Growing Taro Root Plant - Tips & Harvest

Grow the Taro Plant for some awesome Taro Roots right in your garden. Taro Root is a delicious, nutty vegetable that is easy to grow. Get tips on how to grow, fertilize and harvest Taro Root in your back yard.
Taro Root is a very interesting vegetable known by different names such as:
Cocoyam
Dasheen
Arbi
Arvi
Colocasia
Satoimo
Gabi
Mukhi kochu
Inhame
芋头
芋艿
芋頭,
Yùtou
Tiquisque
Tiquizque
Arrow root
Nduma
Kolkas
Kolokasi
ñame
Kasu
Ghandyali
Chembu-kizhangu
Cheppankilangu
Saru
Kilkass
Pindalu
Toran
Aroei
Pheuak
Chino
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[@kennethwoolard5910]

I grow them in Virginia. I have them in large pots and keep them very wet like taro is grown in Hawaii! In a little over a years one bulb has grown to many plants, I started growing one bulb late last summer. I over wintered the plant in the cold garage. It survived and really has multiplied!

[@wmluna381]

Nice! I'm in Michigan (zone 6A) and want to give this a whirl. How big would you guesstimates your size pots to be?

[@Iammrswheelous]

My taro in pots just not growing big enough to make laulau. The end up dying when they are not much bigger than my palm. They are in 5 gallon buckets. And I water them every day. What am I doing wrong? What do you fertilize it with?

[@ekuabaffour9642]

In Ghana we use the leaves for kontomere stew🥰🤤…I can’t wait to grow these next season!!

[@roselynn4153]

I love toro. I remember my mother makes the best toro porridge. I don’t think a lot of people have this experience.

[@Ocean.goddess]

I love it too. Especially in the Mochisadas

[@TheAcadianGuy]

If you grow them in a pot, be sure the pot is at least 50 cm wide and 30-40 cm deep. Mine grew big and had a decent harvest. My pot was 60 cm(24 inches) wide and 50 cm(20 inches) deep.

[@nelehbysagiv3507]

Back home in South America we use taro roots to prepare some delicious soups with cocounut milk!!. Yummy!!.

[@lauriegerber2208]

Great video! Thanks for all the information. I have a colocasia which is growing as an ornamental at my home in San Diego, CA. When I transplanted it I saw …Satoimo! And I decided to look for information on how to grow the tubers more deliberately. Your video has the best information.

[@asamm5235]

Taro is known as dasheen in Caribbean.. it grows well in a canal type setting...the soft middle leaves can be steamed and eaten .. a dish called. Calaloo is mainly made ..the ones seen here is called eddoes.. need sandy soil ..

[@adamkhalilkfskfvwesg6763]

Thank you for your beautiful video. I love taro, I can eat it everyday. My mum cooks it with Lentils and my son tried it after being reluctant and now asks for it on a regular basis.

[@1caramarie]

Glad to find the video. I grow them in pots for the most part because I live in Minnesota. Last year was the first time I tried on the ground, but I planted them rather late and I had not been about to find out what type of fertilizer to us.

[@houndjog]

WOW! What an awesome video! Thank you for taking the time to make it! God Bless!

[@meziahwallen7286]

Hi in Jamaica Taro root is call Coco and we have two types the white and the purple we use it mostly in soups

[@bobbykiefer4306]

Great to see taro grow in California.

[@vinnettepope8255]

Thank you 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏for sharing this awesome tutorial on growing taro root.👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@amayab8701]

Taro is awesome! Thank you for the video. Yummy!

[@jenniferhu2421]

very hard to find this information, thank you so much. I can not wait to see my taro grow to its maturity stage. your video taught me how many days I should wait, many thanks.

[@terrylanh4834]

I'm going to try to grow it this summer. Thanks you so much for cheering a lot of new experiences to me. Happy gardening.

