Storing Blubs In The Northeast Over Winter - New To Dave's

I've started to love unsual plants. I've purchsed elephant ears (Black Magic & Green Big Leaf) & a Canna, I would like to store them over the winter. I've but them in big pots. Please let me know how to keep them for next year. Zone 6A

I live in zone 10 and we are fortuneate to keep them in-ground all year.

if you have a basement just store there

Do I dig up the blubs, cut the foilage & store in a bag or let the foilage die and leave blub in the pot, for next year. I'm confused.

if you can move the pots inside i'd just move them in and do nothing, then back outside when weather permits. I assumed you had really large pots and would be very difficult to move inside. if they remain in pots, be careful soil in pots don't completely dry out.

Thanks
Deb

Deb, I've had trouble overwintering some of my bulbs in the basement. I've tried several different methods. The best results I've had is putting a lot of bulbs in a pot (can't have a ton of pots in the basement) with soil. Then watering it just a little once a month. If the canna's are BIG, like mine are ... just put them in a paper bag, they will do fine. Smaller ones are harder to overwinter. I've never done elephant ears, but I have done the potato vines. Good Luck

I've had a lot of trouble with the elephant ears: colcasias and alocasias. Last year, I tried holding them over in pots in my basement. This method always works for my cannas and my bananas. Never fails. However, I think the elephant ears need a little more moisture to make it through. Too much, and they will rot. As an experiment, I tried overwintering one of my alocasias in a sunny window. The plant made it through fine, but it hasn't grown much at all since I moved it outdoors and planted it in the garden. Even with regular fertilization, it has grown very little.

Mine usually either rot or dry out and turn to powder. Don't know why...

dlefferts - I am from MA, zone 5. I brought two EEs ('Black Magic' and 'Illustris') in their pots and stored in a north facing bedroom for the winter. I put the pots near the window although there was little light. They did make it through the winter and are thriving now. They will drop many leaves and will look very raggedy (sp?) by the end of winter but will recover in spring. Just water them less. The only thing I'd caution you is that they are prone to spider mites in dry environments so you'll have to watch for these pests and treat with an insecticidal soup or pyretheum spray (I like Safer brand Insect spray).

Some people dry and store the tubers but I know that you can't do this with certain kinds. 'Illustris' is one that you can't store dry.

what should I do with anemone tubers? the plants have completely disapeared so I want to dig them up and store them but I am not sure if it is to early . If I lose track of them I might forget them and the frozen ground will kill them

Thanks for all your advice. I've learned alot.