I'm in zone 6 and its getting chilly at nights. I have Elephants Ears in a container, and I'd like to keep it around for next year.
When do I bring it in to store the bulbs? Should I take the bulb out or can I just store it in the container? Is just leaving the container in the room with my other indoor plants an option?
Swyck
Wear a hat and nobody will notice your elephant ears.
It is amazing that nobody has ever written down anything on the winter care of these plants. Or have they?
It's a free country. You can do whatever you want. But, elephant ears are worth treating with care because after 2-3 years, the bulbs get really powerful and will make leaves that frighten burglars away. So, browse through the subject lines in this newsgroup for the subject line "Storing Cannas ...", dated 10/9/04. Find the message I wrote which describes a somewhat involved way of cleaning, protecting and storing bulbs for winter. Do the same for your elephant ears.
I'm in zone 5b and last year I whacked the foliage after the first really good overnight freeze (right around now) and put the bulbs (really a good sized root ball) in pots in the basement. They started growing by a dim basement window. Yes, you can keep them alive over the winter indoors. Watch for pests since you're bringing an outdoor plant in with your other indoor plants. I understand that they're really hardy, so as long as you don't overwater, they should be just fine for next year.
reference. "Elephant ears" ARE the same thing as taro. I bought my decorative plant as a vegetable this spring.
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