The 2nd leaf to emerge from my Colocasia Esculenta was either nibbled by a bug or critter, but also has these white splotched that are feathery looking. The main leaf has a similar yellowish feathery appearance to it as well. I assume it is a nutrient deficiency, but wanted advice before taking any kind of action.
You are right about the nibbling and I would guess maybe one of those horrible little creatures called ear-wig's, These are the small insects that have the pincers at their BUT end, they love to hide away in daytime in curled up leaves away from predators, and they come out at night time to nibble away at any succulent leaves or even flowers that are in bud, you know nothing about this visitor until the buds or leaves open and surprise - surprise, nice neat holes MID flower or leaf. these creatures don't suck out any sap, they munch MID leaf or flower.
The best way I know to get rid of them is to stick a small plant pot filled with straw or shredded paper from paper shredder and stick this upside down on top of garden cane close to the plants in question, come morning go out with either box of matches and a bucket, set fore to the paper / straw and burn these little horrors alive or they run like hell. OR, bucket of boiling water and drop the paper / straw into the hot water, either way it kills them off without chemicals.
As for the yellowing on the leaves, these plants require gallons of water every other day, they also need a huge amount of feeding at intervals of a week to keep them going so maybe you are right when you say Nutrient deficiency, they also like warm conditions too and can just give up and die IF not growing in the proper conditions.
Here in UK I can only grow them in greenhouse and because the temp fluctuates so much under the glass, I have now given up, BUT we call them Elephants Ears, they are beautiful fast growing plants, so don't give up, keep trying.
Good luck, Kind Regards. WeeNel.
We definitely have the warm temperatures. And we definitely have earwigs. I suspected it was earwigs that munched on several emerging Colocasia leaves last summer. That is most likely what caused this damage. I have some Diatomaceous Earth on order and should arrive on Tuesday. I am going to dust all my plants with it and hopefully it will take care of the earwigs.
They are watered well each morning, unless rain is predicted. I have a soaker hose around them, but sometimes I use the hose on them if I feel they need water quickly.
I haven't fed this particular Colocasia yet, aside from spraying some Epsom Salt on them the other day. I have Dyna Gro- Foliage Pro (9-3-6) on order, which should also be here Tuesday. I will fertilize them at that time. Hopefully, it will help.
Remember Savvy, never over use different fertilisers all in one go, the plants can go into shock as foliage supplement's cause a fight between that and fertilisers at the roots, way to much help, after being gnawed by earwig's, trying to become established and make it's beautiful foliage, maybe offering that amount of feeds to foliage and roots is overdoing it a bit, do one type then wait a few weeks and try half dose of the other,
Also remember that ear-wigs are a real pest BUT they do feed on aphids like greenfly etc. I would try get rid naturally without sprays or powders but I'm more a chemical free gardener, NONE being used on our 10 acres for over 50 years, that's what attracted us to the place,
Yes a couple of times over 30 years I have had to resort to the use of chemical help BUT only on the one specimen and not the whole area, I felt a real failure but as I said, last resort after trying to remove a problem for more seasons than I care to remember.
Were all different though so, you go your way and just be careful.
Best Regards, WeeNel.
