If you want your plants to live until next year, you need to know how to store elephant ears in the winter. Because these lovely plants are from tropical areas, they are not cold hardy and can’t handle cold winters or frost. How you take care of your elephant ears in the winter will depend on what zone you live in (see USDA plant hardiness map below).
Elephant ear plants, also known as taro or colocasia, are known for their huge, heart-shaped leaves that can grow up to 5 feet tall in a single season. These tropical-looking plants are eye-catching additions to summertime gardens and outdoor living spaces. However, elephant ears are not cold hardy and require some special care when the weather turns cool in order to overwinter them successfully.
If you have elephant ears growing in pots the good news is they can be overwintered right in their containers. This makes caring for them easier compared to elephant ears planted in garden beds. Here are some tips on how to overwinter elephant ear plants growing in pots
Move Pots to Frost-Free Area
The first step is to bring potted elephant ears into a frost-free area before temperatures drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit A garage, shed, or basement are good options. You want to protect the elephant ears from freezing temperatures that could damage or kill them
Ideally, aim to move potted elephant ears indoors about 1-2 weeks before the first expected fall frost in your area. Check local frost dates if you aren’t sure when this will occur. It’s better to bring them in early rather than risking damage from an unexpected cold snap.
Avoid Exposing Pots to Rain
Another key to overwintering elephant ears in containers is keeping the soil on the dry side. Avoid placing the pots where they will get heavy rain or irrigation. Wet soil during cold dormancy can lead to rotting of the tubers.
Place potted elephant ears under an overhang or porch area to keep excess moisture away. Or move them into a covered space like a garage or cold frame where they will stay dry over winter.
You can also cluster pots together and cover with a tarp, blanket, or layer of straw to shield them from rain and retain warmth. Just make sure not to seal them in plastic which could trap moisture.
Stop Fertilizing
Discontinue fertilizing elephant ear plants once you move them for winter storage. Fertilizer can spur growth that the plant won’t be able to sustain once it goes dormant.
Give potted elephant ears a final dose of fertilizer when you first bring them indoors or into the overwintering area. Then cut off fertilizing for the season. The nutrients already stored in the tubers will sustain the plant through winter.
Reduce Watering
Elephant ears need much less water during their winter dormancy. Only water when the soil is partly dry 2-3 inches below the surface. The goal is to keep soil moist but never soggy or waterlogged.
Check pots occasionally by sticking your finger into the soil. If it feels dry down low, add just enough water to moisten. Aim to keep soil slightly damp but not wet. Reduce watering frequency and amount compared to summer care.
If the elephant ear tubers shrivel or get soft, that is a sign they have dried out too much. Give them some extra water to rehydrate if needed.
Stop Removing Foliage
Once cold weather arrives, allow the elephant ear’s foliage to naturally die back and go dormant. Don’t cut off or remove the dead leaves and stems. These can help insulate the tubers over winter.
Trimming off foliage too early in fall could compromise the plant’s overwintering process. Leave any yellowed or browned leaves in place to help protect the dormant tubers.
Check Tubers Occasionally
Every month or so, gently remove the potting mix around one elephant ear tuber to peek at it. Check that the tuber appears fat/firm and healthy, not shriveled.
Push the soil back in place over the tuber. This periodic inspection lets you catch any issues like rot early before it spreads. Monitoring tuber health ensures your elephant ears will be vigorous when they re-emerge in spring.
Keep Temperatures Cool
Elephant ears require cooler temperatures during their dormancy period. But avoid letting them freeze. Ideal overwintering temps are between 50-60°F.
Move potted elephant ears to an unheated garage, basement, or similar area. Temperatures dipping briefly into the 40s won’t harm them. Just prevent prolonged freezing.
Providing bright, indirect light through dormancy is also beneficial but not critical. Focus more on keeping temps cool but above freezing.
Repot in Spring
If tubers have expanded and are crowding their pots, it’s best to repot elephant ears in early spring before growth resumes. Carefully remove each tuber and replant in a larger container with fresh potting mix amended with fertilizer.
