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    Thread: dwarf Taro ?

    1. #1
      stevek is offline Supporting Member
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      dwarf Taro ?

      I have a challenge in that my Taro plants grow too well ! I live in a northern climate, and take them in each winter and store in the basement. When I put them back in the koi pond after the danger of frost is past, they grow like crazy, ultimately getting to 4-5 feet tall with huge leaves. In spite of going to larger pots, and even putting rocks in the pots to weigh them down, they inevitably get so top heavy, they blow over in high winds.
      I'm getting too old to deal with this every year. Are there varieties that stay relatively small and do well in the pond ? They look so nice, I hate to get rid of them completely, but don't want to deal with lifting the big pots with huge plants, and trying to fix the blow overs.

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    2. #2
      rainblood's Avatar
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      My mojito stays pretty puny...
      -Rain

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    3. #3
      gander's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by rainblood View Post
      My mojito stays pretty puny...
      mine dont but there is actually dwarf colocasia. I will have too look for the name I would ask of Planet alocasia and planet colocasia but I wuit them a week ago because some of the elite did not like how I grow mine,
      "most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song
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    4. #4
      gander's Avatar
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      Elephant Ear Size Matters
      Colocasia vary in size from the diminutive Colocasia heterochroma 'Dark Shadows' at only 8" tall to the mammoth giant elephant ear plants like Colocasia gigantea Thailand Giant Strain and Laosy Giant which can top out at over 9' tall in ideal conditions. Most varieties fall within the 3' to 5' tall range. The leaves also vary in size from only 4" wide by 6" long on Colocasia heterochroma 'Dark Shadows' to 4' wide by 5' long in Colocasia gigantea Thailand Giant Strain. The large-leaved giant elephant ear plants are truly an amazing sight to behold.

      For the purposes of this article, we'll divide Colocasia into 3 categories: the "dwarf" types, the "giant" types, and the "esculenta" types, as these are the categories that have different uses in the garden. In the following paragraphs, we've separated the cultivars into these categories in order to help you select the best plants for your site.

      Dwarf Elephant Ears
      The dwarf Colocasia include any taxa that are less than 2' in height. These are small plants that look good planted en masse or as accessories for other small tropical plants. There are some small Colocasia esculenta cultivars, but they will be discussed under the "esculenta" type Colocasia.

      Image of Colocasia affinis 'Jenningsii'
      Colocasia affinis 'Jenningsii'
      Colocasia affinis is a charming but little-known dwarf elephant ear that is loved for its picture-perfect, velvety charcoal leaf face with central charcoal veining and a giant silver blotch in the center of each leaf. Much of the material sold as this is actually Colocasia esculenta 'Illustris' (no central silver pattern and green veins). This 1' tall, light shade and moisture-loving species has proven to be a superb garden plant. Throughout the summer, the dense clumps are adorned with small flowers of the yellow spathes and spadix persuasion. For us, Colocasia affinis resprouts in late June, so don't panic! Colocasia affinis is represented in the trade by the cultivar Colocasia affinis 'Jenningsii'. Since we have not grown other cultivars of this species, we don't know how different this is from the typical species. Like Colocasia heterochroma, Colocasia affinis goes winter dormant regardless of the temperature. (Hardiness Zone 8-10)

      Colocasia fallax is a delightful dwarf elephant ear from China. Unlike most other elephant ears, this light shade and moisture lover forms rounded leaves of velvety medium green, each highlighted by a wide silver streak down the center vein, with smaller silver veins radiating from the center to the leaf edge. The plants are adorned all summer with small yellow spathe and spadix flowers. The 15" tall plants make a 4' wide patch in 2 years (in very wet soils) by means of short, above-ground stolons...quite unique and quite beautiful (Hardiness Zone 7b-10).

      Image of Colocasia fallax 'Silver Dollar'
      Colocasia fallax 'Silver Dollar'
      Colocasia fallax is represented in the trade by the cultivar Colocasia fallax 'Silver Dollar', a PDN introduction composed of small, rich green leaves much more rounded than normal and also highlighted by narrow silver veins and a wide central silver blotch...not to mention held atop cinnamon-colored petioles. We are also growing another selection, Colocasia fallax 'Silver Splash', which seems a bit taller, reaching 18-20", but spreads less vigorously than other forms we grow.

