Alocasia, also known as "Elephant Ears", is a showy tropical plant that can be grown even in colder areas. This plant looks great both as a background plant and as a protagonist of the garden. If the temperature remains on average below 4-7 ° for a certain period of time, the rhizomatous root must be extracted from the ground and stored in a cool and dry place until the following spring to be replanted.
Steps
Step 1. To plant the rhizome of the alocasia it is advisable to wait for temperatures to be at least around 7 ° C, so that the cold is no longer a danger for the plant
Step 2. The plant known as Elephant Ears needs at least 1 meter of space to fully develop and is best placed in a shaded area
A thriving specimen may need up to 2 meters of space.
Step 3. The size of the hole must be equal to 3 or 4 times the size of the rhizome which, if possible, should be planted in a soil rich in organic substances
Step 4. If necessary, fill the hole with potting soil so that the rhizome remains at a depth of 3 or 5 centimeters
Step 5. Bury the rhizome taking care to position it with the top facing up
If in doubt, you can plant it sideways and nature will take its course!
Step 6. Cover the rhizome with soil and water abundantly
After watering, make sure the rhizome is still covered by an inch or two of soil.
Step 7. Mark the spot where you buried the rhizome
Step 8. You have to wait one to three weeks (maybe even longer) to see the first leaves emerge from the ground
The wait will depend on the temperature of the environment and the ground.
Step 9. Elephant Ears also grow very well in common ground
However, a fertilizing treatment applied periodically (every 2 or 4 weeks) would help the plant to thrive.
Step 10. Planting alocasia in draining potting soil is a great advantage, however, don't let the soil stay dry for too long
If this happens, the falling leaves will be the first alarm bell, but just water the plant within a single day to make it fully recover.
Step 11. At the height of summer, it will display beautiful foliage whose height can vary from one to six meters
If some leaves tend to dry out on the edges, then cut them off as others will grow in place of the old ones.
Step 12. The plant will start to suffer a little when temperatures drop to around 9-10 ° for more than a few days
Before the temperatures get too cold, you will need to dig out the rhizome.
Step 13. A healthy plant will have developed new rhizomes during the growing season
It is not convenient to separate them during this phase, however the separation should not cause significant damage.
Step 14. Eliminate most of the top vegetation from the rhizomes:
no more than one centimeter of leaves should be left on the rhizome. Leave the pruned rhizome in the open air to dry visibly before storing it for the winter. A couple of days will be enough for drying and in this way you will minimize the danger of the development of mold and bacteria.
Step 15. During the winter, keep the rhizome in a dry and cool place, preferably between 7 ° and 12 °
Do not store them in plastic bags: just put them in a paper bag with some holes for transpiration, or in sphagnum peat or vermiculite.
