I bought 4 Elephant Ears at Lowes today. The HUGE (almost as big as a football) ones that are just in a bin dry.
I came home and soaked them. Three are hard, have many eyes and sank. The fourth had a huge soft spot and floated. When i looked closer I could see the there was a large area of rot on it. Thinking the rot wasn't so bad, I started to scrape it off...
Long story short, when the rot was gone only about 1/2 the EE was left. I soaked what was left in some water with (very weak) hydrogen peroxide.
Did I kill it? If not should I let it dry and scab over like a potato before I plant it? There is a huge eye (green shoot even) on the good side.
Thanks,
Melissa
EE, did I kill It, and if not what do I do now?
Hi Melissa,
I have never soaked my EE bulbs before planting. I would think that you need to let the one with the rot removed calous over and then plant. kle a little of that on the rotted area.
Good luck!!! Let us know how it does.
Jeri
I kill EEs Melsissa so I would not ever give advice. I had no clue you were supposed to soak them before planting. I too bought a huge one at half price. I felt bad taking it home to kill but I did anyway. I meant to take a picture to see if anyone could ID it. It is an odd looking one.
Kell, I don't know for sure if you should soak them. I only did because they seemed so terribly dry and that is what i do with dry dahlia tubers, soak them for a few hours before planting. I am fairly sure they'll hate it here in Nevada, i just can't turn down a bargain... or a challenge.
Soaking won't hurt them as I often start them in a muddy water mix.
Let the rotted one dry in the sun for a bit then plant it.
Don't resoak.
If there's a growing eye it should be fine.
Ric
Here is the one I bought. I have no clue which it is. Anyone know?
Kell, Looks like it is forming a trunk so i think it is a ALOCASIA MACRORHIZOS are a ALOC.PORTODORA. ( up right elephant ear ) only time, lots of water and sunshine will tell. Good luck. Send another picture latter this summer. Melissa, Please do the same. jerry
Thanks! I need to plant it! How deep do you think?
Put the roots just under the soil.
You might have to stake it for a week or so to keep it straight.
Ric
Now I know why I kill them, I would have buried the whole thing. LOL
THANKS Ric!
" I too bought a huge one at half price. I felt bad taking it home to kill but I did anyway."
I am choking that was soooo funny, Kell.
Hmmmm, I buried mine completely... But it LOOKED like it should be buried! Really it did!
It was different from yours Kell, so maybe I haven't buried it alive. I took a picture of the alien pod, I should post it and see if i did the right thing.
Here's some Xanths I got a month or so at the Grocery.
They've been kept warm, dark and in a plastic bag
Notice the roots and new growth.
These again you plant plant to just bury the roots about 1".
Which in this cas does mean bury about the whole thing.
Ric
OK, that looks very similar to the alien pods i purchased. What do you do when there are more than one eye, and they are on different sides?
I bury 1/3-1/2 of the bulb with the sprouts pointed up.
Jeri
This is my alien pod (George) before i planted him. I think i planted him too deep. Should i dig him up?
This message was edited May 2, 2007 4:24 PM
I'd plant that w/ the green tip and maybe the brown to the first ring showing.
They can always be dug up....They're tough cookies...
Ric
I planted it about four inches deep. I'd better dig him up!