Someone Trampled All Over My Beautiful Elephant Ears Last Night….
Gisela Asked
Someone trampled all over my beautiful elephant ears last night. I’m so upset!! Is there any way to save them so they can grow again??
The Gardener’s Answer
Hello, Gisela in Georgia: The good news is that there is still plenty of warm weather left for your elephant ear to put on new growth. As long as the actual bulb was not damaged and it was able to store up some energy this growing season, it should be viable for years to come. For now, cut back the damaged foliage and keep the soil around the bulb moderately moist. I am not certain what hardiness zone you are gardening in but you might be growing this bulb as a perennial. If not, be sure to lift the bulb from the soil before the first hard freeze and gently rub the soil off. Let the bulb dry for seven to 10 days and then store it in a brown paper bag for the winter months. You can pot it back up next spring and it can go back outdoors after the frost-free date for your area passes. I suspect the bulb will be fine in the long run, but it is frustrating to watch it grow only to be trampled down overnight. You might also consider putting some type of barrier around them if you think this will help protect it in the future.
