All about Taro & how to grow. Edible garden landscape root plants. A.K.A. Kalo Dasheen Elephant Ear.

All about Taro and how to grow it. Taro is a tropical plant grown primarily for its edible corms, therefor it is a root vegetable similar to yams.
Taro may be…
roasted, baked or boiled. The natural sugars give a sweet, nutty flavor. The starch is easily digestible, and since the grains are fine and small it is often used for baby food. Young taro leaves and stems can be eaten after boiling twice to remove the acrid flavor. The leaves are a good source of vitamins A and C and contain more protein than the corms.
In its raw form, the plant is toxic.

Taro is one of the most ancient cultivated crops still commonly eaten in Africa, Oceanic and South Asian cultures.
Taro also goes by many other names depending in where in the world you are.
The English term taro was borrowed from the Māori language of New Zealand when Captain Cook first observed plantations of Taro there in 1769.
Growing…
Plant when soil is above 65 degrees or warmer.
Taro loves fertilizer, especially when getting started…
Mix slow release fertilizer into soil. Or fertilize monthly from spring until early fall with an all-purpose, water soluble fertilizer.
Plant root in moist soil with only the bud barely visible at soil line.
If bud is not obvious, compare to other Taro or lay horizontally.
So horizontal is better than upside down.

Water regularly, keeping soil moist until roots are established. Taro thrives in a tropical wet environment.

In HOT regions…Choose a location with partial afternoon shade to protect from direct hot afternoon sunlight. Dappled afternoon sunlight is fine. Keep very moist. To conserve moisture, add 2 or 3 inches of mulch. Once roots are established you may allow soil to dry some before watering again.

If growing in a pond, Taro needs flowing water or at least water movement from a fountain. Otherwise, plant on the dry side of the water line of a pond or in vary shallow water.

This YouTube channel is all about plants. Like, subscribe and comment.
Check out these other videos.