Bulbs
Elephant ear bulbs are the easiest way to grow colocasias or alocasias from scratch . pick up how to plant them in our in - profundity guide .
Contents
TheElephant Ear industrial plant , also known as Colocasia or Alocasia , is known for its huge leaves . Elephant ears are capital for layered landscape configurations due to their heavy , dark , and sometimes patterned leaf .
Elephant ear plant come in various colors , which roll from green to lightlessness and purpleness . If you ’re thinking of planting elephant ear lightbulb in your garden , you ’ve number to the correct place .
In this art object , we ’ll discourse the horticulture tips related to caring for and planting elephant ear incandescent lamp . understand this guide for excellent elephant ears !
What Are Elephant Ear Bulbs?
Upright elephant capitulum are called alocasias , whereas elephant capitulum that go dormant are called colocasias . Both have bulb , though the more accurate terminus is a corm .
Once engraft , elephant ears grow fairly apace and can replicate or even triple in sizing if they are take care of decently . They are mostly grow in containers . Elephant ears are easy to replant because you could simply break them and embed them somewhere else without starting all over again .
The elephant ear works grew popular in the belated 1990s , when tropic works were the newfangled trend since they come in many sizes and dissimilar colors . Elephant spike are still very democratic in tropic region since they are huge and help in adding personality to your garden .
So , let ’s figure out how to plant elephant ear bulbs properly so you could savour the beauty of this grand works .
Before You Plant Elephant Ears
Before planting elephant bulbs , it is vital to keep the follow things in mind . Remember to give your elephant ears the basic care they need so you’re able to have dramatic leafage in the growing season .
Weather and Temperature
Elephant ear plant life thrive in the sun and grow fast in the summer . They favour quick atmospheric condition around 50 ° F ( 10 ° nose candy ) . However , if taken care of properly , elephant ears can survive in the wintertime , too . They can also be covered with layer of mulch that can protect them during winters , and help them survive freeze temperature .
Elephant ears need the full sun to grow . It is best to give them partial shade for a small while during an exceedingly hot daytime , but during winter days , it is best to give them lineal sunshine . Full sun is better in the morning , but too much sun in the afternoon could sear the leaves of certain varieties .
Soil
The elephant spike plant life should be acquire in loamy grime that hold a slew of organic matter , which can be added through compost . The soil should be moist all class round since elephant ears postulate a lot of wet to grow .
You also want to constitute elephant spike in grunge that ’s slightly acidulent . Since it must retain some wet , you may want to repair the ground with racy container mixture , or a ample potting soil . The soil for elephant ears should give them the nutrition they call for in the growing season .
Spacing
The right spacing for elephant spike highly count on the type of plant life you are growing . Some plants need to be spaced 10′ feet apart , whereas some require to be space 6′ feet apart , since their roots need infinite to unfold out under the soil .
check out the variety of elephant ears you have against its received spatial arrangement and plan for a planting that can adapt your bulb . disjoined bulb into another area or container that would otherwise be crowded out .
Planting
Before planting elephant ear bulbs , verify to pick the right tubers . If you pick tubers that are large , plump and firm enough to hold big leave , the leaves of your elephant ears will grow big and lush . When planting , it ’s a good estimation to go at least 5 - 6″ in deep since your works will need a lot of space to rise .
It ’s best to start rise elephant ears in gravid container because it is easy to keep the soil moist , but you could certainly found in - ground . Just make certain to cover the corm with at least 1″ inch of soil .
Water
Water elephant ear so the soil stay moist . Almost all elephant auricle plant life grow up to 72″ inch ( 183 atomic number 96 ) tall , or even taller , so they need a lot of water at all times . It is better to avoid the lead and the stems and irrigate the roots since they provide moisture to the whole plant .
Water your elephant ears less in winter than you do in spring , summer , and fall . Gradually decrease your watering as fall come and cut it back significantly in wintertime . commonly wintertime hurry will be enough to keep your bulbs healthy .
Fertilizer
This plant grow fast , but it needs a set of food to turn . Make indisputable to apply plant food regularly to make certain your plant does n’t die . Use a 20 - 20 - 20 balanced weewee - soluble recipe , and run your elephant ears twice per month in spring through fall .
