Overwintering Taro Plants

[WaterGardener]

I just signed up here so I'm new.

When looking online, I find a lot of different methods for keeping taro plants over the winter in colder areas, so I'm looking for opinions.

I have been taking mine into a heated room, but not as warm as my house, and keeping them in a baby pool with water. They sit in water all winter. There are 3 shop lights over them with daylight bulbs and the pool is in front of a window.

They have done okay that way, but the small ones tend to rot and I usually lose those.

What is your preferred way to keep them over the winter? I'm sure there must be a better method than mine.

 

[mrsclem]

I bring mine in after the 1st frost and let them dry out. Then they are put in a box with peat moss and kept cool and dark. I bring them out in spring and put in water to sprout. I do the same with cannas and elephant ears.

 

[WaterGardener]

Thank you. Do you trim the stems and roots before packing them away? Do you moisten them during the winter? Have you had any problems getting them started again in spring?

Sorry for all the questions. I tried that method with canna lilies one year and most all of them died. Not sure what I did wrong there, but obviously I failed them.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[mrsclem]

I let them dry and then trim the tops back a little. I don't water them, just the peat and cool dark place. Have had a pretty good rate of them surviving.

 

[addy1]

I can make no comment...............I have never had one survive.

Good luck with yours!

 

[WaterGardener]

Well, that's not very encouraging. I hope my luck will be better than yours has been! So far, knock on wood, I just have that problem with the little ones.

Now you've made me nervous about them all.

 

[addy1]

Now you've made me nervous about them all.

lol don't be. I am not the most attentive to things like that. I had mine in shredded newspaper, dried out, one year put out to early we had a freeze, next time probably did not dry well enough, they rotted.

 

[WaterGardener]

Thanks for the reassurance. If you want to try again, I have plenty that I'd be willing to share.

 

[addy1]

These were mine in 2016, by the end of summer over my head. And a ton of plants.

 

[WaterGardener]

Beautiful! Taros are some of my favorite plants.

 

[addy1]

Thanks for the reassurance. If you want to try again, I have plenty that I'd be willing to share.

I would love to , they do make neat bog plants. (maybe ship in the spring if yours make it over winter............) I have one end of the bog empty of plants right now. I pulled up a ton of root mass, it was like lifting a carpet. So actually have some naked pea gravel to fill in the spring with something.

 

[WaterGardener]

Let me know when you are ready and I'll keep my fingers crossed that I'll have them.

Your ponds sound amazing, but I don't envy you the task of cleaning out your bog! I have enough trouble getting the plants in my waterfall cleared out. They are bare root in there and grow like weeds. It can be a challenge just getting the roots out at the end of the season.

 

[addy1]

but I don't envy you the task of cleaning out your bog!

It only took about 2 hours. it is 27ft x 4.5 ft. The plants, most of them, are very shallow rooted. Just yank and toss. I toss the plants on the other side of the dirt berm wall. The yellow flag iris I need to use a shovel to break the tubers. I tossed 1/2 of the yellow flag, if left alone it will take over. Eventually pick up and take by tractor load and dump in our woods.
Once I turn off the pump I will rake the bog, then I rake it again in the spring, get leaves etc out of it that end up there over winter.

 

[WaterGardener]

I guess this hobby helps keep us in better physical condition. No couch potatoes allowed.