im really pleased with how my tropicals are doing this summer..had a slight late start..coolish weather..but..
summers here !!!
question.. has anyone else had their thai giant pup? i didnt think it did..
i have 4 thai giant plants.. all about same size now.. on their 7/8 leaf..and they are getting nice sized!!!!
one has 3 pups..one has 2.. others none have showed.. ..yet..
also my jacks giants are pupping too..
i read on bananas.org that even portodora pups..?? is that right lariann???
i guess were talking colocasia... alocasia respectively...
also.. anyone have experience that the pupping took energy and/or growth from mother plant?
sure like others to post on their experiences..
thanks
i didnt know thai giant pupped?
777 The Alocasia that you are referring to; is correctly termed an Alocasia x "Portora".
If you want to see your A. and C. get huge keep one for size and let the others have the Offsets. You can have a number of plants and also have one or two(you were talking about that did not have offsets) that will be "by themselves getting huge"!
This A.Borneo Giant picture was taken almost a month ago! The base of the trunk is about 9'' in diameter now. In this picture, which was two leaves ago, it was 7'-3'' tall.
This message was edited Jul 25, 2011 9:26 PM
I have a question along this line as well. Once the pups are removed how long will it take for them to form tubers? I have several that I seperated and potted up but I'm wondering if they will survive the winter - will they come back from the roots?
Peony,
Just bring them into the garage,especially if you have windows! I overwintered lots of Alocasias last year in the garage. VERY little water though. Only enough to keep the soil between moist/dry. I've found that placing a few plants in a very small pot for their size, helps to keep the soil as stated above. You do not want the soil WET or they are toast. Place the pots in the windows and you should be good. Feel free to ask me questions. I have plenty of pictures of Alocasias bought and grown in the garage this past year.
Yes, the Alocasia x portora does pup, but the number of pups varies with the selection. I have a number of different Portoras (greens, reds, and in between); some pup extensively and others pup hardly at all. The selection out on the market does produce a few pups. Generally, unless the pups attain significant size themselves, they should not influence the size of the mother plant. Remember, though, that there is a difference between a pup and an offset. One is actually attached to the mother plant and the other is formed as a cormel that is only temporarily connected to the mother via a thin "umbilical cord". The ones that are actually attached, like a branch, will influence how large the parent plant gets.
LariAnn
And there my dear friends, is your definitive answer!
LariAnn do you know the botanical reason why some Alocasias have pups and offsets, and others only have either or?
The ones I separated were just growing out of the same corm that formed the mother plant. The mother plant got smaller each year surrounded by smallish new growths. I hope now that they are separated they will all get huge. The first year the mother plant was very large.
Thanks, Homer for the help. I have so many things that I try to preserve during the week or so of freezing temps that I generally let the alocasias and the colocasias die back. I have lost (and replaced) a couple that I really like, so I'll be changing my routine this winter.
You are quite welcome! Zone 9-A would be easy to overwinter in the ground this coming winter; will you be mulching that week or so?
Usually I just let them die back but I will be trying some different strategies. A temp. greenhouse, for one thing, if my HOA doesn't lose it. lol
It's definitely a genetic thing, but in the case of Portora, the genes for both are present. I know that because A. gageana (which produces both) will set some seeds that produce A. odora type plants (which produce only one). Progeny of a cross with A. odora as one parent will yield some that do both and some that do one or the other.
LariAnn
much thanks to all..
great to see others with similar interest..and questions on this...
i see one of your portodora's i got from u lari ann is pupping.. i havent dug down today ..we had a HUGE rain storm.. YEA>.
but i will check if pup is pupping..or an offset..
that makes alot of sense of the two reproducing mechinisms...
my 2 largest thai giants have sent shoots off the mother plant. they look very much like small branches
off the base of the mother plant...the largest has 3 offshoots..
so??? question.. when the offshoots get a couple leaves..should i sever them from mother plant?
my reasoning ..following lari ann's comment..is i want the biggest thai giant i can get..
? does this reasoning make sense?
i am thrilled that im ending up with so many offshoots/pups !!!!
yea..more plants!!!!
