how deep do you plant elephant ear bulbs

Elephant ears are impressive plants that are prized for their dramatic foliage and bold texture.
elephant ear plant

Their immense leaves can measure up to 2 feet across, with foliage colors ranging from lime green to almost black. These summer-loving plants grow from a "corm" which should be planted in the spring. They take well to growing in pots, provided you follow a few guidelines.

Elephant ears belong to two related groups of plants, Colocasia and Alocasia. Both types can be grown in the garden or as houseplants, though colocasias are the larger variety and are more often planted outdoors . Alocasias are the variety more commonly grown as houseplants.

When you buy dormant elephant ear plants, you're buying the corms, or bulb-like structure. A corm is a swollen underground stem. Corms look like bulbs, but while bulbs are formed from compressed leaves, a corm is all stem. When you cut into a corm you won't see any layers. Plants also produce offsets that can be broken off and planted elsewhere.

How to Plant Elephant Ear Corms Outside:

• Plant elephant ear bulbs outside after all danger of frost has passed and daytime temperatures remain above 70 degrees. Elephant Ears are tropical plants and cannot tolerate any frost. They only emerge when the soil is warm.

• Select a location in full sun or part sun with a good, rich, moist, organic soil.

• Prepare the bed for elephant ears by turning the soil under to a depth of 8 inches. Then, level with a rake to remove clumps of grass and stones.

• Most elephant ear plants respond well to soils amended with organic matter. Compost is a wonderful form of organic matter with a good balance of nutrients and an ideal pH level, and it can be added to your planting area at any time. If compost is not available, top dress the soil after planting with 1-2 inches of organic mulch, which will begin to breakdown into compost. After the growing season, a soil test will indicate what soil amendments are needed for the following season.

• Dig a hole so that the top of the bulb is 4 inches deeper than the soil line. Cover with 4 inches of soil.

• Plant elephant ear bulbs 2-4 feet apart. Plant so the growing tip is up.

• Tubers may be started inside 6-8 weeks before all danger of frost has passed. Plant the tubers individually in 6 inch pots using a good quality potting soil or seed starting soil. They require a warm soil in order to emerge so consider using a heat mat.

• Elephant Ear will not survive the winter outdoors. The plant must be dug in the fall and stored indoors over winter.

o Cut the plants back to within 2 to 4 inches of the ground a few days after the first frost.

o Carefully dig the plants with a spade or potato fork.

o Allow the base to dry for a day so that they are dry to the touch.

o Store them in peat moss or vermiculite in the coolest part of the house, typically the basement or a crawlspace.

Growing Elephant Ears in Containers:
Elephant ears do well in containers so long as you provide them with the right sized container, proper soil, and adequate sunlight. The size container you need to buy for your plant will depend on the variety you grow.

Giving your plants large pots give their roots plenty of space to grow and thrive. You also won't need to re-pot them too quickly. Also, larger pots dry out slower, so you won't need to water as often. Remember, elephant ear plants prefer consistently moist soil to grow to their optimal size.

• Colocasia species typically need pots that are at least 18 inches wide and 16 inches deep.

• Alocasia cultivars need pots that are at least 36 inches wide.

• If you want to use a smaller pot so that you can gradually size up, pick a container that is at least two inches larger than the pot at the garden nursery.

• If possible, pick a container that is made of a non-porous material. Plastic, fiberglass, or glazed clay are ideal choices because they encourage moisture retention.

• The container must have drainage holes at the bottom to let the water run out. Elephant ears do like moist soil, but they don't like standing water.

• Adding compost to a commercial potting mix will further enhance its moisture-retaining abilities while also boosting nutrition. Elephant ears are heavy feeders. You can also fertilize them about once a month, following package directions, to boost growth, or treat them to a slow-release fertilizer at the start of the season.

• Container grown plants can be overwintered by placing them in a cool porch or basement.

Elephant Ear Tips to Proper Growing
The two main issues that may arise when caring for your alocasia plants are; dry air and cool temperatures. Elephant ears are tropical plants so are used to very warm, humid conditions. These things can be hard to replicate inside our homes so we've come up with some top tips to help you out: Your plant will appreciate medium-high humidity, to help increase humidity daily you can do the following:

Temperature and Humidity

1. Place a tray of pebbles with water underneath your plant to evaporate.

2. Mist your plant daily.

3. Place near a humidifier.

Problems with Elephant Ears:

• Brown leaves: Brown leaves on the Elephants Ear plant could be caused by two problems: Overwatering or the cold. Check your watering schedule and ensure that the soil is moist and not soggy. Check that the plant is placed in an area where it is warm enough, 15°C or more.

• Leaves are dry and/or crispy: Dry, crispy leaves are caused by low humidity. Increase humidity to address this.

• Crown, leaf spot, and stem or root rot: These diseases are caused by overwatering and usually appear as dark brown or black spots on the leaves surrounded by a yellowish rim. To prevent this, avoid over-watering, keep the leaves dry, and provide it with good air circulation. If your plant does get infected, immediately remove the infected and damaged leaves. Treat it with an organic Fungicide.

• Pale/Patchy brown leaves: This is caused by too much light, usually direct sunlight. This may also occur if you have moved the plant from a dark area to a very bright area too quickly. The plant may have been unable to adapt to its new surroundings sufficiently.

• Pests: to prevent an invasion of Mealy Bugs, Scale, Aphids or Spider mites you can spray your plant with warm soapy water every few weeks. This will also keep the large leaves dust free. If you do find that you have an infestation of pests, spray the plant with an ultra-fine insecticidal oil, such as Neem Oil. This will kill the pests as well as the egg.

Elephant Ear Plant Toxicity:
NOTE: The Elephants Ear plant is very poisonous and should be kept away from children and pets.

Elephant Ear Varieties