[@AngelLopez-jd5le]

Terry Lanh I want to sale this product from my country who can I contact

[@sharonoliviabrutusscottlan3986]

We call it eddoes in Georgetown Guyana south America

[@pangajavalinaicker7601]

Thank you for this video. We call this plant plant 'madumbie' in Southern Africa. We boil it in salted water and then eat it as a snack.Its really delicious!

[@riazcarim]

Nice curries out of them as well.

[@donnaflores50]

Hello, I am a fellow So. Cal organic gardener. I love you channel and you have inspired me to try out new edibles in my garden. This year I am adding taro root and turmeric. Thank you so much for your helpful videos.

[@helendurow8211]

In South Africa we call it Madumbi..... delicious roots... and the leaves are used as well ....

[@Saritak1]

You are joy to watch, keep posting , we all love to watch . Pls always mention month when you have planted them , from seed or bought from nursery . Ps: kachalu is more name of Taro plant.

[@yolebrutus1396]

En Haiti we call them Malaga.We used in soup , boil and we make acra .I like them thank you

[@allthings2allmen]

I just bought some today at a local asian grocery, I think I'm gonna make a sort of raised bed/super large pot out of a livestock watering trough. Thanks for the helpful insights! 👍

[@CaliforniaGardening]

Sounds great!

[@brotheradam]

I actually have replanted my taro plants after keeping as much roots on them as possible..have one now around three feet wide. I get more Corms because the extra roots and leaves seem to help it produce but..I use a full bucket a day for two weeks to rescue the roots when I move them back in a hole

[@silkqueen8498]

Great info detailed and clear...great job thanks

[@Mustafa-Kamal-Satar]

I am Malaysian. I grow taro for STEM which is most popular taro part in Malaysia especially among ethnic Malays. In Malaysia, we cook stems in a variety of ways but the most popular and delicious way is to cook them in hot chili sour soup. Of course we eat tubers and runners too, which I don't care so much, I just love stems, my favorite taro part, but if I need to eat tubers and runners, I buy at wet markets in Malaysia where they are widely sold. I am starting to eat leaves too after I read that leaves are edible. Yes, need TO COOK before eating any taro art. I actually go a step further: I soak the peeled and cut stems overnight in salt-tamarind solution before boiling the next day and then cooking them (so, 1 time soaking and 2 times boiling plus the final cooking). I guarantee the toxin that causes itchiness in mouth and throat when we eat them is completely gone.

[@feliciahiew9777]

Hi saya dari Malaysia. How long to harvest? Terima kasih

[@namyiwade3412]

Thank you very much; your video helped me to be a better gardener. I have been growing Taro for a few years, but I have not gotten a very good harvest. I will try green sand. Thank you!

[@CaliforniaGardening]

Namyi Wade Thank you! I am glad you liked the videos! Happy Gardening!!

[@mayarada2059]

Thank you for sharing ,fully watching and support

[@carmenortiz5294]

I live in Minnesota and I grow them in containers that come inside in the winter. They may not get as large but once you keep them watered they do fine. I have been doing it for years. I also grow other tropical plants inside. Taro doesn't need too much sunlight although they do better where it's sunny.

[@CaliforniaGardening]

Carmen Ortiz Nice to know you are growing taro root in containers. Happy Gardening!

[@carmenortiz5294]

California Gardening Happy Gardening to you also. I know containers are not the best but better small than nothing, but since they spend the cold weather seasons (7 months where I live) inside it's not too bad. You can't buy Taro where I live, except early in the year as Elephant Ears. My indoors looks like a jungle right now. lol I grow citrus and coffee also.

[@wmluna381]

@@carmenortiz5294 You sound like the VooDoo Garden guy. 😊👍 #Goals I'm in Michigan (zone 6A) and want to give growing taro root (or Malanga, as I know it) a try.

[@romyjugroo4542]

Hi,harvested some taro roots today,the biggest one weighing one kilo.Will cook the leaves and the stems.Planted,six inches of the portion just above the root in well drained moist,compost enriched soil.Nice video.