      The smallest of the dwarf Colocasia is Colocasia heterochroma which measures a Lilliputian 8" tall. This fascinating new Colocasia species was discovered at 4,000' elevation in Yingjiang, Yunnan Province, China. The plant was subsequently named in 1993 by China's aroid expert, Dr. Li Heng. Colocasia heterochroma, a June emerger which prefers light shade, forms a small patch via short underground rhizomes to only 8" tall x 18" wide...a far cry from its taller cousins. The 6" long x 4" wide leaves are silvery green with a dramatic black interveinal leaf pattern. Unlike most other Colocasia species, it goes dormant in winter even if kept warm. Colocasia heteroch
      Last edited by gander; 09-26-2018 at 08:53 PM.
      "most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song
      still in them."
      I wish I could sing

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    5. #5
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      This is where I got this article from. Frank here on Koiphen might have some of these if he does not BriansBotanicals out of louisville Ky probably has some of them





      https://www.plantdelights.com/blogs/...olocasia-plant
      "most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song
      still in them."
      I wish I could sing

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    6. #6
      gander's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by rainblood View Post
      My mojito stays pretty puny...
      Rain this is one pot of my Mojito not as big aas some that grew in my stream before the tornado tore up the shadecloth.
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      "most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song
      still in them."
      I wish I could sing

      Koiphen 2018 Koi Person of the Year!

      OK.TN.




    7. #7
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      I do not have any of the "dwarf" varieties mentioned. I keep my plats smaller by not fertilizing them and potting them in a one gallon pot. They grow very large when they are fertilized.
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    8. #8
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      I have never fertilized mine in all the years that I have grown them. The koi waste must provide the ideal growing conditions for them. I will try to do some more research on Gander's suggestions on the dwarf varieties. If they are too small, they wouldn't have the impact I need, so I need a variety that is big enough to stand out in a fairly large koi pond, but not so big it blows over in high winds.

    9. #9
      gander's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by stevek View Post
      I have never fertilized mine in all the years that I have grown them. The koi waste must provide the ideal growing conditions for them. I will try to do some more research on Gander's suggestions on the dwarf varieties. If they are too small, they wouldn't have the impact I need, so I need a variety that is big enough to stand out in a fairly large koi pond, but not so big it blows over in high winds.
      Try going with some of the medium varieties like Coal Miner, Pucker up and Mojito I think a few of the New Hawaiian ones are shorter, Like the Molten Lava. There was a purple called Kona Coffee that was really nice and short but I have not seen it in a while. Have you tried any Caldiums?
      "most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song
      still in them."
      I wish I could sing

      Koiphen 2018 Koi Person of the Year!

      OK.TN.




    10. #10
      delbert is offline Supporting Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by gander View Post
      mine dont but there is actually dwarf colocasia. I will have too look for the name I would ask of Planet alocasia and planet colocasia but I wuit them a week ago because some of the elite did not like how I grow mine,

      Some one must be special to be so elite

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    11. #11
      gander's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by delbert View Post
      Some one must be special to be so elite
      They think they are and they are very knowledgable but they nit pick and act like a school teacher always pointing out where they think you are wrong because there is only one way too grow a plant and its their way.
      "most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song
      still in them."
      I wish I could sing

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    12. #12
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      Quote Originally Posted by gander View Post
      They think they are and they are very knowledgable but they nit pick and act like a school teacher always pointing out where they think you are wrong because there is only one way too grow a plant and its their way.
      Hmmm sounds like some koi people made it over to the alocasia boards
      -Rain

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    13. #13
      rainblood's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by gander View Post
      Rain this is one pot of my Mojito not as big aas some that grew in my stream before the tornado tore up the shadecloth.
      Well puny is a relative term
      -Rain

      :I CAN'T BRING THIS SHIP INTO TRTUGA ALL BY ME ONESIES, SAVVY?:

    14. #14
      gray cat's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by gander View Post
      They think they are and they are very knowledgable but they nit pick and act like a school teacher always pointing out where they think you are wrong because there is only one way too grow a plant and its their way.
      I have noticed that too. I haven't been on their page as much because of this.
      Nancy



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    15. #15
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      Some people are like that.
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    16. #16
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      I grow Tahitian taro in a 8 x 8 pond basket filled with 1/4 inch gravel, in my aquaponic tank. Its better than growing them directly in an aquaponic gravel bed, its easier to clean it up after a few years. Tahitian taro is grown for it's edible leaves and stem. I use the top stem part in my soups, and I boil down and strain the leaves in salt water, and then mix it with canned coconut milk for a green spinach side dish, some people add raw squid or octopus and cook it with the taro leaves and coconut milk.
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      Last edited by Roger; 12-02-2018 at 03:02 PM.