Repotting into a roomier pot allows foliage and tubers to reach their full potential size through the coming growing season. Just make sure tubers are dormant when repotting to avoid harming active growth.
Resume Normal Care
Once spring arrives and danger of frost has passed, begin watering and fertilizing potted elephant ears normally. Move them back outdoors to their summer growing spot.
New green shoots will emerge from the tubers as they wake from dormancy. Leaves will unfurl and plants will return to vigorous growth as soil warms. Enjoy their bold tropical allure once again!
Key Tips for Overwintering Elephant Ears in Pots:
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Move pots to a frost-free spot before cold temps arrive
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Keep pots dry and shield from heavy rain/irrigation
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Reduce watering frequency/amount during dormancy
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Allow foliage to die back naturally
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Store at 50-60°F; prevent tubers from freezing
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Repot tubers in early spring if they have outgrown containers
Troubleshooting Issues
Rotting tubers – This is caused by overwatering and/or poorly drained soil. Improve drainage and only water when partly dry. Remove soft, rotting sections of tubers. Dust with sulfur powder to help dry out.
Shriveled, dried tubers – Result of tubers not getting enough water during dormancy. Soak pots thoroughly to rehydrate if tubers start shriveling. Increase water slightly in winter.
No new growth in spring – Tubers may have died over winter if they froze or rotted from excess moisture. Discard any soft/mushy tubers and replant healthy ones in fresh potting mix. Fertilize to stimulate regrowth.
Enjoy Elephant Ears Year After Year
With some simple overwintering care, you can keep elephant ear plants thriving season after season. Moving pots to a protected spot, limiting water, and storing in a cool area will enable tubers to survive winter in containers. Follow these guidelines and your elephant ears will emerge vigorously each spring to showcase their bold, tropical flair through the summer.
Elephant Ears in Zones 1-6
Do not put your elephant ears outside in zones 1 through 6. They will not make it through the winter. It is simply too cold for them. Follow the process below and you will be able to save them for next year:
- When the first frost comes, you’ll need to cut your elephant ear plant’s stems down to 6″ tall.
- Then gently dig the tubers from the ground. Be careful not to hurt them, because that could lower the number of people who survive. Tubers that are broken are more likely to rot in the winter.
- Next you will need to clean the tubers. Do this by running water over them gently. Do not scrub the tubers, as you do not want to damage them.
- Once this is done, put the tubers out in a warm room with good air flow to dry them out.
- After that, you can put them in a pot or box and cover them with soil and peat moss.
- Store it in a cool, dark place. It is very important to do this so the tubers stay dormant all winter.
How To Overwinter Your Elephant Ear Plants ( Colocasia esculenta )
FAQ
How do you keep potted elephant ears over the winter?
Do I have to dig up my elephant ears for winter?
Can elephant ears survive in pots?
Do elephant ear plants go dormant indoors?
How to grow elephant ears in pots?
Using a high-quality soil mix is important for growing elephant ears in pots. You can either purchase a pre-made soil mix or make your own. A good soil mix for elephant ears should contain a mixture of peat moss, compost, vermiculite, perlite, and organic matter. This will provide the plant with the necessary nutrients and moisture retention. 2.
How do you overwinter elephant ears?
Dig up bulbs, remove, and store. At the end of the season, simply cut off the foliage, dig up your tubers and let them dry for a few days. Then, wrap them in newspaper or place them in peat moss, and store them over the winter for planting the following year. This is our preferred method of overwintering elephant ears.
Do elephant ear plants overwinter?
The overwintering of a potted Elephant Ear plant extends the growing season and promotes year-round growth. The plant will continue to produce new roots and strengthen its existing leaves and stems, albeit at a slower rate when the weather is cool. However, if you keep it warm and well-lit, it will continue to grow.
How to save elephant ear bulbs?
In order to keep the bulb undamaged, it is a good idea to start digging about a foot (31 cm.) away from the base of the plant and gently lift the plant and bulb. The next step for saving elephant ears is to clean the elephant ear bulbs. They can be gently rinsed, but do not scrub them. It is okay if some dirt is still on the bulb.