[@CaliforniaGardening]

+Romy Jugroo That is awesome! I am sure you will enjoy your harvest! Thanks for the feedback on the video!

[@AbidAli-bv2gl]

Great video, Every video is great

[@TALKIN-AN-Cookin92]

Taro is bloody delicious especially with fried fish and African pepper sauce, or just with salted butter👍👍👍

[@Meashayshay2]

I know this is an older comment, but that sounds delicious. I've only ever made taro as a dessert(sweet buns , and as a mashed 'sweet potato') or for bubble/milk tea. I'm going to try making it with seafood next time when I grow some this year.

[@wmluna381]

@@Meashayshay2 I have never heard of it being used in the manner you described. Gotta look this up for more details.

[@joemello6467]

Great video I just bought some Taro bulbs from an Asian market myself going to grow it next to my Hardy Bananas. I live in California as well. In Zone 9b Northern California!

[@juanitosanpedro1906]

Potted taros being sold in Home Depot and other nurseries are cultivated varieties in the Pacific Island countries and they are EDIBLE !! I'm very sure these taro varieties or seeds are introductions from those places where taro is a staple and grown extensively. I've been a Taro Production Officer in Cook Islands in from 1990-92. These varieties could have reddish or yellowish tubers, petioles or leaves which make them very attractive compared to high yielding and good quality popular green cultivar.

[@Hasenkind1]

yes found them in a german home depot and i freaked out bc i knew what it was. i knew kalo from my auntie who lives in hawaii

[@marielove6208]

Looooove Taro its called the root is called Cocoyam in Ghana and the leaves is called Kontomire .... we love it here in Ghana ... i have a lot growing in my garden... i watched to know when to harvest.. thank u soo luch

[@denysehuezo4364]

You have inspired me thank you!

[@111dogon555]

i love roasted taro nice video!

[@mericoury404]

How do you roast Taro? I have two LARGE tubers and want to put them in the oven, but don't know how to prepare them, and for how long should I cook them? (Please reply [e-mail].) Thanks!

[@alexiscolby9415]

Nice video! I'm going to give a Polynesian recipe: you can eat the leaves I notice you discarded them after you harvested tubers, but Polynesian culture leaves get eaten, just dont pick the leaves if you are trying to grow the taro (tuber) because wont grow well...also leaves can get whats called "fisi" and make your tongue itch if not young leaf and not prepared right. You have to rub the leaves together, this applies to the older leaves, rub these when you are rinsing them take the leaf, fold in half (on face side) and gently rub together until they become very soft (about 2-3) mins. Then you can make a simple dish by placing the prepared leaves on top of each other (about 5-7 large and medium leaves will do, use larger for most outer and medium for inner, smaller leaves are sweeter and not so fisi) do it inside a bowl for a mould, then fill with bite size pieces of fish, chicken or meat (salted beef, pork shoulder cut up) add sliced onion, sliced chilli (if you like heat) then salt/pepper and fill the leaf bowl with coconut cream enough to cover the contents but dont over do it, gather up and tie the pouch with palm frond place inside glass/ceramic dish to bake or roast or alternatively place inside a steamer on low heat for 40 mins. Traditionally cooked inside a imu/umu/hangi (earth oven) and this brings out the best flavour. For Vegan's omit meats and just use coconut cream/chilli it is actually much more superior flavour without any meats and traditionally eaten vegan way or with wild fish.

[@kyo8882]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bILPqWNvhdBgqc0

[@nikhilsukumar23]

Thank you. Will try your recipe. In Kerala, we eat the leaves too. Yes, it's itchy sometimes.

[@elliottmanning]

In Hawaii, this recipe is known as a Lau Lau !!!

