Time

3–6 weeks

Level

Intermediate

Success rate

High

Sterile knife or sharp pruners

Nitrile or latex gloves

Garden fork or trowel

Pots or planting holes with rich moist soil

Sulfur or cinnamon (optional, for cut surfaces)

Lift the parent in early spring

Wait until the soil has warmed to about 60°F and just before new leaves push up from the corm. Use a garden fork to lift the entire corm cluster from the ground or slide a potted plant out of its container. Gently brush soil away so you can see the corm clearly.

Wear gloves the whole time. Taro sap contains calcium oxalate crystals that irritate skin.

Identify the eyes

Look across the surface of the parent corm for raised buds, called eyes. Each eye is a future shoot. A division is only viable if it contains at least one eye, and ideally two or three.

Cut the corm into pieces

Use a sterile knife to slice the corm into chunks, making sure each chunk has at least one eye and a portion of root. Aim for divisions roughly the size of a fist for the most reliable growth.

Dust cuts and dry overnight

Sprinkle sulfur powder or cinnamon on each cut surface to discourage rot. Spread the divisions on a tray out of direct sun and let the cuts dry for 12 to 24 hours.

Planting still wet at the cut leads to soft rot in the soil.

Plant 2 inches deep in damp soil

Push each division into rich moist soil with the eye facing up and bury it about 2 inches deep. Water in well. Taro is a swamp plant and prefers consistently damp to wet soil, so do not let the planting hole dry out.

Wait for shoots to push up

New shoots typically push through the soil in 3 to 6 weeks once the divisions wake up and root. Hold off on fertilizer until you see the first leaves unfurl. Then resume normal taro care with consistent moisture and warmth.

Time

4–8 weeks

Level

Beginner

Success rate

High

Sterile knife or sharp pruners

Nitrile or latex gloves

4-inch pots with drainage holes

Rich moist potting mix

Garden fork or trowel

Lift the parent in early spring

Lift the entire corm cluster from the ground or from its pot once the weather warms but before strong new growth begins. Brush soil away so you can see where smaller cormels attach to the side of the parent.

Wear gloves the whole time.

Find cormels with their own roots

Look for the small side corms growing along the parent. The best candidates are at least the size of a golf ball and already have a few roots of their own. Smaller cormels can still work but take longer.

Twist or slice each cormel free

Most cormels twist off cleanly with a gentle pull. For tougher attachments, use a sterile knife to slice the connection.

Leave at least a few roots attached to each cormel.

Dry the cuts for a few hours

Spread the cormels on a tray out of direct sun and let any cut surfaces dry for 4 to 6 hours. This light drying lets the wound seal before going into damp soil.

Pot each cormel in damp mix

Fill 4-inch pots with rich moist potting mix. Plant each cormel so the top sits just at the soil surface. Water in well and keep the soil consistently damp.

Move to bright warm conditions

Place the pots in a warm spot at 70 to 80°F with bright indirect light. New leaves typically push up within 4 to 8 weeks. Resume normal taro care once the first leaf unfurls.