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Aug 30, 2014 12:26 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lore Lisa
Central New York State (Zone 4b)
I had 2 large bulbs (or are they corms?) left from last year, and a couple of tiny ones that appeared in the box with the big ones. I planted them in pots and took care of them just like last year but there is no growth at all! The bulbs look good, no soft spots, they are heavy and in the little indentation on the top is a pink, pointy thing like a bud.

The plants haven't grown at all. I dug a couple out if their pots and the pink "bud" is still there, it is firm and doesn't look like it is going to fall off.

Does anyone know what these plants are doing?
Thank you in advance,
Lorli
Lore Lisa

"We have met the enemy and he is us."
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Aug 30, 2014 9:03 PM CST
Name: Anne
Summerville, SC (Zone 8a)
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Considering your zone, it might be your soil temperature is too low to wake them up.
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Aug 31, 2014 3:29 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lore Lisa
Central New York State (Zone 4b)
I forgot to say that they are in pots, in the house.
Lore Lisa

"We have met the enemy and he is us."
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Aug 31, 2014 6:23 AM CST
Plants Admin Emeritus
Name: Evan
Pioneer Valley south, MA, USA (Zone 6a)
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Do you know the species Lorli, or have a photo from last year?
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Aug 31, 2014 7:05 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lore Lisa
Central New York State (Zone 4b)
I'm pretty sure they are bulbifer. The 2 biggest ones are about 4 - 5 inches across. The other two are about the size of a nickel, there is no pink bud on them.

They are still in their pots and I water them,. What should I do with them? Last year, I took them out of their pots and stored them in paper bags. Maybe that is why they didn't grow?.
Lore Lisa

"We have met the enemy and he is us."
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Sep 3, 2014 7:35 PM CST
Plants Admin Emeritus
Name: Evan
Pioneer Valley south, MA, USA (Zone 6a)
Charter ATP Member Aroids Irises I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Tropicals Vermiculture
Foliage Fan Bulbs Hummingbirder Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Composter Plant Identifier
I've been hoping someone would chime in as this is my first year with bulbifer. As long as the tubers show no rot it's sounds like they're taking their good old Amorphophallus time. Many tend to keep their own schedule. A. bulbifer is one that can be stored dry while dormant so your storage was fine. You should probably hold off on watering until the petiole pokes thru the soil.
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Sep 4, 2014 2:41 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lore Lisa
Central New York State (Zone 4b)
Thank you, I've been worrying about what to do with them. I didn't know if I should dig them out again, but I'll try leaving them in the pots, dry. I left an A.paeonifolius in a pot and it disappeared, leaving some dry flaky stuff.

By the way, I once lived in the Pioneer Valley; it is such a great place to live. The Lyman plant house has to be one of the nicest places I've ever seen.
Lore Lisa

"We have met the enemy and he is us."
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Sep 4, 2014 4:56 AM CST
Name: mj
Central Florida
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Lorli,
My guess would be soil temp like Xeramtheum said above. They really like warm soil, and even here in Florida, in the greenhouse mine don't usually wake up till May. I place them where the pots will get really warm in the spring.
When I store them over the winter, I remove the soil from around the top, sides and shake the soil so it's loose around the roots, then store them pot and all in a cool DRY place. With the little tubers I just store them in a covered box with a little dry peat in the bottom. But I have seen them stored in a greenhouse just laying out in a tray. A bit of humidity is good, perhaps if it was inside the air got too dry and the tuber just completely dried out ??

At this point your probably looking at next spring unless you have a really nice room with plenty of light, warmth and humidity. Ours go dormant here around mid October. Even if brought into the greenhouse.

You might try putting them in your warmest spot you can find in the spring. Only "mist" the surface enough to keep the soil from becoming a dust bowl, but no watering till they sprout, and show their leaves.
Here's a couple pics of some of A. bulbifer babies taken on 6/22/2014. These were about the size of a standard marble. At this point I started them on a dilute fertilizer. I use a 20/20/20 - 1/4 strength till the leaves unfurl, then I bump to 1/2 strength till they have a little growth on them.

Two separate trays, all planted at the same time. You can see the difference in emerging, and in two of the cells on the pic on right they hadn't even emerged yet.

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