Since elephant ears are tropical plants, they require a lot of moisture. Water the plant as close to the soil as possible underneath the foliage so you avoid getting the leaves wet. This stresses the plant. Drooping leaves signal that the plant needs more water. Fertilize your plant once a month with a slow-release fertilizer. Elephant Ear plants are heavy feeders and flourish in fertile soil. A slow-release fertilizer keeps your plants fed by gradually releasing nutrients in the soil to promote steady, consistent growth.
It also requires less maintenance on your part. Nitrogen helps the plant produce chlorophyll, which gives the leaves that gorgeous green color. Mix compost matter or manure into the soil for extra nutrients.
Trim away faded or browning leaves as needed. This will encourage new leaves to grow and keep your garden looking lively. Use garden shears to remove the bad leaves as close to the bulb as possible without cutting the bulb. Their are certain compounds in the leaves that can irritate your hands. A lot of brown or yellow leaves are a sign the plant is either not getting the right amount of sunlight or isn't getting enough water.
Part 3. In preparation, trim down the leaves to just above the bulb. You can discard the leaves or keep them to wrap the bulbs in for storage.
Be careful not to cut into or damage the bulb itself. The best time to cut the leaves is early to mid fall. Use a garden shovel to carefully dig up the plant. Treat it like any other perennial and bury it under a layer of mulch at least 3 inches 7. Let the bulbs dry completely for 1 to 2 days.
Drying out the bulbs minimizes the potential for mold and bacteria to develop. Set the bulbs in a dry, room temperature spot, either inside or outside. Place the bulbs in a paper bag with holes for ventilation.
Never use an airtight container as this traps in moisture and can cause the bulb to rot. A slotted paper bag allows any excess dampness to evaporate. If you don't have a paper bag, a mesh bag will work. During the winter months, keep the bag with the bulbs somewhere with low humidity to prevent the bulbs from molding. An unheated basement or garage are both good options. Did you know you can get premium answers for this article? Unlock premium answers by supporting wikiHow.
Lauren Kurtz Professional Gardener. Lauren Kurtz. Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer. Not Helpful 3 Helpful Do I have to dig them up every winter, or can I leave the tuber in the ground? Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0. Not Helpful 1 Helpful 0. Especially in winter. Anything below 50 degrees is too cold for them.
Pots are perfect as they can be brought indoors for the winter and then brought back outside for the summer. Not Helpful 11 Helpful Where I live our last frost is in May, when should I plant the tubers indoors to be able to have a small sprouting plant to transfer outside? Start your tuber in a large pot indoors in mid-late April.
Transfer the started plant outside when night temperatures are over 50 degrees. Why do you recommend digging them up over the winter? I leave mine in the ground and they come back every year.
If you live in a climate zone where there's no danger of the tuber freezing, or you can insure that it has enough mulch covering it to make freezing a non-issue, then you can leave it in the ground. On the other hand, if you live in an area where it's sub-freezing for an extended period of time and the tuber, even 2" deep, could freeze, you'll lose it if you leave it in the ground. Your choice. Not Helpful 0 Helpful What can cause the elephant ear plant to droop or lay down?
Droopy leaves mean you need to water the plant. And yes, you can grown elephant ear plants as indoor houseplants. When potted, it can go outside in the summer and inside for the winter.
Not Helpful 16 Helpful One reader kept this plant in a 5 gallon container for close to 20 years. It can be a house plant in the winter and summer with some time spent outside in warm weather, helping to prolong its life. Not Helpful 20 Helpful Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. The leaves contain oxalic acid which is toxic when eaten raw. Keep children and animals away from the plants.
However, most of these bulbs will have a smooth side as well as a side that contains more bumps and maybe even a few root hairs from the previous growing season. The smooth side of the Elephant Ear is typically the top and should be planted up. The bumpy side of the Elephant Ear bulb is the bottom and should be planted down.
This is the bottom. Like all bulbs, an Elephant Ear will know which way to grow regardless of how it is planted. When in doubt, plant it on its side! See pictures below for more clarification.
Spring is definitely here and gardeners everywhere are rejoicing! I planted them with that big pink-red pimple looks like a lump downwards, which now I think it was a mistake. The reaon I did that was because some of the bulbs had on their other opposite of the pimple side another rise that looked like a stem that had been cut down in order to preserve and pack the bulbs.
Can you tell me please which side is the right one the one with the pimple or the other , and also how long it takes them to start growing? I couldn't understand Calistoga's anwswer very well because I remember the bulbs had circles and diferent rises from both sides. Tomorrow I am going to dig them put to see what is going on and why they don't grow.
Thank you in advance! I need 2 statues for the grand walk way at Behnam Rugs. Which way is best? Farrow and Ball Elephants breath working with Orange?
Is this faux elephant tusk table set worth anything? Al, I believe you. I just couldn't understand if the rise you are talking about is the pimple I mentioned: Thanks! A rise or a pimple it is going to be a stem. The bulb will grow roots before producing the stem, so it may seem like nothing is happening.
I think the scars on my bulbs are from where smaller bulbs formed and were subsequently detached. Anyway, to make a long story short, the concentric circles are at the top of the "bulb".
Of course, now a new conundrum is born. The article suggests that you plant the bulb 2 times it's height. Folks here think 2" on top of the bulb actually, rhizome is enough.
I guess it depends on how large a "bulb" you begin with. Thanks to all who took an interest in this topic. Here is a link that might be useful: Planting Elephant Ears. I planted three large elephant ears a couple of weeks ago. I reason occured that i had to dig them up an locate them to another area. When planting them i didn't give any thought as to which way was up.
This morning when i dug them up i found numerous roots that sprouted from the down side of the bulb. Also in the center of these roots is a projection that looks like a rhinocerous horn. Their are also a couple of much smaller versions of this protrusions at this same down side.
When i replanted them i assumed that the end with the rhinocerous horn would be the start of the stem; so i put this side up with the horn and sprouted roots up. From my explanation can you advise if i have replanted these bulbs cotrrectely. Please reply as soon as possible; if i am wrong i want to dig them up again and re plant them according to your recomendation.
Well, I have a few of these and I think what you are seeing is sprouts coming from the bottom of the big "bulb"? The bulb is roughly shaped like a Hershey's kiss and I plant with the pointed side up.
The roots always go down. I have planted two bulbs. I think the 2nd is upside down? Which one is planted correctly so that I know if I need to turn the other one over? So I think they are upside down. Indem Sie weiterhin auf der Website surfen bzw.
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