Search results
Jul 1, 2023 · The stem structure of taro plants is unique and plays a crucial role in their growth. Taro plants have thick, fleshy stems known as petioles or “stolons.” These stems grow horizontally above the ground, connecting the corms to the leaves.
4 days ago · It is cultivated for its large, starchy, spherical corms (underground stems), commonly known as “taro root,” which are consumed as a cooked vegetable, made into puddings and breads, and also made into the Polynesian poi, a thin, pasty, highly digestible mass of fresh or fermented taro starch.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Taro Quick Growing Tips
- Where to Plant Taro
- When to Plant Taro
- How to Plant Taro
- Succession Planting Taro
- Container Growing Taro
- Watering and Feeding Taro
- Taro Care and Maintenance
- Taro Pests and Diseases
- How to Harvest Taro
Taro is a tropical or subtropical plant that requires very warm temperatures–77° to 95°F (25-35°C)–and consistent moisture to thrive.Taro grows best in USDA zones 9-11.Taro can be grown for its tubers only where summers are long–at least 200 frost-free, warm days.Taro can be grown for its leaves in a greenhouse.Taro corms can be planted in dry or wet settings.Taro requires rich, moist, well-drained soil to moisture-retentive soil.In Asia, taro is often planted in wet paddies.In a dry setting, taro corms are planted in furrows or trenches about 6 inches (15cm) deep and covered by 2 to 3 inches (5-8cm) of soil.Plant taro when the weather and soil warm in spring and all danger of frost has passed.Taro requires at least 200 frost-free days to reach maturity.Taro is grown from small sections of tuber, small tubers, or suckers.Plant taro in furrows 6 inches (15cm) deep and cover corms with 2 to 3 inches of soil; space plants 15 to 24 inches apart in rows about 40 inches apart (or space plants equidistant 2 to 3 feet apart).Plants grow to about 36 inches tall and about 20 inches across.Yield: grow 10 to 15 taro plants for each person in the household depending upon usage.A second crop of taro can be planted between taro rows about 12 weeks before the main crop is harvested.
Taro can be grown in a container in a greenhouse or warm cellar to force shoots or stems for winter use. Force tubers in a warm bed of sand.Cut and use shoots when they reach about 6 inches tall; shoots can be blanched by placing a heavy burlap tent over the shoots.Keep taro plants well watered; the soil should be consistently moist. Water taro often in dry weather.Feed taro with rich organic fertilizer, compost, or compost tea.Taro prefers a high-potassium fertilizer.Keep taro planting beds weed-free.Keep the planting bed moist.In early spring, plant pre-sprouted tubers with protection using a plastic tunnel or cloche.Plants grown in a greenhouse should be misted often.Aphids and Red spider mites may attack taro grown indoors.Taro leaf blight will cause circular water-soaked spots on leaves.Downy mildew may attack taro.Taro tubers are harvested about 200 days after planting when leaves turn yellow and start to die.Lift taro roots like sweet potatoes before the first frost in autumn.Taro leaves can be picked as soon as the first leaf has opened; harvest taro leaves cut and come again, never stripping the plant of all its leaves.Taro tubers can be boiled or fried like potatoes; taro leaves can be boiled like spinach.Jul 10, 2024 · Although the root, leaves, and stems of taro are edible, they must be cooked thoroughly; otherwise, chemicals in the plant will cause itching in the mouth and throat.
- 112.4K
Dec 1, 2022 · Taro plants are herbaceous perennials with large heart-shaped leaves arising from the base of their underground stem or corm. The corm can weigh up to 9 lbs (4 kg), depending on the variety. It produces leafy stalks that can reach lengths of 6 ft (1.8 m), with each leaf measuring up to 18 in (45 cm) long and 12 in (30 cm) wide.
Dec 16, 2023 · Dec 16, 2023 • 8 min read. Master Taro propagation 🌱—honor cultural legacies and cultivate a sustainable staple at home. Preserve cultures and food security by propagating Taro. Three methods: Division, offsets, and tissue culture. Care is crucial: Soil, light, water, and monitoring growth. Importance of Propagation.
Jul 18, 2023 · Instead of stems, long and thick petioles connect the foliage directly to the root, somewhat like a beet plant. The leaves are heart-shaped and have distinct veins. They’re usually green, but can also be purple, red, and even black.
