elephant ear bulb? help

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goldenway Hudson, NY(Zone 5a) May 16, 2011

Hello everyone, I have broken my ankle so I am laid up for 3 MONTHS what a mess. This my favorite time of the year!!!! Anyway....
ok so I bought a large elephant ear bulb the green kind. and planted it in a large pot about 3 weeks ago, I have not seen anything pop up yet. We have not had frost or nights that are in the 30's. I am so looking forward to seeing this beautiful large plant any advice? Help

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kwanjin (Zone 7a) May 16, 2011

It's probably working on getting it's roots down before putting up foliage. Sorry about the ankle. That's got to hurt.

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Elijablue Wheaton, IL(Zone 5b) May 16, 2011

It does take a while for them to show any growth. I overwintered one in a dormant stage a few years ago, and it seemed to take forever to start growing again. Since then, I've brought my plant in and kept it growing as a houseplant over the winter, since they are not hardy here. In the spring, the plant is ready to go outside!

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WeeNel Ayrshire Scotland, United Kingdom May 17, 2011

" years ago I bought 2 of those very large tubers / bulbs, planted them up in good soil as directed, kept them inside my greenhouse (spring) waited and waited, gave up after 9 months, about to throw the pot of soil out and clean the large pot, so thought I had better scrape some compost away, shock horror, there under about 2 inch of soil was a nice large pale shoot just taking it's time to go further up the soil to light.

Don't be so impatient and just keep the soil from drying out, I placed a layer of grit on the top of my compost so when I needed to give a good drink, the soil didn't splash up into the foliage and spoil it. once growing they get big fast, you must feed well in the growing season also, they are hungry plants and I think in your zone will need indoors till you see shoots appear through the soil, then pop outdoors for summer, back inside winter.

By the way, only one of the 2 bulbs took the second one was reduced to mush, don't ask me why as they were both in the same pot, it happens sometimes and maybe the bulb had a soft bit on it and I never noticed, maybe some little bug got in and ate bits, however, my other one is going great again and looks really handsome.

Good luck, WeeNel.

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goldenway Hudson, NY(Zone 5a) May 18, 2011

oh boy..... looks like this is going to take forever!! So i should bring the pot in and hope that it shoots up!!! I hope that it has not rotted...Thanks to all!

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