I saw this beautiful little Alocasia at the grocery store today for $6.99! Immediately checked the roots, which look great. But…the potting medium is weird and spongy and almost like a dense brownie. I have no clue what to do or how to remove it without damaging the roots. Do I leave it as is for now or repot? Any help would be great!
Sometimes Alocasia corms are grown in this medium.. I’ve noticed it on a few of mine too. I usually gently remove as much as I can with my fingers (it’s ok if some remains) and pot into soil. I don’t think the foam harms the plant at all, and probably does a decent job and keeping the roots moist while a young plant gets established
1 Like Thank you for the info! Do you think I should go ahead and repot now or wait a bit?
0 Likes It looks pretty well rooted so I would! Don’t upsize too much, only about an inch or two bigger to make sure not to shock the plant!
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This is a plug. You have to gently break pieces off and pull the roots from them. Would definitely recommend removing it, as it can hinder corm growth, as well as cause it to stay too moist.
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