[@naturedegree5671]

Thanks for excellent video on agricultural information 💐🌸

[@gilbertbautista2006]

tnx California gardening

[@nilanjanashukla3417]

Thanks leaf is also useful

[@flyingsnail4060]

Aweee...cute tubers...😆 In my region we harvest a single tuber that weights more than 1kg.

[@snailplumbus1080]

We. Why not you.

[@ARLITAGARDEN]

Very nice I love to do Gardening also it's stress free..

[@sophiawalker8743]

Here in the carribean we call it different names Eddo in Barbados, cocoa in Jamaica and other parts of the carribean Tanya different names same delious root plant.

[@jackie9068]

Wonderful video

[@user-et6ve1hq8p]

Thank for sharing

[@adarshguptak]

Taro leaves are delicious too, mostly cooked in Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat as far as I know, other places also may have their recipes. In Karnataka, traditionally they make a recipe called 'patroDe' in Kannada (patra or patDa in other places I mentioned) which is made by applying besan paste to leaf, rolled and steamed, then chopped and seasoned with spices. It's very traditional cuisine which may not be commonly known to many in our generation.

[@Liana_2.0]

Really!? I can’t wait to taste it but I never taste it huhuhu

[@susinursali2049]

@@Liana_2.0 enak di kasih santan ...coba anda cari resep masakan asli Indonesia namanya "sayur lompong "

[@migzlavezaresbagwistv6749]

it reminds me my place in Philippines . we used to bake a taros mixed with cassava meet and wrapped into banana leaves and steamed . it is very delicious . nice channel idol . i am hoping to have videos on my channel with taros picking, . salute. idol

[@aarflowers9066]

Thank you for your tips very useful..

[@CaliforniaGardening]

Glad it was helpful!

[@palma071]

Your videos are awesome.Just curious what is the difference betwern green stem and red taro plant and are both edible ?

[@cherylelsberry3722]

What growing zones will they grow in and how cold hardy are they? Would you save tubers to plant next spring?

[@parisstylianou9012]

Here in Cyprus we call them Colocasia -Kolokasi, is a popular dish in the Cypriot cuisine and is cooked in tomato sauce either on it's own or often with pork or chicken.

[@CaliforniaGardening]

+Paris Stylianou Nice to know that and thanks for sharing how you cook it as well. Keep growing!

[@watiwartini5800]

Paris Stylianou bit

[@jacobeksor6088]

Nice

[@FoodioRecipes]

Taro Root Curry kzbin.info/www/bejne/h5KoeJiaa5edgMU

[@seiyuokamihimura5082]

Colocasia is the species.

[@MsGladyslim]

thanks. I like this taro much .

[@CaliforniaGardening]

+Gladys Lim Nice to know you like taro!

[@PIAMUSA]

Nice video...thnx for sharing...

[@lithishlithish7124]

thanks u r telling super

[@Flamingo9653]

In Kenya they are known as nduma. Boil them and eat with tea for breakfast. They are delicious :))

[@saralu3025]

Thank you for the information on how to harvest the taro you have grown, but how do you plant the actual store bought root into the ground?

[@channwon8535]

nice taro

[@bambangpujiono4423]

Pohon ini di indonesia disebut tales. daunnya enak di sayur

[@lisettesyummygarden2299]

We put olive oil & garlic on it once done. Yummy !

[@syedatamannahossain12]

Eat the leaves also. Those leaves are yummy with shrimps. In Bangladesh we eat the leaves as well

[@beareroflife]

Mines grew great in wide long container

[@wmluna381]

Good to know because I have no ground to plant in, only an apartment balcony. Can you provide a little more size detail as to the container used and if you had success with any particular amendments or sun exposure?

