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?
Which side of elephant ear bulb goes down?
Do you cut back elephant ears in the fall?
Do elephant ears come back?
Do elephant ear bulbs multiply?
Can elephant ears stay outside in winter?
Should I soak my elephant ear bulbs before planting?
What happens if you plant bulbs upside down?
How often should you water elephant ear bulbs?
Where is the best place to plant elephant ears?

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.

Which side of elephant ear bulb goes down?

These should be planted horizontally 1″ or 2″ below the ground's surface. 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.

Do you cut back elephant ears in the fall?

Cut back an elephant ear plant two or three days after the first killing frost when the foliage turns brown. Depending on the climate, this can happen anytime from late summer to midwinter. ... The plant is now ready to overwinter in the garden or be dug up for winter storage.

Do elephant ears come back?

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.

Do elephant ear bulbs multiply?

Elephant ears can become huge plants with gigantic leaves. Many spread through underground runners, or stolons, and send up baby plants along the way. These babies can be separated from the parent plant and installed elsewhere.

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.

Should I soak my 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.

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).

How often should you water elephant ear bulbs?

Plan on giving plants at least 2-3 inches of water per week. Fertilizing: Elephant ears are heavy eaters, as well as drinkers. Fertilize monthly with a general fertilizer of choice.

Where is the best place to plant elephant ears?

Elephant Ears perform best in sun or part shade. While most can be grown in partial shade, the darker colored varieties are best grown in full sun. Provide a sheltered location to protect the decorative leaves from strong winds.