Plant friends, if you’ve hung around the plant community for any amount of time, you know some sub-groups go deep, and one of the most passionate is the Alocasia lovers/enthusiasts . These people are ferocious about their alocasias, and one of their most controversial topics is corm propagation . If you’ve never heard of it, I hadn’t either until Instagram kept showing me those little plant “nuggets.” So I called in backup: my friend Lindsay Sisti , aka the Alocasia Queen behind All The Plant Babies and the author of the book The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation . She’s been here before in our Fluval Stratum episode . She breeds both Alocasias and Anthuriums and has made it her life's work to create new species and perfect propagation techniques. Let's dive in! In this episode, we learn: [02:30] Meet Lindsay Sisti, aka the “Alocasia Queen”! [04:15] What are some facts about Alocasia? [06:02] Why is Alocasia popular? [08:41] Plant anatomy 101: leaves, stems, rhizomes, roots, stolons, and corms! [15:18] Manukora's premium New Zealand Manuka honey [16:55] Do corms ever appear above the soil? Leaf-litter vs. pots [21:58] When is the right time to go “corm spelunking”? [26:52] Step-by-step: how to harvest Alocasia corms safely [30:09] Snapping corms, clean hands, and why scissors are optional [34:20] Should you peel corms before planting? (The “onion layer” trick) [37:33] Which medium works best (perlite, sphagnum, fluval stratum, or water?) [40:41] How deep should you plant the corms in the media? [41:26] How long does it take for corms to sprout? [43:09] The “puddle method” in water [45:38] Hardening off: acclimating cormlings [49:41] Common mistakeswith corms [55:17] Can a rootless Alocasia be revived? [56:20] Where to find Lindsay, her book, and her propagation resources Mentioned in our conversation: Growing Joy Episode 289: How to Propagate Plants in Fluval Stratum with Lindsay Sisti Book: The Ultimate Guide to Houseplant Propagation Why Did My Alocasia Corm* Die? Alocasia Enthusiasts | Facebook LECHUZA-PON Plant Substrate 12 liter For all corm propagation methods, check out the full show notes and blog for Lindsay's step-by-step! Thank you to our episode sponsor: Manukora Go to manukora.com/bloom to get 25% off the starter kit that includes their 850+ Manukora honey jar, 5 honey travel sticks, a wooden spoon, and a guidebook. Follow Maria and Growing Joy: Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here ! Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle) Support Bloom and Grow Radio by becoming a Plant Friend on Patreon ! Instagram: @growingjoywithmaria Tiktok: @growingjoywithmaria Subscribe to the Growing Joy Youtube channel! /growingjoywithmaria Website: www.growingjoywithmaria.com Pinterest: @growingjoywithmaria Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
