Taro

Taro: plant 60 cm (24 in) apart in the row and 90 cm (35 in) between rows, 1 plant per 4 squares. Good neighbours: Marigold, Basil, Lemongrass.

Key facts

Spacing in the row	60 cm (24 in)
Between rows	90 cm (35 in)
In a 30 cm (1 ft) square	1 plant per 4 squares
Sun	Full sun, 6–8 hours a day
Root depth	25 cm (10 in)
Height when grown	120 cm (47 in)
Crop rotation group	Herbs, flowers and perennials
Support	None needed

How it is started	From tubers
Tubers per planting hole	1
Per metre of row	2
Planting depth	8 cm (3.1 in)
Soil temperature	from 20 °C, best 24–30 °C
Before sowing	Soak overnight
When to plant	Outdoors after the last frost; soil at least 18 °C

Takes transplanting	Only with care, keep the root ball
Hardening off	10–14 days
Life cycle	Tender perennial, grown as an annual where it freezes
Cold tolerance	Tender, hurt by frost
Soil	Rich, with compost, stays moist, pH 5.5–7
In a pot	30 L, 40 cm (15.7 in)
Watering	Water when the soil is dry two fingers down; while growing, in dry spells
Feeding	Hungry; in spring, while growing, while picking
Support and training	None needed; prune

Days to first harvest	200–280 days, from planting
Ready when	The leaves die back
Harvest window	All at once, 3–6 weeks
Typical yield	2–5 kg per plant
Botanical family	Araceae
Watch out for	Root rot in wet soil, spider mites

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Open the free planner, drop Taro onto a bed and see how many plants fit.

My country Last spring frost where I live

Give the date once and this page, the sowing calendar and the planner all follow it.

Months for a temperate climate: about a month later in the north and a month earlier in the south. Give your own last frost date for exact dates.

Crops that need about the same room and care, from another family.