My Favorite Plant

I love plants and flowers and gardens even though I do not have a green thumb.  I am getting better at keeping things alive, but still have a ways to go.  One plant I am able to make thrive are elephant ears.  

My love of elephant ears started about 4 years ago.  One of my co-workers gave me some elephant ear bulbs.  I asked her lots of questions about how to plant them and take care of them.  She very patiently gave me explicit directions and I am happy to report that I still re-plant the same bulbs every year in pots.  

I love their large-scaled leaves and how tropical they look.  They always make me think of summer when I see them.  They are also pretty easy to take care of, surprisingly.  I simply plant the bulbs in potting soil in late May or early June.  I add a little Miracle Grow Plant Food when I plant them to help get them started.  Then I just keep them watered.  That's all there is to it!  

Pretty soon, I end up with lots of leafy goodness!  I have pots in both full sun and part sun.  The elephant ears seem to do just fine with either full or part sun, though the ones that get full sun do get bigger.  

I also like to trim some leaves and bring them inside to make my home feel like a tropical paradise.  Okay, that might be stretching it a bit, but it does make it more fun inside. 

In order to be able to replant them each year, it's important to keep a few things in mind.  When summer ends and before the first freeze, you have to cut off the leaves, remove the bulbs from the dirt and store them in a cool (but not freezing), dark place over the winter.  I keep mine in an empty pot in a closet in our garage.  A basement would also be a good option.

If you are looking for an easy plant to try out, look into elephant ears!