I plan to eventually repot my two new alocasias. In your experience, what is the best method? I’ve watched several videos on YouTube that suggest semi-hydro, but I’ve read that a special soil mix from oh happy plants might be better? I’m a little concerned that hydro could smell once the algae develops?
Following! I have one I’m thinking about switching to pon or something similar, but I’m not sure.
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Semi-hydro involves using a medium and some kind of wick system. Hydro is letting it live in water indefinitely. Alocasia soil roots struggle to change to hydro roots - it’s generally easier to grow water roots from a stem if you’re going hydro. I do not recommend going straight to hydro at such a young plant age, especially if it’s a new plant that you want to succeed and you have not experimented before. In most hydro set ups, you want to make sure you have an oxygen pump and you are keeping an eye on PH. it is a lot more complicated than plants have to be. Alocasia do just fine in good high organic soil and will grow better in soil unless you’re prepared to also learn hydro nutrients. Just saying it’s unnecessary for the health of the plant but if you do want to do it, black containers and lack of sunlight prevent algae growth. You’re also generally changing the water because stagnant water gets stinky.
3 Likes OK this is super helpful. I might try to stick to soil. I’m not sure I’m ready for that kind of commitment yet lol. Thank you!
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I started to buy ingredients in bulk more than a year ago and made my own aroid mix. My alocasias seem to be doing well in it.
1 LikeI have all my Alocasias in a chunky soil mix in self watering pots. They drink as much as they want when they want.
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All of my alocasia are in pon - self-watering, wick set up. I used to kill them CONSTANTLY. Could not keep them alive in a chunky mix. Last year I took a class at a local shop from someone who has more than 200 varieties ALL in pon. I don’t test ph, they are heavy feeders and so I fertilize (GT foliage focus one capful per gallon & silica) at every watering. I rinse them once a month to keep pests at bay (these are spider mite magnets). I haven’t lost one since. They don’t mind being root bound but they don’t like their roots being messed with. That said, transitioning to pon is much better when they are smaller. I’ve mostly just thoroughly rinsed roots and put in pon. This is what we did in the class and that alocasia has gone bananas. (Scalprum - my profile is open).
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