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alocasia in winter


Question
Hi Darlene
Thanks for your very quick response to my question.
I doubt if it is watering, as I was watering it only once a week. The part of the tuber that sticks out of the ground seems very firm, which is why I didn't immediately suspect a problem when the leaves began dying. I will try digging it up and checking.
Do you think that if I were to repot it and start watering it again that it would grow new leaves?

Steven

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Followup To
Question -
I live in a Mediterranean area, where the weather is very hot and humid in the summer and the winters are usually mild. I have been growing an Alocasia  for about half a year now, and in the last few weeks all its leaves died. My other aroids (Colocasia) are doing fine, and I've seen Alocasias that are thriving even now.
I always thought that Alocasia dies down during the winter, and should start growing in the spring again. Is my plant sick (or dead)?
Answer -
Steven,

Those are beautiful plants. You are in a climate that they love. You did not say if it is potted or growing in the ground. There is only 3 problems that would kill it. The first is a weed killer accidently sprayed in it's direction. The second would be over watering and the third would be a fungal infection.

The only way to figure it out is to dig up the tuber or rhizome.  If it is black and mushy it is one of the 3 problems and only you can figure out which one.  If less than half of it is black and mushy you may be able to cut the bad part away and allow the tuber to lay in a shady airy location for a few weeks to dry. It may then be treated with sulpher to keep any fungus from reoccuring. Sulpher should be available at a good garden center and you should follow the package instructions.

If it is firm and looks somewhat like a potato or yam it is fine and has just went dormant for some reason, possibly the shorter days may have triggered it. It could be that the variety it is just goes dormant rather early. You can then rebury it and wait for it to sprout again in the spring.

So dig it up and see what it looks like. If you have more questions ask again. Good luck.

Darlene

Answer
Steven,

If it has just gone dormant it will probably need at least a 3-4 month dry dormant period in order to send out new growth. The need a rest. Repotting it may just make it take longer to grow new roots before it sends out new growth.
Just gently expose the bulb and see what it looks like.
Good luck.

Darlene

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