[@moondog7694]

My dad bought me some baby taro roots, but I haven’t gotten around to cooking them yet. I want to cook them today. However, it looks like two have produced shoots! I don’t remember seeing shoots on any of them when my dad first gave them to me. May 18th is when my dad gave them to me, and it is now May 31st. I don't know how long they had been sitting in the grocery store. If I cut off the shoot parts, would it be safe to eat? Or should I just throw them into the compost pail, uneaten? I’ve heard that Irish potatoes that have sprouted should have the sprouts cut off before eating. Do taro root shoots make the entire taro root toxic? Or are just the shoots themselves toxic? Or are the shoots nontoxic?

[@abalonesense]

Question: how to propagate big taro like the kind sold in Chinese supermarkets in Southern California? How to grow a full plant using those sold taro tubers that are trimmed or truncated on their ends?

[@AYOGAgriVenture]

nice sharing

[@mimit7571]

They are delicious

[@CherylMNakagawa12]

Excellent how-to video series! We think the araimo (dasheen) variety is the best tasting...I noticed you do not wait until it dies back to harvest...hmmm may be I should harvest mine now. (We also grow kalo (poi taro) with the corms are about 8-10" :-)

[@CaliforniaGardening]

CM Nakagawa Yes that is right, I usually don't wait for them to die back. Next season I will be re-planting the plant (top) after cutting off the tubers (root). If you have tried this, do let us know your experiences! Happy Gardening!!

[@CherylMNakagawa12]

Yes, we cut off the top about 1" into the tuber, dry it for about a day and replant it in the taro patch. Daily watering, some days even twice a day. Thank you California Gardening, for the potassium tip. 

[@CaliforniaGardening]

CM Nakagawa Thanks, we will try that out next season!

[@therisinggarden5928]

How long does it take for the bulbs to just pop out of the ground?

[@ssoouummii]

Awesome video..

[@CaliforniaGardening]

Soumya Rao Glad you liked it. We have other videos as well on the channel which you may like. Happy Gardening!

[@tinalarmond547]

I think your harvesting them too quick. Here in Jamaica they are much bigger when we harvest them and we grow them in normal garden soil.we regrow them by cutting the bottom and some of the top then plant them. Anyway great video as always 👍🏼

[@alohauniversal5083]

In Hawai’i we harvest in about 9 months. We love the cooked leaves too! Those who live in apartments do grow “Kalo” in buckets or other containers. Kalo (taro) is the most sacred plant in Hawai’i. Mahalo Ke Akua!

[@rayngrace]

@@alohauniversal5083 what if, we grow them in big containers like the 20 gallon trash bin. With holes on the side for Air Prunning + false bottom at least 2" before a Weeping Hole to maintain some moisture. You think it's possible? Mahalo

[@kimuseni]

Thanks

[@carlmcgee3602]

Excellent video, thumbs up.

[@loriruppelt]

This taro video is awesome! However I would like to grow 'Chinese Bun Long' taro here in Kansas City but None of the Asian markets sell this variety. Do you know if there is a different variety that I can grow that is edible? This video starts with a plant. Can I just grow them from the roots like a potato? Can I divide the roots and will they grow from pieces like a potato?

[@sukhanrenga2531]

Very nice and educative, I’m planning to grow taro in raised garden bed, what can I coplant with it? TIA

[@zazugee]

i read that the 3-4month period is only enough for growing leaves and it needs another 3-4months to grow roots

[@janetabbott7526]

That is wonderful! How do you cook the leaves and tubers?

[@bigkino9194]

Question? How do I start to grow ? Do I just plant the bulbs in the ground? Is there any prep before it has any sprouts?

[@taro1441]

Lol I’m only here because my name’s Taro :)

[@mm-nk3qe]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@Smithaa1]

I have this in my hse. First there was excellent production though i grew it in pot. But later production came low. May be i didn't supply fertilizer

[@anubhutisrivastava4581]

thanks bro

[@Cinepobrefilmfestival]

they grow perfectly well in containers

[@molokoi5157]

Good job. it is called madère in my country. I wish you could show how to plant it.

[@graciasalavida8636]

Hi, I was wondering if you can eat taro several times a day and or every day? Also how do you cook the leaves?

