Tips For Storing Elephant Ear Bulbs

After you clean the elephant ear bulbs, they must be dried. Keep elephant ear bulbs in a warm (but not hot), dark place for about a week. Make sure that the area has good air circulation so that the bulbs dry properly. After this, keep elephant ear bulbs wrapped in paper and in a cool, dry place.

How do you save elephant ear bulbs for next year?

It's a fairly simple process:

After your first frost, cut the stems to about 6 inches tall.
Put the tubers in a grocery bag, plastic pot or bulb rate and cover with a mix of peat moss and soil.
Add water to the container and store it in a cool, dark place to ensure the tuber stays dormant throughout the winter.

When should I dig up my elephant ear bulbs?

You will want to dig up elephant ears when the weather starts to get cold and the leaves start to get brown and crunchy. You can wait until after the first frost, but not much longer after that, or the tuber will die.

Can you replant elephant ear bulbs?

Transplanting Time

Elephant ears sprout from tubers in spring and quickly grow into large, spreading clumps. In frost-free areas elephant ears can be transplanted any time of year, but transplanting when the plants are small is easiest.

Which side of elephant ear bulb goes down?

The smooth side of the Elephant Ear bulb is the top and should planted up. The bumpy side of the Elephant Ear bulb is the bottom and should be planted down.

Can elephant ears stay outside in winter?

CARING FOR ELEPHANT EARS IN THE FALL

Elephant ears will not survive freezing temperatures and are winter hardy only in zones 9-11. In colder areas, you can either treat elephant ears as annuals and discard them at the end of the growing season, or you can store the tubers indoors and replant them next year.

Can you save elephant ear bulbs?

After you clean the elephant ear bulbs, they must be dried. Keep elephant ear bulbs in a warm (but not hot), dark place for about a week. Make sure that the area has good air circulation so that the bulbs dry properly. After this, keep elephant ear bulbs wrapped in paper and in a cool, dry place.

Will elephant ears grow back each year?

Are elephant ears perennials? Most are perennials in Zone 9 and warmer, where they will come back each summer. If gardening in cooler zones, you can treat them as annuals or dig up the tubers before the first frost and keep them in a cool, dry place over winter.

Can elephant ears grow in pots?

Plant corms 2-4 feet apart, 4-6 inches deep in moist, well-drained soil high in organic matter. You can grow the smaller varieties in large containers. ... If growing in containers you'll have to keep the soil evenly, constantly moist. Elephant Ears come in a wide variety of colors and sizes.

How do you store bulbs for the winter?

Store tender bulbs in paper bags, reusable mesh bags, or cardboard boxes with air holes poked in for air circulation. Fill the container with peat moss, sawdust, or vermiculite—enough to cover each bulb by one inch. Make sure the bulbs have enough air circulation to prevent rotting. Store bulbs in a dry place.

Should you soak elephant ear bulbs before planting?

This smooth end will produce the sprout and should be facing up. Plant the bulb so that it is covered with 1-2" of soil. Thoroughly soak the area with water once the tubers have been planted. Continue to water regularly throughout the growing season.

Why is my elephant ear plant flowering?

These tropical beauties, like other plants, will bloom when they reach maturity and receive the perfect growing conditions. Most gardeners remove any flowers that form so all the energy can go into producing more attractive leaves.

Are elephant ears poisonous?

Elephant Ear Plant Safety

The leaves and stems are the most toxic parts of the plants. Even touching them can cause skin irritation and itching, and if you get the sap in your eyes, your eyes will sting and burn for several hours. ... Elephant ear poisoning is rarely fatal, unless large amounts are eaten.

What happens if you plant bulbs upside down?

It will still grow, even if it's upside-down, although the plant will be unnecessarily stressed and may eventually die if left upside-down. You can always dig up the bulb after it has finished flowering to see which side the leaves have emerged from (that's the top of the bulb).

Do elephant ears bloom?

Although elephant ears are grown primarily as foliage plants, they can bloom – but flowers are not common in the Midwest. The inflorescences are the typical aroid type with a white to yellow or light green spathe surrounding the spadix.

Are coffee grounds good for elephant ears?

Coffee grounds can help to add much-needed nitrogen to the soil around your elephant ear plant. There is no other real positive effects that coffee offers a plant. Too much coffee grounds in the soil can have the opposite effect though and will actually rob the soil of nitrogen and also rob it of its nutrients.

Will elephant ears come back after a freeze?

While elephant ear plants survive winters in frost-prone areas, specifically within USDA zones 8 through 9, the foliage will die back after a frost or cold spell. Once the first frost kills the foliage, cut back the stalks 2 to 4 inches from the soil line, then cover the soil with a layer of mulch 4 inches deep.

Are elephant ears poisonous to dogs?

What is Alocasia (Elephant Ear) Poisoning? The elephant ear plant is a houseplant with giant pointed leaves that look like elephant ears. This plant may be nice to look at, but it can be toxic to your dog. In fact, it can even be fatal if not treated right away.

Are elephant ears invasive?

Elephant ears are actually a group of plants scientifically known as Alocasia, Colocasia, and Xanthosoma. They all have bold foliage and can add a tropical look to any garden. ... And Xanthosoma sagittifolium is considered invasive or a problem species as well. Gardeners should stick with Alocasia species.

Can you overwater elephant ears?

Elephant ears are rarely overwatered. It may be too much fertilizer, too little iron, etc etc.

How much sun do elephant ears need?

Growing elephant ear plants is easy. Most of these plants prefer rich, moist soil and can be grown in full sun, but they generally prefer partial shade. The tubers can be placed directly outdoors once the threat of frost or freezing temperatures have ceased in your area.

Should I prune my elephant ears?

Take care of your Elephant's Ear and it will take care of you! Below are simple tips to continue caring for and growing your Elephant's Ear over time. Pruning - the voluptuous leaves will droop as they age. You can safely trim these off with a clean blade, this will give your plant more energy to grow new leaves!