    17. #17
      rainblood's Avatar
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      Can you go into a little more on your aquaponics set up?
      -Rain

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      Quote Originally Posted by rainblood View Post
      Can you go into a little more on your aquaponics set up?
      Rain, in the first picture the water just runs through a one inch pvc pipe about two inches high in the middle. I covered small taro roots with about an inch of gravel in a
      18 inch round perforated tray from a broken pressure filter.

      In the second picture, on one side I have several 8x8 perforated water planters, filled with gravel. This bed uses the traditional aquaponic bell siphon in the middle. The bell siphon is a bigger pvc placed over a smaller pvc drain pipe, it is wider on the bottom and the bell bottom is cut or drilled with holes to allow the water to drain from the bottom up, air breaks the water flow and the water fills up again, builds pressure and drains in a continuous fill and empty cycle. You can find videos of this type of bell siphon on youtube.

      I have an Ultima 2,000 with an external pump, the return goes up to the planter. There are two T couplings with one inch holes on both ends of the bed, this is where the water leaks out and the rest of the water continues along the pvc pipe and returns to the pond. I attached an open and close valve on the end to adjust how much water goes into the bed, but didn't need it. The flow was just right for the bell siphon to trigger the wet dry cycle. If the water flow into the bed is too fast the bell siphon won't trigger, water will just continue to drain out through the top of the drain pipe and not empty the water in the bed. The top of the drain pipe is about an inch below the gravel line, in my case 5 inches from the bottom.

      Its easier and lighter to use small water planters instead of filling the whole bed up with gravel. Its a back breaking job to fill or clean an aquaculture bed with lava rocks.
      Last edited by Roger; 12-02-2018 at 03:05 PM.

    19. #19
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      is this your only filtration for your pond? if so, how many koi and what size pond do you have?
      -Rain

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    20. #20
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      Quote Originally Posted by rainblood View Post
      is this your only filtration for your pond? if so, how many koi and what size pond do you have?
      Rain, the ultima 2,000 with the wet/dry bed can only handle 1 1/2 to 2 cups of feed 3 times a day. My Ultima 4,000 in line with a 44 gallon trash bin (Jiffy Filter Concept) filled with bio balls and coarse filter media can handle 6 cups of feed 3 times a day. The Jiffy filter does a better job of removing excess ammonia and nitrite because more water flows through it. The Jiffy filter concept creates a filter environment that is self sustaining and doesn't need to be cleaned. It is basically a bacteria house. However, the Ultima filter must be back washed after 3 to 7 days depending on the load. On top of the open trash bin filter, I have a 8x8 inch planter sitting on a grate that holds the coarse filter media down. I grow onion chives in this planter for soups and egg omelettes.

      The advantage of the aquaponic set up is it reduces the nitrate, so there is no need for a UV light. In addition, it supports nitrifying bacteria and produces an abundant supply of Taro and Cholesterol plant leaves. Furthermore, the koi can be fed the vegetation and get supplemental nutrition.

      The pond with the Jiffy filter can run with out a UV light with thick side wall and pond algae, but I still turn my uv light on once a month for a few days when I see a green tint. Four giant algae eating albino pleco is kind of screwing up the environmental balance and their poop adds to the load.

      From my experience an Ultima 2,000 is for a 1,000 gallon pond and an Ultima 4,000 is for a 2,000 gallon pond. The additional filtration can handle a little more feed and water volume. My intex pool is 18 x 18 feet with a water volume capacity of 5,000 gallons, but I only fill it half way. The other tanks has a capacity of 300 gallon, 600 gallon, and 1,200 gallon, but I don't fill them up all the way to the top, I leave 6 to 12 inches off the top. Two adult koi can survive in the 300 gallon tank, 4 koi in the 600 gallon tank and 5 to 6 koi in the 1,200 tank. It all depends on how much feed they can consume.

      The Jiffy Filter and aquaponic wet/dry filter both need supplemental sludge eating bacteria on a regular basis.
      Last edited by Roger; 12-02-2018 at 08:02 PM.

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