Overwinter Elephant Ear Tubers or Plant and Bring Indoors?

Hi Everyone,

I was just able to purchase some Elephant Ear tubers/bulbs on clearance. They look like they are wanting to sprout some foliage from the big bulb. The problem: It's August and I live in zone 5/6 so they can't winter in the ground. This is my first go with the Elephant Ears, so I'm not sure if I should plant them in a pot and bring them indoors or hold them over and store in saw dust for next year. What does everyone think?

I would get as much growth out of them as possible before storing for winter. Not growing for a season may stunt the bulb or possibly kill it.

Why not just make a nice house plant out of it?

Yes, let them start growing in as much good light and water as you can give, in pots.
Bring the pots in when cold threatens, decrease water, they will lose older leaves but may not go completely dormant.

I live in Zone 6. I have my Elephant Ear "Black Magic" permanently planted in a large water bowl in that pond medium for pond plants. I haul it into the garage in the winter and hide them in a corner until spring. They will go dormant. Keep them just moist in the winter, not sitting in water. And make sure your garage stays above their lowest temperature.

If you have enough room, bring your potted Elephant Ear into the house for the winter - they don't go dormant unless it gets cold enough.

The biggest problem with these plants is their incredible growth rate. Mid-summer you will be pulling it up and separating anyway so plant them now.

Everybody - thank you for all of your advice and experience. Looks like I am going to be having some big 'ole houseplants this winter.

One more question. I plant these babies now, get some growth out of them, and bring them in before the first frost. Do I want to maintain them throughout the winter and put them back out in spring, or do I want try to get them to eventually go dormant before spring?

Thank you Thank you Thank you!

The Elephant Ear may go dormant on its own in the fall. If it does, stop watering (just damp) and cut it back to the ground. In 8 to 10 weeks, start watering again and it will come out of dormancy and grow.

If you are growing it in a pot with holes in the bottom, use regular potting soil and put the pot in a saucer. When its actively growing, keep the saucer full of water. When (if) it goes dormant, keep it damp only (no water in the saucer).

Luckily, it won't reach it full potential in a pot, otherwise, you would have to move out so the plant could move in.

Daisy

I would fully expect it to go dormant, and unless you have a sunporch or other very bright location, let it stay dormant or semi dormant until near spring.
Therefore, maintaining through winter should be expecting smaller leaves and less growth, and responding with less water, NO fertilizer.
IMHO.

I moved my 22 inch and 18 inch pot of EEs into my storage room in the basement last November. Dim light and occasional water for the first few weeks but they slowly went dormant so I turned off the light and no more water. Moved them outdoors in late April - full sun, lots of water and some fertilizer. They are going great guns.

Awesome advice! Thanks everyone!

Orchi23

You have a lot of different ideas here. Just remember to see where each one is posting from. i.e.that would depend on how they treat the plants

Daiseyplantlady from Nevada might be the closest to your climate in utah, however you might want to treat it differently for whatever reason. Jeanette