If the mother plant is in the ground, the pupping will be less of a deterrent to maximum growth of the mother than if the mother is confined to a pot. I have a large Xanthosoma in a pot and it has pupped like crazy, but still the mother is of significant size. Were it in the ground, the mother would be humongous and the pups would not have affected the growth of the mother to any degree. Ample fertilization goes a long way towards keeping the mother growing to maximum size. I've not had much experience with the Thai Giant, however, so it may have different needs than the plants I am most familiar with.
LariAnn
much thanks lari ann..
i do a regular weekly(weak solution) fertilizing of all my plants..they seem to do best with
it..
i wont bother during growing season then with the pups/sideplants till its time to pull everything up and winter store...
weve had unusually humid weather so far this summer.. this week..almost every day.rain.. couple were really heavy..
i think my tropicals think they are in the tropics.. LOL
i have my EE in good compost rich..well drained soil..
ive started using a composted shredded bark in my soil mix..
pots and out in gardens.. everything seems to like it.. :)
this is my 1st yr with xanthosomas.. and im hooked.. plus they have a very thick pronounced spear/aroid
shape..great look!!!
thanks again to all...
Show us the pictures 777!
When you get your Xanthosomas up like this then you can consider yourself accomplished ;O)
Man, that would be sweet to have an overstory like that. I would like some dappled shade in my garden.
wow tropicbreeze..are those your plants????
point taken homer.. i got to get out and take pics where plants are now..
this morning is nice day.. rain later..but hey we have sun right now!!! :)
im sure those xanthosomas in your pic are in tropic area..but if i could get that kind of growth here..
wow!!!! :)
? to lari ann..?
whats the largest portodora you have raised so far? i know youre in florida.. sigh.. and great
humidity and heat.. im guessing nites too..which help in fast growth..??
thanks all.. hope having a super summer..so far..
Unfortunately that's not mine. When I saw that photo I printed a copy, took it to my Xanthosoma and said, "Some day my son, you will be like this. Now I don't want to seem too pushy but just do it within MY LIFETIME!" LOL.
Still early days:
lol ..tropicalbreeze..
yea..well if our kids dont have us pushing them to achieve they wont reach new heights..!!!!
:)
ya..im very pleased with my EE.. this yr truely is odd.. lol.. warm/hot(not untypical) but the humidity..wow
for utah.. so all my tropicals are just singin..and singin.. :)
one of my bananas.musa saba..was a larger pup from guy on bananas.org.. its huge..
i know sabas grow fast..and can get big..YEA!!!
i think most of my EE are pupping/sideshoots.. thus the posted question here ..
u keep putting out that parental advice to that xanthosoma.. :)
X. Sagittifolium at side yard; hoping for 9-10' this year!
very cool homer!!! jealous of your longer growing season ya have...
my sagittfoliums are doing well.. but about 1/2 your size.. sigh..
i know..pics please.. recharging camera battery tonite..if we have good weather tomorrow.its pic day
in the yard tomorrow.. :)
do you keep your xanthosomas pretty well watered? ive found with mine they like the heavy watering (i have well drained soil)
but dont seem to like as much fertilizing as i give the nanners...
U???
your plants truely must be talk of your neighbourhood homer!!!! way to go...
You gotta play the cards your'e dealt 777! I could wish I lived in Zone 10-11...
See what I mean. I have to play 7-B. The longer you are at it, the better you will be at S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G your zone. You will be one of the best in Utah in no time!!! Probably are now.
The largest Portora I've grown can be viewed at the following link:
http://www.aroidiaresearch.org/portora2.htm
The plant speaks for itself.
LariAnn
wow lari ann that is a super plants!!!! i doubt i'll ever get mine that size ..since i have to pull them out in oct/nov to
overwinter but wow!!!
thanks for the pic..
hoping that pics im listing will work..
guess i'll find out..
i took these today..
sigh..it did work..lol.
heres some pics of all those pups off my thai giant
That's a beaut, LariAnn! Mine never get half that size and I know it's something I'm doing, but practice makes perfect, right?
Pups are good, 777, the more plants the merrier. lol
One of the tricks of growing a huge Portora (applies to many other Ears as well) is that they are heavy feeders. If you plant them in the ground, be sure plenty of nutrients are available either from organic supplements or from time-release fertilizer during the warm growing season. They also like well drained soil but plenty of moisture.
