Liz asked me to show how I divide Alocasia.So here goes,this is just my way of doing it,and in doing so,I am going to also try something new.
This is a plant I have had for years,the bulb is getting long,I want it to keep producing babies,so I am going to try laying it down. you can see it has one baby ready to be cut.
I use a 50/50 peat and potting mix,these are the Ears that are going to be worked on
This is the long bulb,I have removed the soil.
I have gone through the roots and found 3 Croms,this may not be the right word,but is what I have always called them.
Now cutting as close to bulb as I can,I release the baby,this one actually snapped loose.
My Corms are planted on top of soil.
I prune the roots of the bulb.
Then prune the top.Notice,I am cutting just up where the new leaf will come out.
This is a window box,I am going to lay it in.
Cover with soil,and water.
I notice that you have a ball bat in the second picture. Is that for pertection from the mother bulb??
Linda
Its to keep the little ones from running off!!!
Wow!! This is great Rooty!!! Fantastic job! You even used words I understand, I appreciate that!
Im going to give em a try this year, thanks for the instructions on dividing!
Thanks a bunch Root, I appreciate all the effort.
Doc you did a great job. I was wondering about the ball bat too. lol I figured it was to keep me from sneaking up and stealing your babies. lol This post needs to be moved to the FAQ forum after everybody has had a chance to see it.
why did you lay it down?
pretty good documentary there ! :-)
Excellent Root! Very easy to understand.
LOL!You all are too much fun!Bout as fun as chasing baby EEs around the yard with a Ballbat!!
tiG,this is an old bulb,one of the first I bought,if you look,the swells in the bulb are like growth rings on a tree.
I laid it down,because I have had much good luck with LogBrugs,and you said that your Malanga did so well after your dog drug it around and dropped it!,just kidding!
If you look on the bulb,they have growth shoots,all around the bulb,I really buried more bulb deeper then I thought I should,it is an experiment,I may lose it,but,if I chopped it into segments,the way I did the bottom of the one,I may lose all to rot.So I am going to mist it with water,instead of watering hard,making the bulb search for moisture.
I know I'm nuts,never said I wasn't.
Just trying something different here.
Root: Sounds like it will work. Keep us updated.
after the malanga, i think it's a great idea. I thought that's what you were going for, just wanted to make sure:)
Here is a little more,Bonnie maybe the first set did not show enough,I had more pictures,but it was time to let the kid on the puter,you all know how that goes!
Next contestant.
I find the bottom of the bulb and decide where to cut.
I cut here,this part was the original bulb,I am going to take a chance that it will go.
Root, you're obviously good at growing these plants so we all bow to your knowledge.
Now show us how you slice the bulbs leaving a single shoot on the main bulb.
Pretty please?
Here are 3 babies I put in a pot from last year,I have cleaned the roots and found a Crom.
Now before I pot them,I trim the roots and the tops,I always try to balance,if you take off roots,take off top.
Hope this helps a little more.
Don't forget the Ballbat!
Excellent. Thank you Root. I think it's good to go to the FAQ, don't you think?
You can do what ever you want with my posts,shoot Liz,this was something I did on a whim for you,it is not rock solid Horticulture,it is just the way I do things.
Bob on ur post of Mar 01, 2004, 3:32 PM above is the only way the tuber is planted, from what i learned from my grandma. do not be surprise to find tons of new baby/ies out of that tuber. if u want to know the truth, i think the pot u use is way too small for the forthcoming babies u are bound to have, specially when the weather gets warmer. jmho
should malangas be planted that way too?
that is how i was told to plant them. the only way i know how. if u remember i planted one tuber 2 yrs ago in early summer. after a few months of planting, i got several babies to share with everyone. i am still on the same tuber with far more babies from the same root. i could hardly believe the amount of new babies out of that one tuber.
Bob, if i were u i will get a wider and longer pot. similar to my case, it will surprise u with how much babies will sprout of that one.
MVR,I am only doing this till spring,I am hoping to split babies again into the ground,in a few months.
Bonnie,I have to follow your lead on Malanga,guess I need a dog!!!LOL!
Only Malanga I have,'Seed' sent me,that I sent her!!I think!LOL!! These Ears keep going back and forth!
Root - what big ears you have! This is fascinating.
Sue
Rootdoctor. This long windowsill pot seems great idea to me. Thank you for showing it. Thank you for all the pictures!
Btw. The Alocasia baby which you sent has three leaves now. It looks fine, but it is still very small. Hehehe.
It is in same pot with a banana. Well, I will plant it to own pot with better soil soon.
I read on a web site that the malanga tubers were supposed to be planted on their side, so I'm going to give it a whirl this year. I guess I better try to find them. LOL!
Its almost that time isnt it Shirley?? :o)
Brugie:
If you can't find malanga, let me know. I buy it from the farmer's market or the grocery store because I eat it! LOL
Thanks delecie, but I had purchased some two or three weeks ago. I found them last night, still wrapped in the plastic bag and they were sprouting like crazy. I've now taken them to the greenhouse and have them planted. You were right Shelly, it IS that time of the year.
