them in the ground.i also found 5 pots of alocasia polly in the clearence at baq priced at 3.30 a pot.put them in the ground yesterday,there not as hardy as some of the others but at that price were see what happens.

[Sat]

Hi no limit palms, when you get the plants would you mind putting a few photos on so I can see the size. What price did you pay ?

thanks

[Dave Brown]

nlp, I thought Polly was a type of Amazonica which is tropical and not at all cold tolerant.

[sam140]

What is the right time to plant out and what is the right soil. First year for alocasia

[SteveW]

Just had a quick look at Vale,and the pics they're using aren't of what they're selling.
Most notable is the Hilo beauty,the pics used are of a variegated macrorrhizos.
A couple of the others look a bit dodgy to me too,but thats just my opinion
I'm sure that what you've ordered will be correct,they aren't the only website to use the wrong pics
I think Daves on the money with the pollys,and if left outside will definitely die,very quickly.So if you want to keep them the best thing you could do would be to lift them and keep indoors for a bit,til say mid april/may depending on your climate.
Your new ones from Vale also wouldn't like being planted out yet either

[SteveW]

What is the right time to plant out and what is the right soil. First year for alocasia

I'd plant out sometime in May here,anywhere from beginning to end depending on what the weathers up to
And ideally in free draining soil as they don't like sitting in cold damp soil one little bit

[simon]

My A. portodora has completely rotted off. I didn't bother to heat my conservatory this year and the temp went down to about 3 or 4C whare I normally maintain 10C. There is still solid trunk so it should reshoot. In contrast, the macrorrhiza next to it is fine.

Dave, I never get leaves anywhere near the size of yours. I don't know if I have small varieties or I'm not treating them as well as you do. I suspect that they don't get as much heat here as yours do. You are saying you kee them in shade, does this make a difference?