By Ikebana
United Kingdom
How does one plant & grow elephant ears? I am in my eighties and have been given on bulb. Which end Up do i plant it Inside Or out ?
- 4 Apr, 2011
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Elephant ears is usually Colocasia - I'd guess your 'bulb' looks a bit like a piece of ginger root right now! If it has not yet got any little bumps or buds showing, then pot it up in at least a 6 inch pot in good potting compost, leaving the top just showing (doesn't matter which way up if you can't see any buds yet, but if there are any bumps at one end, leave that bit just showing). Now needs to be kept at 20 deg C (airing cupboard or propagator) until the shoots are 5-6 inches high, then move out of its warm spot to slightly cooler conditions (sunny windowsill) for a couple of weeks, then start hardening it off (leaving outside for a few hours a day, lengthening the number of hours till its outside all night, over a period of about a week). Then plant in the ground or a very large pot outside - bear in mind they get pretty big so will need plenty of space.
4 Apr, 2011