[@dorothymensah5530]

nice one

[@amaranthabowl2708]

I threw some really old, slightly moldy taro in with my new tomato seedling, thinking it would decompose and be some nourishment for my tomato, but after three months it ended up sprouting the other day! im not sure if i should move it to its own pot... they seem to get pretty big...

[@justine8955]

Is it okay to use this plant for ornamental purposes only? I bought one without the intention of growing taro haha I just liked its foliage that's why I bought one

[@lucyhuang2899]

How come your taro plant has so many offshoot attached with many Baby tubes when you harvest them? those one we grow in China and those that are often see in other countries are usually one very big tube with some little tubes attached. i like The Baby tubes as they taste much more succulent than the big mother tube. Very soft and smoothy.

[@user-tz6pc4dp5c]

We make various nugget type fermented products using taro root\tuber with black lentil which is very popular in Nepal and Himalayn Region like Sikkim\Darjeeling from hundreds years!!

[@wellnessandcountrylife]

I have taro root in my garden, and they come back every year. The roots survive in winter months

[@ultrafeel-tv]

Interesting, how cold does it get during winter in your area?

[@saritathyng6441]

What growing zone do you live in?

[@davidstanford3816]

My sister paid about $7 each for some tubers at the home store and they didn't grow-at the discount grocer I bought some for about $1-I'll try them. If I can't grow them for $1 it is better than not growing them for $14

[@CaliforniaGardening]

David Stanford Try it out! Good luck!

[@gregoriocinco921]

Here in the Philippines, the taro root can grow more than 1 foot in length. Maybe, they are of a different variety from your example in this video.

[@bluecedar7914]

Some varieties like this one grow many offshoots which grow into many small round roots, others grow one or two large roots with only a few small offshoots.

[@rulistening7777]

The facts... Just the facts. TMI

[@dbbernsheycubscougarhere6992]

Nice

[@sunitadwarka347]

Respected sir, I thank you for such simple explanation. Please visit bhartiya site, Vah chef , vah re vah Aloo vadi recipes in English. You can use this taro leaves recipe for months keeping in fridge. You wash keep taro leaves and keep in vinegar for four hours before using it. All itching problem will diminish. Taro leaves rolls can be sold by restuarant. Another suggestion If you are removing taro fruits keep for drying at least one day. You put vinegar in water and boil, it removes all itching problem. You remove skin, cut as patoto chips but larger and thicker, add vinegar, turmeric and salt , keep for two hours, fry in deep oil , along with vinegar and turmeric, make delicious taro chips. Namh shivay.

[@Garcia-nj8ov]

how big does it have to grow before harvest ? I don't have a lot of land so I would like to use the side of my house to grow the plants because they are attractive plants. so I figured I could plant it on the side and it would look nice as I waite to harvest them.

[@raykam7966]

Well

[@yunfanzhang7140]

if you leave it in there for longer, will the tubers grow larger? I see others harvest ones as big as a football

[@salomenyaga697]

Can you just harvest afew tubers at a time or must harvest all?

[@MrSai03]

Hi, this is another question. Could you please tell how many days it will take for curry leaf plant seed to turn from green to black. Thanks

[@BryceGarling]

Taro is in the family Araceae and belongs to the genus Colocasia

[@keifuensalida2997]

I love eating those it's called (gaway) in my country

[@wmluna381]

It's called Malanga in Puerto Rico. One of my favorite things to eat.

[@starlytesplanet]

I want to try growing it in the South France, but although we have very fertile soil, some of the garden's quite acid, the other part is normal, very organic, and sun or shade, which would be best, please? I'll let you know, if I find the tubers here, in the first place(!) how it goes, next year. Thank you :D

[@CaliforniaGardening]

You can grow it in slightly acidic soil and although it prefers 5+ hrs of sun, you can grow it in part shade (4 hrs sun every day)