Is it possible for an elephant ear to survive in ground over winter in Zone 6A?

*Dearly Depotted* · 09-29-2021, 08:42 PM

Is it at all possible for any kind of elephant ear to survive being left in the ground over winter in NE Ohio (zone 6A)? I mean I could cut them back to the ground level and then cover them up with mulch. Any thoughts/ideas? Thank you!

cincinnana · 09-30-2021, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Dearly Depotted*

Is it at all possible for any kind of elephant ear to survive being left in the ground over winter in NE Ohio (zone 6A)? I mean I could cut them back to the ground level and then cover them up with mulch. Any thoughts/ideas? Thank you!

Nope......The plant is pure tropical.....
Pretty much any tropical will not survive our temps.
This plant will need to move in for the cold months......

Youtube has some great videos that have some great takeaways to keep your plant alive...

*Dearly Depotted* · 09-30-2021, 09:58 PM

Yeah that’s pretty much what I figured. It was just wishful thinking on my part! I was just hoping that maybe I wouldn’t have to drag quite as many plants in this house this year!

cincinnana · 10-01-2021, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Dearly Depotted*

Yeah that’s pretty much what I figured. It was just wishful thinking on my part! I was just hoping that maybe I wouldn’t have to drag quite as many plants in this house this year!

I have to prepare mine to move indoors also.

Spray the plants for bugs and treat the soil for critters.

Snarkie · 10-22-2021, 03:55 PM

Are they out in the open or next to the house? If you plant them close to the foundation, the heat from the basement may keep the soil warmer a foot or so out. How deep is your frost line?

Kingt82 · 02-17-2022, 04:54 PM

You won't know until you try. The small bulb ones would be harder to keep alive. I can only speak for my zone (7b) but my giant elephant ear comes up every year. I have mine in an island in the backyard away from the house. I could have sworn I saw somewhere online that someone was growing giant EE in New Jersey and mulching them heavily and they kept coming back. You can always try with one and see what happens.

bandaids · 05-15-2022, 07:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kingt82

You won't know until you try. The small bulb ones would be harder to keep alive. I can only speak for my zone (7b) but my giant elephant ear comes up every year. I have mine in an island in the backyard away from the house. I could have sworn I saw somewhere online that someone was growing giant EE in New Jersey and mulching them heavily and they kept coming back. You can always try with one and see what happens.

Yes, I thought I had read somewhere that someone happened to come across a few growing wild in PA, near a pond or something like that. If not here then another plant forum for certain.

And Snarkie is correct that placing them close to the house (or any large area of cement) could possibly help them survive the winter.

Keep us posted if you try any of the suggestions.

09-29-2021, 08:42 PM	#1 (permalink)
Dearly Depotted Find me on the map! Zone: 6A Name: Mary Join Date: Sep 2020 Posts: 646 BananaBucks : 110,531 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 607 Times Was Thanked 442 Times in 301 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Is it possible for an elephant ear to survive in ground over winter in Zone 6A? Is it at all possible for any kind of elephant ear to survive being left in the ground over winter in NE Ohio (zone 6A)? I mean I could cut them back to the ground level and then cover them up with mulch. Any thoughts/ideas? Thank you! __________________ It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream!

09-30-2021, 09:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dearly Depotted Find me on the map! Zone: 6A Name: Mary Join Date: Sep 2020 Posts: 646 BananaBucks : 110,531 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 607 Times Was Thanked 442 Times in 301 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: Is it possible for an elephant ear to survive in ground over winter in Zone 6A? Yeah that’s pretty much what I figured. It was just wishful thinking on my part! I was just hoping that maybe I wouldn’t have to drag quite as many plants in this house this year! __________________ It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream!

10-22-2021, 03:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
Snarkie The Cat Whisperer Location: Charlotte, NC Zone: 8b, pushing 9a Name: D.A. Hänks Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 2,119 BananaBucks : 162,108 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,218 Times Was Thanked 1,976 Times in 1,145 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,049 Times	Re: Is it possible for an elephant ear to survive in ground over winter in Zone 6A? Are they out in the open or next to the house? If you plant them close to the foundation, the heat from the basement may keep the soil warmer a foot or so out. How deep is your frost line? __________________ Doug (D.A. Hänks) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2955582/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 The Only Eastern Redwood Forest in America "Nuke my 'nanners, will you?!"

02-17-2022, 04:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
Kingt82 Location: Huntersville, NC Find me on the map! Zone: 7b Join Date: Apr 2020 Posts: 127 BananaBucks : 9,795 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 52 Times Was Thanked 96 Times in 61 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Is it possible for an elephant ear to survive in ground over winter in Zone 6A? You won't know until you try. The small bulb ones would be harder to keep alive. I can only speak for my zone (7b) but my giant elephant ear comes up every year. I have mine in an island in the backyard away from the house. I could have sworn I saw somewhere online that someone was growing giant EE in New Jersey and mulching them heavily and they kept coming back. You can always try with one and see what happens.

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