What do you have to do to protect elephant ears for the winter in AR?

by them ear muffs for x-mas. sorry, i couldn't help myself. really, you just need to mulch them well. U of A Master Gardeners can tell you more details. This web sight can put you in touch with your local group.


%26lt;www.arhomeandgarden.org%26gt;





they are a wonderful group of garden experts.

What do you have to do to protect elephant ears for the winter in AR?
The best thing would be to dig them up. Let them dry good then store in a paper bag with peat moss. In a coolish area.I store mine in the cellar Then replant at the proper planting time in your area.
Reply:Here in ohio we have to pull them up and bring them in for the winter and replant them in the spring..make sure you cut it down to the bulb..
Reply:Really not sure because I do not have experience in AR, but what I have suggested as a Landscape Committee Chairperson to the homowners when they have problems protecting outside plants, is somewhat simple and a cheaper re-useable fix. We are as far North Texas as one can get, and we do get cold weather. Plus I lived in NJ more than 25 years. Measure the plant height, and x's by 4 to get the length in feet. At a Lawn and Garden Center, inside the store, go into the plumbing department. Buy very cheap PVC pipe (it is white in color - 1/4 to 1/2 inch is all you should need). Also buy mulch. Then go to a material store to purchase any good sturdy thick material that will fit side ways around the plant (be sure to check the discount table first). All material on the bolt is 45" wide when opened. At home, cut the pipe to the height plus an extra two feet long. The pipe can be cut using a small hand saw. Place one end of each pipe into the ground so that it is straight up and down, sunk into the ground more than 1 foot deep, a minimum of 6 inches from the base of each corner of the actual plant. When all 4 corners are done, put a layer (a lot) of newspaper down around the base extending outward (use something to anchor for a few minutes - like rocks) then wet with a garden hose. Spread the mulch down on top of the newspaper, removing the anchors as you go. Make sure this layer of mulch is thick but not too tight into the center of the base of the plant as this can cause reduced air allowing other problems to start. Wet the mulch then, and each week as it dries out. As winter nears, keep adding new mulch as needed as the first layer will compact. Also save empty plastic milk bottles that have been washed out and store till needed. Before the cold comes, wrap the material around the poles, leaving the top open for sun and air. The Elephant Ears leaves should not be allowed to touch the material, so make sure the poles were placed far enough out. If you hear that a cold freeze is coming and temps are dropping, you can add an additional layer around the material using plastic sheeting (used shower curtains in a pinch) and be sure to cover the top of the pole creating a ceiling or roof. When extra heat is needed, dig out the milk bottles and fill with hot water from the tap and put lids on, and then place under the side wall around the base of the plant, to keep the air inside warmer. The bottles should only be placed just before night, then removed the next morning, and the top may need to also be removed for proper air to circulate and sun to shine in to warm things up again.
Reply:Don't know about AR but my brother in N. TX cuts them back in the fall, mulches them %26amp; waits for them to reappear in the spring.





You can also dig up the bulbs in late fall, dry them off %26amp; store them in a frost free area. Replant after it warms up.
Reply:Probably nothing......They are summer plants and come from bulbs,, just as gladiolas. Cut them down to ground level after the first frost... they'll be back next year!!!!!!
Reply:Knit a very large hat!
Reply:Put a few inches of mulch over the ground after first frost, which should kill the top of the plant. Cut it off just about ground level, then apply the mulch. You may/may not have success, but I have one that comes back year after year, though its twin didn't the second year. I live in OK, so we have similar zones. Farther north, they need to be dug and wintered over inside.