LariAnn
thanks lari ann.. i have really good soil..and well drained..
this yr with my watering routine..and all the rain were getting.. lol..no worries there..
im thinking as you say..planting them in the ground....thus more soil around them..more area for fertilizer to disperse..(my take on your
writting).. is as ive been thinking on my bananas as well..which are heavy feeders.. i think i need to feed more often.. but with a lower dose of
nutrients..????
ive always erred on side of weaker fertilizer..but applied more often..
ive never burned a plant.. yet.. LOL
if i do start over feeding the plants..i know they will start showing it.. they certainly look great now..but like to see some
serious growth..
plus with all this rain weve had..ive wondered if its washed away alot of the nutrients ive been giving them...???
am i off on this thinking??? overthining this..?? LOL
im still waiting for homer to tell me where he gets his radioactive fertilizer... :) lol
thank lari ann..and all..
Superthrive... Miracle Gro... chicken poo!
Drew took a page out of my playbook - except for the chicken poo! I use Nutricote instead (a.k.a. Dynamite) - blows the plants right out of the soil!
LariAnn
And is this elixer of the gods only available to licensed nursery growers or can the common person get it somewhere?
Anna, you can get Dynamite at Home Depot! In fact, you should get some because your Robudora is on the way!
This message was edited Aug 1, 2011 8:08 PM
I know, I got the FedEx info today. I'm going to Madison tomorrow, there is a HD there. I will check that out. Thanks.
When I asked for Dynamite at HD the guy looked at me like I just beamed in from Mars and tried to sell me Schultz Plant food. Arghhhhhh............Dweeb...................
Found some at Jung's Garden Center............do you pretty much follow the directions on the jar, or do it different? Want to put some in my Alo's and Colo's tomorrow............ Will be hard pressed to scratch it into the top inch of soil, as crammed as some of those pots are. LOL
If they are that crammed Anna, I would consider potting up and use the Dynamite and let them get root bound again! MHO...
Anna, if your plant needs repotting, incorporate the Dynamite at label rate into the new soil you add to the new pot. It seems to work better when it is incorporated into the soil, and also you won't lose the fert if the plant gets accidentally tipped over (which is likely with pot-grown Big Ears)!
To give you an idea of how I push some of my plants, I use at least a whole cup per 10 gallon pot, sometimes more.
LariAnn
Hmmmm............I didn't buy enough. LOL I put some in this morning, about the recommended rate.
im FINALLY done potting up my EE's from overwintering.. geesh!!!! LOL
i have most in 1gal pots.. about 15 in much bigger pots..
your robodoras did super lariann!!! yea.. one started a trunk last yr.. i got many
pups off both..
im going to have full gardens this yr..
one thing ive gleaned from you all..potting mix.. soil drains well..but has coir that
retains moisture so they dont dry out to fast..
weve had really WARM spring weather here..so all have gone outside to enjoy the
natural sun..and theyve shown their appreciation..:)
?? does anyone use alfalfa meal in their fertilizing??
im using it on my roses.. and thought..why not on everything..
the N level is pretty low but it has a growth hormone.. so far.. all tropicals have
shown good growth.tomatoes have too..
anxious to get everything planted out.. see how big my EE get !!! :)
this was last years thread !!!
Looking at the pictures of your thai giant, mine is not thai giant. It has huge upright leaves shiny and almost charteuse green.I bought it 3 years ago and had since given me pups which I shared with my daughter.I am out of town right now so i can not take pictures.
I still have to pot my collection and will l post as soon as they are situated on my display area .
I am now looking for thai giant to buy and there is a nursery in Florida that has it but the picture looks different.
I am confuse and will not buy if if this is not a true Thai giant.
Desperate is the word, i want to buy one that is a true Thai Giant !!!
Belle
This message was edited May 10, 2013 8:29 AM
Good morning,
Hello Aroid lovers!!!
Yesterday I ordered 28 varieties from Florida hilll nursery with 2 Thai Giants.!!! I have now over 70+ varieties and will probably take hours to pot them but i have help lined up!!!
My apologies to those that got a desperate d-mails to sell me some. One lady from NC responded that I have to wait till July to see if hers comes back.
Addict???? Terrible and might need counseling!!! LOL!!!!
Our vacation is coming to a close and so i go home to wait for the arrival of the order.
Been buying from Well spring and I think I have all the varieties.
Will post the collection in a 5 tiered like a stadium type construction.
Happy gardening!!!
Belle