Up by request, since most of us are newbies at this plant, let's post our progress and any tips we might have.
My contribution at this time, I planted 1/2 dozen in my front shade garden on 4/5/04 in the a.m. I lightly mulched them to help retain moisture.
Catsmeow sent me this site and I found it to be very interesting and informative. http://www.sleepyoaks.com/tacca_chantrieri_bat_plant.htm
Hopefully it will help us learn to grow and enjoy these plants.
OK,I'm scared now...
and where do I get a good non-peat soil to grow these suckers in?
Now I know for sure I'm going to kill the 15 I ordered from the co-op.
I planted mine in my soilless mix and added sand to it. I'm thinking I might just go dig up some garden soil and add perlite, vermiculite and sand to it and see what happens.
Brugie, let us know how it does in the mixture. I planted mine in soiless mixture too, and now I am worried it needs something. Think I will try a little superthrive. I just know this plant is not going to make it for me, but I sure hope somebody gets blooms. It is beautiful.
but the soiless mixtures have peat as the main ingredient...don't they?
I use promix......that peat ....I think....
I haven't received mine yet,
but as they are forest floor plants,
I was going to suggest compost, sand and perlite.
Then I read the second link and they recommend a free draining compost and 10% sand for growing out.
Ric
Looks like this time around might be trial and error. Wish Chris would come by and tell us how he grows his.
This is a new one for me as well. So at this point, I'm winging it and searching the net with everyone else.
I do have the advantage of having contact with a lot of commercial growers, and emailed a large grower in Miami that's purchased a lot of these from us, and hope to get us all a bit more insight. As soon as I hear back from them, I'll post it up.
Chris
I just potted mine in my usual potting soil which is MG with the fertilizer already in it. I will give them some superthrive tommorow and cross my fingers that they survive.
I used peat moss & sand?? That is what the link on the Co-Op said??
Should I re-pot with something else??
Honeybee
Good luck to one and all. I potted mine in Miracle Grow mix in 4" pots and put them in the shade.
I have grown the Tacca for a few years now...I have grown many seedlings from seeds acquired from my mother plant. I'm hoping I can share some info that I have used growing my plants. I have my plants growing in Miracle Grow potting soil, and they do well in containers. Allow free drainage for the containers, so they don't sit in water. I water when the soil feels slightly dry. I repot as with any other houseplant. Tacca do not like windy areas, or drafts, or breezy areas, and will brown on the edge of their leaves....they grow well in semishade. I container grow mine, as I live in 8b, the winters are too cold for them to be planted in the ground, which I doubt I'd do anyway, because I want to see the flowers up close and personal...these plants are not that hard to grow, so quit scaring yourselves into thinking so...orchids used to get the same rap from people, which kept alot of folks from enjoying them, Taccas are receiving the same misconception. I'd like to think only a very few people can successfully grow these, as that would make myself one of the few...but it ain't so........if I can help anyone shed their fear, or give any experienced help, I'd be more than glad to help! Debra
Red,
You are a welcome breath of freash air to this. Any input you can give is more than welcome
Chris
Thanks Debra!
I planted mine in miracle grow, and they are indoors, close to a window. The only light I have outdoors right now is full sun, and i know that is definitely a no-no, right? They do not get drafts, and are kept between 70 and 78 degrees all the time. Will they do alright like this?
i am amazed that i have one that has a leaf broken through about a inch from the stem(the leaf is that long)(but curled up) ,and have three or four showing the same signs(leaves breaking through)maybe im doing something right.i just so excited that all.lol
I have this thread marked to watch and everytime it comes up and says "Keeping the bat alive" I have to chuckle. I also have some curled leaves emerging. Can't wait to see the real thing doing what it is supposed to do. LOL!!
Should they bloom for us this year?
They're all blooming size, so given the right TLC they should bloom this year.
OK,everyone who is having good luck so far,are you all using MG potting soil?
Cause I gotta get some quick if you are ,mine are on there way.....
