Picked up an elephant ear bulb from Wal-Mart.

Can these be started indoors in water (like an avocado). If so,
one end is somewhat pointed, the other end is round. Which end
would be up?

Should I use a hormone in the water???

Will these grow indoors, in an area with indirect sunlight ???
(Yes, I know they get big, planted them many years ago and
was delighted, but along came a cold, harsh Maryland winter
and destroyed all.). I'd like to see if I can keep the plant growing
year round.

Thanking you in advance...

I know you can hold them over for YEARS.

My grandmother used to have these from year to year planted in plastic 5
gal. buckets.
She would bring out of cellar around Mother's Day and return to dark cellar
(dirt floor stayed cool and moist through winter) right before frost.

The only fertilizer that I know of that she used was a little fresh chicken
house dirt on top. The two buckets set on either side of her front porch
steps on concrete walk. As a child, I could stand under them. I don't
recall her watering them much, but they would get any rain water run off
overflow from gutters on front porch.

She also killed a snake with a butcher knife that was building a nest in the
upstairs of the "wash house". Her baby chickens (under brooder lights) were
disapearing...so she went to investigate. It really wasn't that she didn't
like snakes, it was that she liked her baby chicks.

aaahh....thanks for the trip down memory lane...good luck with your Elephant
ears.
t.
(zone 7 / central virginia)

plantkiller wrote in message
...
Picked up an elephant ear bulb from Wal-Mart.

Can these be started indoors in water (like an avocado). If so,
one end is somewhat pointed, the other end is round. Which end
would be up?

Should I use a hormone in the water???

Will these grow indoors, in an area with indirect sunlight ???
(Yes, I know they get big, planted them many years ago and
was delighted, but along came a cold, harsh Maryland winter
and destroyed all.). I'd like to see if I can keep the plant growing
year round.

Thanking you in advance...

Did you get the 2/5.00 ones? I got mine at the nursery for 5.00 but the bulb
was twice the site of the ones at Wal Mart. I planted it outside right
before the last frost.

On Fri, 18 Apr 2003 12:30:51 -0400, "BiG Orange" @ wrote:

Did you get the 2/5.00 ones? I got mine at the nursery for 5.00 but the bulb
was twice the site of the ones at Wal Mart. I planted it outside right
before the last frost.

Wal Mart carries both sizes. The smaller ones ( 2 for 5.00) and a
Larger size for 5.00 per bulb. I picked up the larger size.
Hopefully it will make a large container plant. To avoid planting
the bulb upside down, (done that already) I'd like to try
starting it in water, before planting it.

From my past experience, elephant ears prefer a warm environment.
Had great luck in the summertime, but a cold winter settled in and
the elephant ear bulbs never bloomed again. A fun plant to have.

plantkiller wrote in message
...
From my past experience, elephant ears prefer a warm environment.
Had great luck in the summertime, but a cold winter settled in and
the elephant ear bulbs never bloomed again. A fun plant to have.

I am in Tennessee in 7a near the Smoky Mountains in the valley and people
have them outside in front of the house and they survive winter. That is why
we decided to give it a try outside.