How To Propagate Elephant Ears. 2 Best Methods

If you’re interested to learn how to propagate elephant ears, you have two methods to choose from. Elephant ears are undoubtedly one of the most eye-catching plants to add to your collection, and knowing their propagation techniques will put you at an advantage in the long run. And if you have a greenhouse, perhaps you’ll also have a head start in rooting them. 

The greenhouse is not only useful for overwintering elephant plants. The controlled and stable conditions indoors should also ensure germination and the establishment of your seeds and divisions. Therefore, you’ll have vigorous elephant ear plants that can withstand outdoor conditions. 

How To Propagate Elephant Ears. 2 Best Methods

 

Seeds

You are probably shocked that one can propagate elephant ears from seeds. This isn’t a common method because gardeners often use root cuttings for starting these plants. However, it’s worth learning how to propagate elephant ears from seeds if your plant ends up developing a seed pod

 

Step #1. Seed collection

You can collect the seeds and opt to grow them for the next spring. How to collect elephant ear plant seeds? Take the seed pod from the plant by holding it at the base and twisting it off. 

You should be able to open the berries over a bowl to collect the tiny elephant ears seeds. Collect plenty of seeds to ensure that you’ll have enough seedlings if some were not viable for growing. Once you have the seeds, rinse them off the leftover pulp and consider growing them on the ground or in the greenhouse. 

You can spread them on the soil with the former, but you have a higher chance of germinating them if you grow indoors in a planting tray. 

 

Step #2. Sowing

Press the seeds onto the surface and cover with some soil before misting the medium. Ensure that the soil is always moist but not soggy, and you should expect germination by three weeks. Thin your seedlings, so only the healthiest remain for transplanting after growing true leaves. 

 

Division

The more common method of propagating elephant ears is from division. Remember that elephant ears can grow runners, and you can divide them to start new plants. However, it’s important to emphasize the importance of wearing gloves when handling elephant ears for division. 

The sap of these plants can be irritating, so you must avoid directly touching it. After you have put on the gloves, you can dig out the roots by loosening the soil around the plant. Allocate some distance around the plant, so you don’t risk damaging the roots.

 

Step #1. Separation

You can separate the roots by hands and use a sharp and sterile knife to separate the tubers from the main plant. Each tuber should have one bud to ensure that it will grow well after planting. The bud looks like a sprout on the potato-like tuber. 

It would also be best to prepare the planting site beforehand to keep the divisions from drying up. You can grow the elephant ears in the greenhouse or the garden, but only if the conditions are stable. Choose an area with partial shade and fertile, well-draining soil for growing the tubers.  

 

Step #2. Planting

Space the tubers at two feet apart with a depth of around three inches for each hole. Plant the tuber in a way where the bud is facing upward to help it develop later on. You can also plant tubers horizontally if you can’t find the buds. 

Mulch the soil after you cover the tubers and maintain soil moisture as they are growing. You can then fertilize each month as maintenance. The plants should produce new tubers after eight months. 

 

Growing Elephant Ears In Pots

Did you know that you can also grow elephant ears in pots? Instead of transplanting in the ground, use large containers to anticipate the size of elephant ear plants. Fill them with fertile and moist soil with a pH level between 5.5 and 7.0. 

Place the pots either in full light or partial shade, depending on the variety. You can keep the pots in the greenhouse if your region is cold as elephant ears thrive somewhere humid and warm. As maintenance, keep the soil moist and start feeding them when you notice growth. 

It’s worth noting that some species of elephant ears can also grow in water. These plants naturally grow in swamps, which means you can mimic these environments when propagating them. The difference will be placing the pots in shallow water, so it reaches their rim. 

 

Conclusion

Don’t let the sap of elephant ears keep you from producing new plants for your garden. Wear gloves and learn how to propagate elephant ears either from seeds or tubers. While it’s not common to start elephant ears from seeds, you can still collect your plant’s pods and sow them indoors. 

Press the seeds on planting trays and ensure soil moisture to encourage sprouting. You can then thin the seedlings and transplant the strongest from the bunch. On the other hand, you can divide the roots of your mature elephant ear plant and plant the tubers. 

If your climate is still unpredictable, you can plant the tubers indoors. Ensure that their bud is facing upward when you grow them and keep the soil from drying. You can also fertilize each month, and your plants should produce tubers after eight months. 

 

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