Karyn, I'm using ProMix and sand. So far so good.
im using peat and sand.
well i ahev mine in walmart expert mix gardening soil. well i guess i need to move these inside and check them tommorow.
well i havent killed my adiums so far so maybe i can grow these too.
mo signs of life yet but tubers are hard and good. so will wait and see what tommorow brings. i have three to baby.
As anything new to us, I'll be abusing these to no end, to put them to the test.
I have 9 that were planted upon arrival. 3 in full sun, 3 in full shade, and 3 in what I've read as "ideal" conditions.
Additionally all three will have different nutrients. Time release (Osmocote) and wettable (Miracle grow). Wettable only, and time release only.
I also have 11 that have been sitting since arrival that I'll plant next week, and the week after to test the holding time. They've been sitting dry.
Nothing overly scientific, but I abuse the heck out of plants, as I know many go to locations that aren't natural for them.
One of my best tests was with the Adeniums from last fall. A few people had rot issues and dumped them. I had 1 of 12 with rot, but instead of dumping, I experimented. The graft and top quarter of the caudex were rotted, so I cut it all away to healthy tissue. Looked pretty ugly, but spring brought the heat, and the caudex produced leaves from the calloused portion that was cut away. The picture isn't the best, but the red nubs are new leaves from this spring.
Chris
I planted mine in MG potting mix...they are where they get some light & some shade...more shade I think than light...they haven't done anything yet but they look OK....
Toni
aunttea
Toni,
They will, they are just now starting to come out of dormancy. I have had all mine potted up for over a week now and as I get orders for them, I dig them back up. The roots are down there sprouting out where you can't see them yet.
I believe any of that old growth on the top that has been cut back, will be taken over by new sprouts. One of the plants that I potted way back on 4/4 has a tiny sprout poking out from the side of the old shoot.
We'll get there. Chris, how are yours doing?
:^)
Molly
Mine don't look very good. The tops have mold and I don't know if they are going to make it. :(
I planted mine Saturday and all but one look exactly the same on top.
The other one is wilting a bit BUT still green.
I potted them in clear pots though and so can see the tubers.
All of 20 of them are throwing clean white roots.
Ric
Honibee,
Cur the mold away. It will just spread.
Molly, I cut them back into almost 1/8th" of the rhizome like part. No foliage remained. Nothing new coming out on top yet, but they're producing new roots, which is a good sign.
Would it help to spray the mold with say 1 part peroxide to 10 parts water? I have bit of that also.
The stems on mine are black and dead-like. Should I cut the stem right off to the top of the bulb?
Bonnie
No. If it has mold on the foliage, cut it away. It's just not worth risking it. That foliage isn't going to renew its growth pattern, and there's no sense in leaving it there to spread to new growth.
For most, the foliage that was on it won't make it. These all started their trip in Thailand, which means nearly a week in transit before they were re-shipped to their final homes. For most, the transit time was a minimum of 2 weeks.
The heart, or rhizome like portion, can keep things going fine, but the foliage it came with is unlikely to make it. Don't consider them DOA. There's life in them thar genes.
Thanks BuriedTreasure that helps, I just wasn't sure, thanks.
Bonnie
Chris,
Thanks so much. I was just about to post that all my foliage is dead as a
door nail. Bulbs are still firm. Should the bulb be completely cover with potting mix??
Honeybee
Redsundance you have email. Thanks Carolyn
When transplanting my Tacca seedlings, I never cover the crown ....much like planting a daylily, or iris~
For fungus I would cut away any fungus, including that on top of any soil....I spray with a diluted chamomile tea spray. It works....and hold back on the watering until the soil seems dry to the touch~
My plants are in containers, in part shade, out of any draft. It's warm and humid here in SE Texas, and they thrive during the summer months. I water them when the top inch of soil feels dry....I fertilize grown plants sparsely with Osmocote during the spring. It's so exciting to see the new leaves unfurl ...just wait until you see the first flowerbud! lol
I use a commercial Orchid mix with a good handfull of organic potting soil mixed in each pot.
=)
Redsundance,
would you mind emailing me, or may I email you directly?? I have a couple of questions about my white tacca.
Thanks
Janet
Janet feel free to email me....if I can help, I'll be more than happy to~ Debra~
