I just got this Alocasia Frydek from a FL grower. It's about 5" tall. When it arrived a few days ago I potted it up, watered it, and put it in an east facing window. Today I see one yellowed leaf. I'd like to "nip this in the bud" so to speak, since it only has 4 more leaves! What's the best prescription for it over the winter? I can't put it outdoors until April. Is it just that it got a bit too much water after being stressed in the mail? Any advice appreciated!
It isn't unusual to lose the older leaves (towards the bottom) after shipping. Go ahead and cut of the leaf.
I have overwintered the variegated Frydek for two seasons. Even in my GH (70F high/60F low), it still likes to go dormant. It started with 3 leaves, about 12" high. As winter progressed it lost two of the leaves and then just sat there with one leaf. I cut back on the water (only watering when it was dry). In mid March it started sending out leaves again.
So...give it some sun but make sure it doesn't get cold draughts near the window. Give it water but sparingly; just so the plant is moist but not wet. Also, mist the leaves. It will help prevent pests like spider mites and aphids.
FYI, for me this plant prefers filtered light during the Summer.
Good luch, ROX
Thanks Rox, I'll try not to worry it to death. :) (I feel better now.)
Deb
Deb
I'd say, try misting the leaves, seems to help with shipping distress and if its coming from florida it may be used to high humidity so being inside in OH it may be much dryer that its used to.
Debin I've recently lost a few that I bought on ebay, I watered them too much, and it's very damp/humid in the greenhouse and they didn't dry out fast enough. I figured that's what killed mine, they rotted, all the way to the tips of the roots LOL. I have since replaced them, they arrived today, I so hope I can do better. I have a couple more that have dropped all their leaves and are little nubs in the dirt, I'm going to try not to water but maybe monthly since it stays humid in the greenhouse even with the wood stove going. I hope they come back this spring. My illustrus almost always dies back to the dirt every winter and always comes back the next spring. I've also found a few new comers that have popped up in other plants, cause I thought they died back and were gone so I dumped the dirt back into the pot and the little tiny root ball came back in some other plant that was potted up. So I gave up on them too soon I guess.
Good luck to you, don't over water, hope it dries out fast enough too, staying wet all the time, doesn't seem to be good on them at all in the winter time.
I'm pretty new to them, but have learned a few things by tragedy LOL
I lost my Frydek, thought it was coming back. It put up 2 very small leaves then they died. I dug around in the pot and found the shell of what had died. It's a goner. Guess I'll have to try again, it is a beauty.
Linda: I feel your pain. If I succeed in keeping this little one going through winter, I'll send you one of it's offspring, ...if eventually I'm lucky enough to get it to that point!
Deb
That would be great, maybe I have something you would like in trade.
I'll keep u posted. :)
How is your plant doing ?
Once you get them going they multiply like crazy. In summer, I water them every other day. In winter, I barely water them - just enough to keep them from drying out. To prevent it staying wet for long periods, try a clay pot and/or potting down until it fills the pot.
Allison: Thanks for asking. :) It's still with me! It now has 4 'leaves' and is a bit taller but only about 8". I kept it in the same small pot. I've been keeping it very, lightly moist but never wet, in a cool-ish, north east window. So far-so good! I have a little portable greenhouse (un heated) and was debating about moving it, but I'm thinking I should leave well-enough alone, specially since we're actually getting normal winter temps this week. Can't wait for the last frost date!
HC: What kind of light does yours get in summer?
Deb
Deb,
I gave it filtered light under some tall trees this past summer. The picture of it was two summers ago where it got morning to midday sun; then the deck stairs protected it from the afternoon sun. I probably have 30 bulbs of it now and needs repotting bad. The original plant has a stalk on it now that is around 12 inches tall.
Deb-
Glad to hear the plant is doing OK. With the increasing light, things should begin to perk up again in a few weeks.
ROX
Just an update and a thank you to everyone who helped me with advice on this fella.
Here he is today. He's outdoors in open shade on the northside of the house. The biggest leaf is about 8" long and the whole plant is about 14" tall. It seems very happy! (Still in a pot, as you can see...and the wire is protection against ducks who just love aroid stems when they're about this size.)
deb
