Growing Arbi/Taro root/Colocasia

Post date: Apr 1, 2020 3:09:14 PM

Sprouting season: Feb/ March

Store bought Arbi kept in a dark and moisture free place will sprout in 3-4 weeks, around this time. You can also keep them in aerated bags with saw dust. See picture 1, courtesy Pradeep C.

Sprouted Arbi can be sown in pots or in ground for yield. Mine sprouted in February, I planted them in a pot and after they grew a few leaves (See picture 2), transplanted them in ground.

Harvesting season: The leaves fall off early October, harvesting around Mid October.

Notes from Uma:

You have to plant them whole. Arbi has no eyes all over the tuber, unlike a potato. There is just one singe sprout per plant.

However, every plant will yield many little tubers at the time of harvest.

It thrives in waterlogged areas. If you have a soggy wet place where rain water collects, that is the place for arbi. Grows excellently in clay too.

Arbi loves the water. It can be sown along streams and ponds too. Looks decorative. Needs a lot of space for leaves to spread out in the sun. Yields are better in plants grown under full sun.

The distance between bulbs for sowing should be 2 feet.

See picture 3 for yield from three plants.