Ok, I have a few questions to throw out there about the Colocosia esculenta group.
1. Why is it that the big clump of stuff that I dig in the fall looks nothing like the big oval bulb I planted in the spring? Even when I peel the chaf off it does'nt really look anything like it did originally.
2.Black Magic and the Imperial Taro, when I dug them in the fall, hardly had anything but fibrous roots to store. I could'nt believe all that huge above ground growth had so little under the soil surface to support it. The question is:what is the best way to store these in the winter? I just tossed the mass of roots in a bag with some potting soil. For the Imperial Taro that seemed to work-it had some knobby tuberous roots kind of like a daylily, and when I looked in the closet in January it was growing out of the bag! So I potted it up and it looks great. The Black Magic,on the other hand was also growing out of the bag(I think my potting soil was too moist), so I pulled the sprouts arising from this mass of roots out and potted them-they look cruddy. I know they like warm soil, but since the others are doing well I feel like the problem was in my method of storage.
3.Japanese beetles went nuts over the Imperial Taro, but ignored the other 4 varieties I grow. Anyone else had this problem? Any ideas for an organic means of control?
4.In my search I've only been able to find 3-4" pots of tissue cultured Black Magic for $10-20 each. I bought mine last year from a great local greenhouse in a gallon pot for $6 and it was 2' tall(I hope and pray they have them again this year). Any ideas why that seems to be the norm?
Elephant Ear Questions
Hi Gemini-sage, I will try my best to help you out.
1. If I correctly understand your questions, I think what you are noticeing is that the bulb seems insignifigant compared with the tuber that you originally planted. I think the tuber is an adaptation to help these plants survive in countries that experience a dry and rainy season. I have noticed that the colocasia that I grow in Ontario don't seem to develop the tuber when I dig them up in the fall, however I noticed later after I had dug them up (1 or 2 months), potted them, and brought them inside that they did develp tubers. I don't know if they are responding to some specific stimulii or if they just require a longer season to develop the tuber. Certain colocasia seem to develop large tubers (esculenta, Chicago Harlequin) while others only have small tubers (Imperial, Black Magic).
2. I normally try to keep the colocasia with small tubers growing to overwinter them. I have never heard of anyone storing them in bags for the winter but if this works for you then I think your sucess is all that matters. It certainly sounds easier than maintaining them all winter and fighting the hordes of aphids and spider mites that seem to infest them from time to time.
3. I defintely have had some issues with Japanese bettles but have never noticed them attacking my colocasia. I found that Safter's soap works pretty effectively on the larva stage of the bettle (oilly looking blobs on plants). I don't think there is much to be done with the actual beetle stage other than hand picking them off and putting them in a jar of some nasty fluid to kill them. I haven't tried this myself but there are likely a few concoctions you can make yourself using rhubarb leaves or garlic and cayanne pepper.
4. I don't know why you would have trouble finding larger pots of 'Black Magic' other than for the efficiencies of modern nurseries. I would suggest trying some other mail order firms in the US if you run into any difficulties. I have not dealt with them personally but my suggestion would be to check with A&B Tropicals. They seem to have a pretty good reputation and advertise fair sized plants on their website.
Thanks for the info! I'll certainly check out that source. After growing Black Magic last year and totally digging it I'll have to get more, and next year I will keep it in a pot for the winter.
gemini_sage, don't give up on black magic yet. It might still make it. When you potted it, it might have gone dormant. Once you get it in the heat again and start watering , it might come back. I pot mine and bring them in they go dormant. Once they start getting some heat and I start watering they come back up.
Cool! I am noticing some sprouts from a couple I figured were dead. It does seem like the tinyest sprig turns into a substantial plant by the end of summer, so I'm keeping my hopes up. Thanks neighbor!