The colocasia is an exotic plant, which with its large leaves can be used to beautify any garden, be it outside or inside. Indeed, It can be kept without problems in pots inside the house.although it will also look great planted in the ground if the weather is warm or mild. But in addition, we are talking about a herb that is very easy to care for.
In fact, if we take into account that the most difficult thing to control is irrigation, we will not have to worry too much about this because it needs a lot of water. It is not aquatic, but we could classify it as semi-aquatic, since it lives in places where the ground is always or practically always moist. So that, Let’s see what are the care of the colocasia.
Where to put the colocasia?
Image – Wikimedia Commons / Dalgial
When we get home with our plant, the first thing we have to do is find a place where it will be fine. For this, we have to know that it needs a lot of light but not direct, high relative humidity and that, if it is going to be indoors, it should be placed away from drafts that generate fans, air conditioners, etc., since these dry their leaves.
Also, if we want it to look pretty all year round, it is important that we protect it from the cold and, above all, temperatures below zero, since when the thermometer reaches such low values the foliage dies, leaving only the rhizome, which is capable of withstanding weak frosts.
Nor can we forget that it is a plant that can take up a lot of space, so we must try to put it in a place where it can not only grow well, without rubbing against anything, but also you should also avoid putting small plants near it if these need sun or direct lightOtherwise, the leaves of the colocasia would give them shade and would not allow them to grow well.
Pot or soil?
La colocasia It can be either in a pot or in the ground. But if it is going to be in a pot, we will have to plant it in one that has holes through which the water can come out when wateringand that it measures approximately four inches wider and taller than the one you have right now. Being a fast-growing plant, it is important that the container is large, since this way we do not have to be transplanting it every year, but we can do it every 2 or 3. This change will be done in spring, or at the latest at the beginning of summer, and it will be put on a spongy and light substrate, like this one from the brand BioBizz.
In the event that it is going to be planted in the garden, you have to find an area where there is a lot of light, but not direct sun. Likewise, soil must contain organic matterthat is, it must be fertile; and it also has to absorb water quickly.
How to water colocasia?
The colocasia loves a lot of water. He needs her. That’s why, you have to water it frequently. But beware, you should not water every day, but you have to let the soil dry out a bit. For this reason, it is preferable to rehydrate it every 2 or 3 days during the summer, and whenever necessary the rest of the year.
If we are going to have it at home, we need to take into account that since there are no drafts, the soil remains moist much longer. So much so that during the winter there may only be watering every ten days or even more. And it is that if we water very often, as the temperatures are lower and the plant grows at a slower rate, the roots would rot due to excess moisture.
How much relative humidity do you need?
Our protagonist is a plant that lives in areas where humidity is very high and temperatures are mild. This allows it to develop such large leaves that we like, because in these conditions, they do not spoil. So when you grow it is important that you look on the Internet or at a home weather station, how much humidity there is in the area where we live.
And is that when it is less than 50%, the colocasia is dehydratedthe tips of the leaves turn brown, and they start to have a rough time. To avoid this, it must be sprayed with rainwater or suitable for consumption every day.
How to prune a colocasia?
Image – Flickr / cultivar413
Being a large herbaceous plant, which can produce suckers, sometimes it will be necessary to prune it a little. this pruning It will consist of eliminating the dead leaves, as well as those suckers that we do not want continue to develop.
That is, you cannot cut a stem and wait for stems below to sprout, since it does not have that capacity. When one is removed, its base rots and the others remain intact, but do not branch.
Pruning will be done in spring with anvil scissors these which we will have cleaned before and after using them.
I hope these tips will help you take better care of your colocasia.
