How often to water caudiciforms?

[Ospreywatcher]

I have read that the less times that a caudiciform is watered the faster the caudex will grow in order to retain water whereas if the plant is watered frequently the caudex is less likely to grow quickly. I am wondering if this is true and if so how often it should be watered during the growing season?

[MikeDom]

Depends on the caudiciform as some grow slowly naturally. Other factors to consider is that they generally grow quicker if left buried and generous feeding can help. I have grown large caudexes quickly by feeding and watering generously, and by that I mean using high nitrogen fertiliser and large quantities of water. In the growing season, most get watered twice a week, assuming of course that they go almost or totally dry inbetween waterings.

[Terry S.]

Logic goes against the idea that less water will produce a larger caudex. A plant with this life form needs a good crop of healthy top growth during its growing season. This can then carry out a high degree of photosynthesis to produce the sugars and then the starches and cellulose needed for the tuber to develop. The Dutch have developed highly efficient ways of producing large geophytic storage organs on plants, i.e. bulbs corms and tubers of daffodils, tulips, etc. and this is not done by stinting on the water and fertilizers.

[ralphrmartin]

A further consideration is that many plants grown as caudiciforms in collections can in nature make pretty big plants, and even large trees. By putting them in a small pot you are effectively making bonsai out of them. If you want them to grow quickly, a big pot is best, with concomitant amounts of water and fertiliser, as suggested above.

[Nick_G]

One thing to remember is that many tubers will actually get smaller when raised and exposed. They will only put on size when buried.

[KathyM]

You posted about a Dioscorea elephantipes that had lost its roots last year; did you manage to get it to grow them again? I bought one cheap at a plant sale that has dead roots and I've read it can be tricky to get them to regrow.

[Ospreywatcher]

Hi Kathy, my Dioscorea elephantipes has produced it's usual vine growth over the winter months but I can't tell if the root system is recovering. The caudex does seem quite loose and I suspect that there may not be much if any root growth. Once the foliage has died off I will remove the caudex from the compost and examine the underside of it.