Do not fertilize your elephant ears when they ’re winter in soil . They move into quiescency in late crepuscule , and wo n’t be able-bodied to absorb he nutrients from any feeding .
How to Plant Elephant Ear Bulbs
If you have a big , spacious garden , it is best to first pick a blot for this plant . For the elephant ear , prefer a spot that will get a plenty of sun and will have a temperature above 55 ° F ( 13 ° C ) . Before plant elephant ear bulbs in the soil , add 2 column inch of compost since this plant needs a lot of constitutive topic to grow .
This plant thrive between pH 6 - 7 . If your dirt is too acidic , simply add birdlime or atomic number 16 to balance the pH. The next whole step is to dig out a hole that is at least 4 to 6 inches abstruse and then place the elephant ear bulb inside . The flat end of your bulb should be point down . After you ’re done , underwrite the incandescent lamp with moist soil until it is completely cut across .
employ a balanced fertilizer on your elephant ear plant every 2 weeks and your plant will grow fast . If you see any brown folio , cut them before they increase in number and verify to irrigate your plant regularly to prevent that from materialise .
During winters , low-spirited the water intake and trim your leaf every once in a while . you could even move this plant indoors during winters , which we ’ll discuss in the next section .
How To Overwinter Elephant Ear Bulbs
Since it is easy to replant the elephant ear bulbs , you could always dig up the corms , but make certain to handle the bulb with uttermost care to preclude damage . plow them like you would flower bulb .
You ’ll desire to look until 1 to 2 weeks before your modal first frost day of the month . Then remove all the leaf with needlelike , sterilized pruning shears , foreshorten to just above the ground .
Use a diminished hand trowel or Hori Hori garden tongue to dig up the corms . Where potential , loosen the soil around the elephant ear bulb , and then pull it up with your hand . provide any new , developing beginning attach to other electric light . Then remove the land from around roots carefully , and trim off excess roots with pruning shears .
Then repose your corm on the ground and practice a garden hose to wash them neat . rent them dry in a nerveless , sullen place for about a workweek . Cut off any deadened leaf that remains , and loosely wind each elephant ear bulb in newspaper or paper . put in the genus Tuber indoors in this box through winter .
chequer them every few hebdomad for signs of pests or diseases . If any show up , handle the bulb with aneem oilspray and permit them dry out before wrapping and storing them again .
Frequently Asked Questions
Q : What calendar month do you plant elephant ear bulbs ?
A : You require to institute elephant ears some time in spring , after the soil temperature has reached 50 ° atomic number 9 . Remember , these are tropical works that do n’t abide insensate very well .
Q : Do elephant ear bulbs fare back every year ?
A : specially in more moderate regions , yes . They will retort from the corm in spring . In cold regions , it may be best to overwinter your bulbs in composition board box .
Q : How long does it take for elephant auricle to grow from bulbs ?
A : After you establish elepant ears , they sprout in roughly 3 to 8 weeks .
Q : Do elephant ear bulbs broadcast ?
A : It look on the mixed bag you ’re grow . Some have spreading roots while others cleave pretty much in the same spot year around .
Q : Can elephant ear medulla be left in the ground ?
A : In geographical zone 7 through 11 , you may plant elephant ears in bounce and leave them in the ground through wintertime .
Q : Do you have to travail up the elephant ear bulbs every winter ?
A : Not of necessity . If your wintertime are not that cold , or if your corms are well - protected with a thick layer of mulch they may be fine over winter . If you know the ground tends to freeze often where you live in winter , dig them up and stash away them .
Q : What do you do with elephant ear bulbs in the fall ?
A : you may either fix the soil with a thick layer of mulch , or you may remove the bulb from the earth about 1 to 2 hebdomad before the first hoarfrost to winter in boxes .
Q : Should you hook elephant ear bulbs before planting ?
A : No . Avoid this , as the bulb should be kept ironical when they ’re not in the undercoat . Soaking can cause various fungous rotting and water borne sickness .
