Dioscorea elephantipes in winter.

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Pricky
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Aug 25, 2017 12:38 pm
Location: Rome

Dioscorea elephantipes in winter.

Post by Pricky »

Some months ago i bought a little Dioscorea.I have no experience in its cultivation and I don't know how to treat it in winter.
Now in Rome the temperature range from 18 and 7 C.(I watered two weeks ago when the caudex was soft).
Does it keep growing even when the temperatures are kinda low? Should I keep watering it?
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Aiko
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Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2011 5:26 pm
Location: the Netherlands

Re: Dioscorea elephantipes in winter.

Post by Aiko »

Pricky wrote:Some months ago i bought a little Dioscorea.I have no experience in its cultivation and I don't know how to treat it in winter.
Now in Rome the temperature range from 18 and 7 C.(I watered two weeks ago when the caudex was soft).
Does it keep growing even when the temperatures are kinda low? Should I keep watering it?
The leaves are usually key for these sort of plants to know if you need to water it. If in leave, I would think you need to water. If the leaves drop, you need to stop watering, and refrain from watering until the plant shows sign of activity again (it could skip over a complete growing season too...). Your plant could be a winter active or a summer active plants. It depends more on the individual plant than on the whole species. But I don't have much experience with Dioscorea, and I assume you mean you have a Dioscorea elephantidens / D. elephantipes?
Pricky
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Aug 25, 2017 12:38 pm
Location: Rome

Re: Dioscorea elephantipes in winter.

Post by Pricky »

Yes I have a D. elephantidens/elephantipes and it should be a winter grower.
So should I water(if it keeps showing new growth) even in december or january when the temperatures will be even lower?
I never had winter growers before and I'm really confused.
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Aiko
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Location: the Netherlands

Re: Dioscorea elephantipes in winter.

Post by Aiko »

I would say yes. But the same rule as always applies: make sure the soil has had time to dry out before next watering. So if the temperatures are low, I would say reduce the watering to just a light splash. Enough for the plant to take up some water, not too much so the soil will not dry out in about a week (or two).

But that is how I will do it for my plants in my climate. I am sure your temperatures are a bit higher, and I am sure you will see more sunlight than I will up here in gloomy northern Europe. Just use your common sense and whatever experience you have. Winter active plants are not that hard (maybe even easier, as they are usually more water tolerant when in active growth), same common sense applies, but just with lower temperatures and less sun intensity.
Pricky
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Aug 25, 2017 12:38 pm
Location: Rome

Re: Dioscorea elephantipes in winter.

Post by Pricky »

Ty for the help :D
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