Potting/Planting Colocasia Elephant Ear Bulbs

Caring for Elephant Ear Plants: From Bulb to Bloom

These tropical bulb plants need a minimum temperature of 70º F to grow to a substantial size, per expectation. The bulbs may be started indoors, 4 to 6 weeks in late winter, at temps from 60º to 75⁰ F. Plant into a 8–10-inch pot filled with fresh potting mix or peat, and water. Cover completely and keep moist not wet. (This is especially smart in cool, short summer regions.) Be patient as it will take time for the bulb to generate roots and display leaf growth. Plant outdoors when the ground temperature is a minimum of 50⁰ F every night. This occurs usually by May 1st in USDA zones 6-4. Grow your plants in full sun in cool climates. In warm, tropical regions, where they stay in the ground year-round, provide partial shade. Elephant Ear plants grow well in water gardens and boggy soils. Five-gallon containers or larger filled with rich topsoil will serve as a sustainable grow environment. Water your plants generously and fertilize often.