Elephant Ear Plant - How to Grow it

An elephant ear plant gets its name due to the very large size of the leaves on it. They are amazingly large and so if you want to grow this type of plant you need to give it plenty of room to spread out. They can grow up to five feet tall but many people love the colorful leaves that are offered. These are outdoor plants but they do require plenty of sunlight. They do well in areas that are hot and that also have high humidity in the air.

You can keep elephant ear plants growing year after year by digging up the bulbs after they have all died for the season. Then you can plant then again in the spring time. You need to make sure you store the bulbs in a very cool and dry area though. Otherwise you can plant them the following season and they won't grow like they should. This can be quite disappointing. If you live in a region where the winter isn't too cold you can keep them in the ground. You just want to cover them with about 2" of mulch for protection.

For the best results you need to place the elephant ear plant in a well nourished soil. You do want to keep them separate from other types of plants as they will draw all the nutrients and what you have out there with them will die. You will need to keep a good eye on bugs and pets too. They tend to find the elephant ear plant to be a great source of food.

Don't plant the bulbs until the last risk of frost has occurred. If you plant them too soon you will find they don't thrive like they should. In some areas you will be able to plant them early spring. In others though you will have to wait until very late spring. When you know the temperatures aren't going to dip below 45 then it is save to plant those bulbs.

Generally you will start to see signs of your elephant ear plant within 3 weeks. Some people find that when they use organic materials they get to see them sprouting up within only a weeks time. You will have to wait to see how long it takes for your elephant ear plant though due to the variations out there in soil and climate.

If you are interested in elephant ear plants you do need to realize that they can be harmful to both pets and to children. Therefore you want to keep them in an enclosed location where your children and pets can't get in there. This type of border will also prevent the elephant ear plant from getting completely out of control. While you will find them a lovely way to enhance your landscaping they can be extremely aggressive.

About The Author:
Kurtis Hoeck is new write for Articleclick. See more of her useful insights on www.articleclick.com

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Title:	Elephant Ear Plant - How to Grow it
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Elephant Ear Plant - How to Grow it