Elephant Ears

They say that your ears grow bigger the older you get. Maybe that is true, but not for mine.

The same friends who passed on the dubious garlic plants that I spoke about in an earlier post, also gave me some elephant ears. Stacy, Eric's wife, has them growing around the house in places, sort of like foundation plants. The tubers look like a giant turnip with a rough and thick skin. I had enough that they are in two places, like bookends in front of my large trellis.

Having started the landscaping at our house with a blank slate, with nothing but the ginormous oak tree, you know that I was desperate for any kind of plant that would give me some quick height. Presto! They have really done well. And especially considering the cold winter we just had.

This is the third year they have been out there, and as you can see they are really filling out the garden. This is the wettest place in the yard, so they soak up the moisture, which makes them bigger. It's amazing to think that all this is the growth from just one season, and it will all die back to the ground in another two months.

There is a trend that I am starting to see, though. The brown board at the top of the trellis, just above the tallest leaf is about six feet high. That means the plants are growing smaller. Last year, the leaves were above my head. Maybe this is the result of the cold winter, or the little drought we had in the summer, or maybe the bulbs just need dividing. It is something I am going to have to look into before spring.

I have several people who are wanting some of these bulbs for next year. When I dig them up and divide them, I hope to save a few of the best for you, if I can get them to you. Then your ears can get bigger, or smaller also.

Bob