I am especially interested in easy ways to keep tubers from elephant ears, etc. over winter in zone 4. Should they be dry, moist, etc. I know about cannas and dahlias, and I have kept dug up clumps of purple wandering jew in the basement without sun.
Is there a thread devoted to tropical enviers?
Overwintering tropicals in north?
Slightly damp cat litter or saw dust and check for rotting throughout the winter OR leave them in their pots and let them go totally dry - store them in a dark, cool (not cold) place until your weather warms up.
Thanks, this sounds do-able.
When I lived in Missouri, I brought in the bulbs in pots and let them go dry - I prefer this method as I didn't have to worry about rotting bulbs. Use GOOD, loose potting soil, not top soil.
Bring them indoors; when the plants have receded, divide the rhizomes and transplant them to individual pots. Water them only when the soil feels dry until they begin to grow, then increase their care.
Treat them as any other houseplant, then set them outside when the weather has gotten warm.
Thank you, this sounds do-able. The summer I had lots of tropicals in my garden I planted them all in the ground so they could get nice and big, and they did! Then I dug them and put in grocery bags still moist, thinking they shouldn't be dry. Yes they rotted for the most part.