How to Trim a Taro Plant

Propagating

• 1

  Remove young, budding shoots or suckers from harvested corms by carefully breaking them off where they connect to the main corm. You can retain these shoots for propagating, or you can use trimmed main corms instead.

• 2

  Select main corms for replanting. Trim the top 1 to 3 inches off of each corm, using a clean knife, and leave the stem and a few leaves intact. You can start new plants with these stems, which are called "huli" in Hawaii. Store huli in a cool, dry place so its wounds can heal before it is planted.

• 3

  Plant suckers or huli about 3 inches deep in soil, or so the soil covers a third of the huli.

Harvesting

• 4

  Trim taro leaves, if you are growing the plant for its foliage, about two months after planting. The leaves should be young but large in size and can be removed with pruning shears or scissors.

• 5

  Harvest the plant for its root by pulling up the roots from the ground with a spade after the first frost.

• 6

  Cut off foliage where it meets the corm, using a knife or scissors. Mature taro leaves are usually undesirable for cooking.

Cooking

• 7

  Put on gloves and wash the roots to remove dirt and debris, and prepare the tuber for cooking. Taro root contains an irritating substance that can be uncomfortable to sensitive skin.

• 8

  Trim away any growing roots and imperfections from the tuber with scissors.

• 9

  Peel and cut the larger tubers to ensure even cooking. Use a potato peeler to remove the skin and slice the root as desired. Smaller tubers, found among the stringy roots of the plants, may not require cutting and can simply be peeled and boiled.