HELP, PLEASE

[VickiC]

Hi everyone,
I really need someone's help if possible, please! ( attached). I'm guessing that my question may seem to some of you silly and maybe unimportant, but it's not to me, so I do hope you understand. I'm almost in tears because neither my husband or I have any idea what to do. This was my Dad's plant before he died about 6 yrs. ago. He grew it from a small plant quite a long time before that when he was still able to live at home. We moved it into his room at a retirement home when he had to leave home and go there a few years before he died. After he passed on, we brought it home to take care of it. It has been on our back porch every summer since.....then we would move it into our garage for the winters. There was very little light there, and it and other plants were crowded but they always survived in front of a south window until we could get them back outside after cold weather. We eventually had to tie it to a rail when it was still under cover on our porch during warm weather. We repotted it into a larger pot the spring of last year.....the largest pot we could find to buy. Of course, it contiumed to grow larger (especially this last yr.) We have no idea now what to do about it because it is so tall that we can no longer have it on our porch.....it is taller than the ceiling.....and living in Alabama, our weather changes so that we cannont plant it in the ground. The pictures that you see here do not show how tall the tallest leaf is because it is leaning over the porch rail. All during this summer, we have moved it over the lawn, tieing it to different things for support (trees...etc.) It is nearing time to have to move it back into the garage for the winter, and although the ceiling is 10', we hesitate to move it again because of it's size, and anyway, I have no idea how we would support it there. I certainly do NOT want to damage it any more than it already has been and as I'm sure you have gathered, I do NOT want to lose it in any way.....absolutely not give it away or whatever. The thought crossed Rodney's (my husband) mind that we could maybe repot it again, but deeper this time into something the size of a large gargage can, etc.. What do you think? Would it be ok for us to put the main "trunk" (for most likely lack of the correct word) in another container lower in the soil than it is now? If so, can you suggest something to repot it in other than a plastic garbage can?

Thanks for reading my long post and I do apologize if I have posted it in the wrong forum.....or if I should have not posted it anywhere at all.
Vicki

[Chubidubi]

I really don't know the name of it but this plant grows like weeds here. If you cut the leaves they will sprout again. People here cut them down and when the rains come you have a monster plant again.

[Ross]

Nothing to apologize for, Vicki. You've done nothing wrong!

There are a couple possibilities. If you and hubby feel "gutsy" you could try air-layering the stalk up at the base of the leaves. If successful, you'll get new roots up there, reducing the height. If not successful the plant will continue elongating as it's doing now, with no harm to the plant. Air layering is making a shallow cut or cuts on one side of the stalk and proping the cuts open (to keep them from healing over). Wrap the whole area in wet sphagnum with some KLN or Suerthrive in the moss. Wrap that whole mess with a sheet of plastic or a plastic grocery bag to hold in the moisture. Keep that whole contaption in the shade by proping a board or something so sun can't get to it. Check monthly during growing season for new roots in the spagnum. If you can see through the plastic, you'll be able to see the roots. If this works, you can cut the trunk right below the new root ball and replant. Here's a demo http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/e.../airlayer.html

You could also just get a larger container. They're around cause I've seen trees planted in them. Something like an old whiskey barrel might work.

[growme]

It looks like a type of phylodendrum (sp?) I think you could bury it further into the dirt, but you will then have a really big, and heavy pot to handle. You might want to try the air layering. While probably too drastic, since it is a special plant, it would likely root if you cut the top off and potted that. We did that with a split leaf phylodendrym (sp?) and stuck it right in the ground.

[kavanaru]

The plant is a Colocasia... you can either try what Ross propossed (no need to make the small cuts, as this plants would produce roots easily when covered with dirt), or repot it deeper, or cut it in pieces, and plant them all (would have several new plants), or just wait until the very last day before bringing it back into the house, and cut all the leave off (watch out for the juice as it can be very caustic! - depends on the espcies) Next year, it will produce new leave and continue growing.

This is the same genus as Taro Plants, for which you take the tubers and keep them safe until you plant them...

[kavanaru]

same family as Phylodendrum Araceae!

[VickiC]

I'm very glad to know that I have options I can choose from before the time comes to winter the plant.

Thanks for your input, Wanda....I'm certainly going to consider simply doing as you advised....I'm not really a brave person, basically....so the simple route might be the one I choose to take for now. Not sure yet???

Thanks to you also, Ross....I have never heard of air-layering, so since you have explained it and supplied the link for me to look at, I do feel better. I like your idea of a whiskey barrel, too...but do you mean a complete barrel or just 1/2?? I would have no idea where to find one in either case. I checked locally earlier in the summer, trying to find 1/2 whiskey barrel to use as another planter outside, but I couldn't find one around here. Even if I did find a 1/2, that would be far too small for this plant. If you have any ideas where I could come up with one, I would appreciate it if you will let me know.

I really appreciate your input and advice, Ramon...thanks for suggesting more options I could try! I really envy your plant knowledge. I have noticed in the past that you seem to know a lot about orchids...I've been impressed.

grow me...you're so right...this is a VERY special plant to me! I'm sure some people might think I'm overly emotional, nostalgic and sorta silly, but that's just part of my character...I couldn't help it if I wanted to. As for the plant being hard to handle and move if I planted it deeper in more soil, yes...that is something to think about. I would need to have some very strong guy to help me bigtime.

Sorry for the long thank you post...but that's just another thing that comes natural to me. I'm very "wordy"
Vicki

[cb977]

Vicki, good luck to you with this plant. Any of the suggestions above sound like they would work

I know what it's like to have a plant with such special memories attached to it...your Dad will be watching and helping you along with whatever method you choose

[VickiC]

Oh, thank you....I really appreciate you understanding how special anything I have left of my Dad's is.
Vicki

Originally Posted by cb977

Vicki, good luck to you with this plant. Any of the suggestions above sound like they would work

I know what it's like to have a plant with such special memories attached to it...your Dad will be watching and helping you along with whatever method you choose

[cb977]

Vicki, every year when my Mom came to visit, my V Pat Delight happened to be blooming and it was her favorite.
She would sit at the table on the lanai and stare at it saying how beautiful that plant is. In February of this year, I got "the call" from my brother that Mom wasn't doing well and I needed to get to New York. V Pat Delight was just about to drop her last bloom and since I was going away, I decided to just cut it back before I left. I got to spend a few precious days with Mom before she passed away and was in NY for about two weeks. I got home and found two spikes growing! Talk about shock!!! A week later, a third one popped up!

Mom is surely helping with this one...and a few others
This is by far my favorite chid...it means so much more to me than it did before

I'm sure your Dad is doing the same and your special plant will continue to be spectacular