The ideal daytime temperature will be around 70 °F (21 °C).
If a plant isn’t getting enough sun, you’ll notice the leaves turning yellow. The sunnier the spot, the more you’ll have to water the plant to prevent the soil from drying out.
Recreate tropical conditions in your garden by keeping the soil moist and not letting it dry out. Using a raised bed or installing a drainage system in your garden can help avoid overwatering. Test the drainage by digging a hole about 1 foot (0. 30 m) deep and filling it with water. If it takes longer than 4 hours to empty, you have poor drainage. Don’t oversaturate your soil when you water your elephant ears.
To lower a soil’s pH, add some sulphur, gypsum, or organic compost. To increase a soil’s pH, sprinkle a little garden lime or limestone into the soil.
Choose a clumping variety of elephant ears if you don’t want them to spread. [5] X Research source If you don’t plant them far enough apart, the elephant ears will steal sunlight and water from each other. A larger plant will cover a smaller one, for example, so the leaves of the smaller plant can’t get enough light.
The bulbs will push upwards as they grow so it’s important to leave enough space that they won’t break through the soil. Larger bulbs will need slightly deeper holes.
The bottom may also have some root hairs leftover from the previous season. If you can’t tell which end is the bottom, lay the bulb on its side in the hole. The roots will be able to grow down and the greens will grow up naturally.
Elephant ears require a lot of water, especially when they’re first planted.
This helps if you’re planting other plants, flowers, or bushes in your garden so you know where everything is growing and don’t accidentally overcrowd them.
If there’s still no sprout after 3 weeks, carefully dig up the bulb to inspect it for rot. Cut off any bad spots, then plant it again.
Never let the plant dry out between watering. This stresses the plant. Drooping leaves signal that the plant needs more water.
Look for a fertilizer that’s high in nitrogen. Nitrogen helps the plant produce chlorophyll, which gives the leaves that gorgeous green color. Mix compost matter or manure into the soil for extra nutrients.
Wear gloves when you’re trimming the leaves if you have sensitive skin. Their are certain compounds in the leaves that can irritate your hands. A lot of brown or yellow leaves are a sign the plant is either not getting the right amount of sunlight or isn’t getting enough water.
Yellow leaves are another sign the plant is going dormant. You can discard the leaves or keep them to wrap the bulbs in for storage. Be careful not to cut into or damage the bulb itself. The best time to cut the leaves is early to mid fall.
If you live in a tropical, warm climate, you may not need to dig up your plant. Treat it like any other perennial and bury it under a layer of mulch at least 3 inches (7. 6 cm) deep.
Keep them out of reach of children or pets. If there are any remnants of leaves on the bulbs, they’re poisonous.
Wrap the bulbs in leaves from the plant, sphagnum peat moss, or garden vermiculite to protect them further. If you don’t have a paper bag, a mesh bag will work.
Check the bulbs every so often. If you notice that one is rotting, throw it away so it doesn’t spread to the others.
