I finally made it to the most awesome store we have in our area! I had not been there in 20 years or more. My great aunt and grandma both took me there when I was young. They have American grocery products as well as ethnic/International types imported from all over the world.
I called before I went to see if pictures were allowed and they said no. :( I did see a lady taking pics of her kids by the fruits. Hmph! I do have their website. www.junglejims.com You have to check this place out if you are ever in the area!
I went to check out taro and melanga/yautia roots for planting. You should see all the stuff they have! I did take a pic last night of the biggest tuber I could find. :)
Shopping for Elephant Ears!
Some of you know that today is my baby's 1st birthday. Booo hoooo. Anyway, as we walked past all the produce, she asked if she could have this one for her birthday. I swear she did! Does she not look thrilled and even pleased (or somewhat terrified or confused)?
Hmmm, who would think a cute little kid could get so DIRTY? LOL And look at the size of that pic! Whoops!
This message was edited Apr 3, 2005 10:29 AM
That tuber is bigger than a football and weighed almost 5 pounds. The taro and melanga at Jungle Jims are $1.99 a pound. I am hoping this one puts out a HUGE plant!
They also had pineapple lily bulbs for $2, Hymenocallis and gingers for $1.69, C. esculenta the size of baseballs were $5. LOL I got a football! The upright ear tubers were $10! I told the cashier I was planting them and not eating them. She pointed me to the nursery. I explained and she was shocked! I wonder if she is now planting their produce.
I was in awe of their greenhouse. It was probably 40 foot across and shaped like a huge dome. I could have lots of fun with that!
Hi Chele:
Happy birthday to the little one! She is beautiful and you're right, she looks confused! She's probably asking, "What is this thing, an alien?" LOL If you need an alocasia metallica, let me know. I have one with your name on it.
How wonderful!!!! Proud for you!
Judy
Thanks Ladies! Eclipse and others kept saying to check the Asian markets. After comparing the quality and size of the ones sold in garden centers with the ones sold to be eaten, I have seen a big difference! The variety is not huge, but it is so much fun to get a bargain. LOL
Delecie, I have never seen that one or heard of it. I'll look it up. If you have it to spare, I'd love to have it. What can I send you?
Judy, I have such a great time doing stuff with the girls and including the girls in MY hobby. :)
Oh what a cutie, Chele. She is just darling and I know that's just what she wanted and just had to have for her birthday. LOL Happy Birthday to her.
Chele:
I meant it literally when I said, "I have one with your name on it." I started this for you last year and it's in a one gallon pot. I should have told you about it before now but I got really busy with school. Here are a few photographs of it:
The underside of the leaves:
Another shot of the under side of the leaves:
If you like your plant Chele, the only thing you need to send me is your address :-)
This is just a small "Thank you/I appreciate the plants you've shared with me" gift.
I don't even know what to say! I love sharing with people and honestly I really do not expect anything back. It is so neat when someone wants to share back. LOL Does that even make sense? I have all sorts of neat stuff growing and I WILL find something to share with you again. :)
Being the smarty pants I am, I looked at every picture you posted. I did not see my name in one single place! LOL That is a really pretty ear and I would be pleased to grow it in my garden! My 11 year old was looking at the pics with me and said she loves that one! I know my kids sometimes feel like they play second fiddle to my love of plants BUT they also love the huge leaved plants like I do. I guess it is intriguing to them to see a little bulb/tuber/seed whatever, turn into something that dwarfs them. :)
I also forgot to mention, they sell Taro chips at Jungle Jims. They had two types. One was just plain salted chips and the other said Spicy Taro Chips. We bought a bag. They are really good. Other than the little purple veins on the chips, I'm not sure you would notice they aren't regular potato chips. These were a bit thicker and harder (like the old fashioned kettle type) but still had a good flavor with even a bit of a lemon like tang to them.
I found out a few days ago, they are building another store about 15 minutes from me. It is supposed to be huge! I can't wait! My regular grocery sells bananas for 44 cents per pound and this store has them for 19 cents. Quite a difference!
LOL Chele, you are too funny! When I took your plant from the Mama plant, it was really little so the tag was on the outside of the pot. Now since I know that you want to see it, I have actually put in inside the pot. You're famous! :-)
Chele:
I know that you sent me plants out of the goodness of your heart and I appreciate you and the plants. However, you do not have to send me anything for this plant (except your address). Last year, when Florida was besieged by four hurricanes, I had over two hundred plants in pots that I had to secure. My boyfriend reminds me periodically that I said I'm not going to get anymore plants until I've planted the ones that I already have. However, there is the spring plant sale at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden later this month...LOL
Sorry to bust in on the conversation-- but let me get this right-- I could go to my grocery store- Trader Joes or the like-- buy a taro root for eating and plant it in my pond??? it will grow ? REALLY??? just like my sweet potatos for my kitchen??? SO cool!!!!!
Heather
ROTFLOL My girls are even giggling! Yep, it has my name on it. :)
I really appreciate you saving me a baby. I will E you my addy.
Heather, yes! Crazy, ain't it? LOL You can even get larger ones in the market than they sell at garden stores and cheaper too!
but there is no way to tell what color the leaves will be right? Am I right to assume- green? I'm not going to find a black magic in the grocery isle...
Heather
I would say chance are good that you will get a plain green one. I did notice some of the tubers seemed to have that ribbed look while others seemed to be smoother and more potato like. There was not a huge difference but they did look slightly different. I made sure to get both just to see.
Happy belated birthday to the youngest! Gosh I remember seeing ultra sound pictures of her! What a doll she is!
Good find on the soon to be ears! LOL I really do need to look for something like that here!
Oh.. I want that elepant ear bulb! That's so huge.. I found here just small but ur look so healthly. Send me two! lol kidding..
Thank you Shelly! It is hard to imagine isn't it??
LOL Mini! Mine weighed about 9.5 pounds. Do you really want to pay the postage on that?? LOL
LOL.. I don't think I want to pay that much for it.. I have to think of way how to get it here cheaper! lol I might stop by any local for healthy elehphant ear bulbs. I saw some at Lowes. they are rottening and full of nats.. No way, I don't want to buy that kind of nasty.. I am going to look around for one.. hope to find large bulbs.
Do you have an Asian market by your or any type of ethnic/International store? That is what Jungle Jim's is.
No, I don't think we have one around here.
Thanks BS so here has one and I am going to check it out. Hope it sell cheap, I will let you know if have and how much it cost.
Mattie is so cute and so big tuber.
RedRose.. if you find it.. please let me know.. we will be in town on April 16th for family crawfish boil. I would like to have large two of it.. if you can find. THanks.
All I can say is "Told ya so!!" LOL I am still buying roots of things at the Asian markets, galanga,malanga,lemon grass, papayas, etc.
LOL Kyle! Thank you for telling me so. :) Hey, any chance you know what a Lanzhou Lily is or what the flowers look like? My hubby bought me some of those at an Asian market and I can't find any info other than where they come from and that they are edible. And what the heck is galanga?? If I remember right, papaya have really cool leaves?
Oooh.. lol I think Kyle should make us a SHOPPING list!! LOL
Shhhh Shelly. I am stalking him around DG, making notes, tracking his purchases...I am Plantodile Badseed! LOL
LOLOL too funny! Im gonna try to talk DH into going to the Asian market I found here today.
Galanga is a ginger that the Vietnamese you to flavor soups like Pho.It is a green plant with small flowers when mature.The roots look like peeled cannas in the market..they are usually in a refrigerated cooler.keeps them from shrinking .they need high temps to activate(grow from roots) then can take room temps.remember the places these tubers come from is terribly tropical.Heat AND humidity.
I rooted some lemon grass shoots last week..they already have side shoots starting.I rooted them in vermiculite under mist. Papayas can be grown from seeds(fresh) when planting them leave the slimy gel on the seeds and use bottom heat about 85 F.till they germinate..they too like high temps and humidity.Make pretty foliage plants and if started in Jan. can actually have fruit by sept.
:-)
It doesn't have any sell at the Asian Market over here oh well too bad.
No ears there? Did you look for Taro and Melanga?? The ones here sell those and lilies and lotus and yucca and all sorts of neat stuff! I said earlier I would get them and mail them to people but the postage would likely be high. :(
Badseed, that is one HUGE elephant ear! Mine were a little bigger than the size of my fist. If mine are to get 5 to 6" high, I can't imagine how big yours will get! Maybe we shoud ask Jack, from the Jack & the Beanstalk story.
What does the yucca root from the stores turn to? Just the plain Yucca flaccida??
I got a 7" taro from the asian market and a few smaller ones.
I also got a purple yam. Any idea what color the foliage will be on this one?
Now that I have a taro. Which end is up? How do I plant?
I got it about a week ago and left it in the bag. It is now sporting some green nodules.
Take a look at the pic and let me know what you think.
~Nut4Spuds
