6 May 1, 2014 2014 SPRING HOME AND GARDEN “OUT OF THE ORDINARY” LINCOLN DAILY NEWS.COM
Elephant Ear
Continued on page 8
You should also be aware that
the actual castor bean seed is
toxic to animals, so if you have
pets that run out in your yard or
just a favorite squirrel that you
wish no harm, be sure not to let
the pods fall on the ground. On
the other hand, they are a quick
cure for killing underground
varmints such as moles. Dig a
hole in their “run,” drop in a
half-dozen seeds, and the bean
will take care of the rest.
One of the biggest challenges
the gardener will have with the
castor bean plant is getting rid
of it in the fall. The thick stalks
of the plant make it difficult to
remove. The best method is to
chop the plant off about a foot
above the soil level, then tie a
rope around the stump and pull
it out with your garden tractor.
Loosening the soil around the
stump with a pitchfork will
make this task a little easier.
Another lovable giant in the
garden is the elephant ear.
Colocasia by their scientific
name, these large-leafed plants
are typically considered to
be a tropical plant that won’t
grow successfully in the more
northern regions. However, the
fact is, you can grow elephant
ears in Logan County … if
you’re willing to do the work.
In tropical areas where the
air temperature never reaches
below 45 degrees, elephant
ears are considered a perennial,
in that the tuber can be left in
the ground during the dormant
period or over winter. In this
region, where temperatures drop
to below freezing, the elephant
ear needs to be treated as an
annual, with the tuber being dug
up in the fall and set out again in
the spring.
One drawback of the elephant
ear is that it is slow to come out
of the ground once it is planted.
Experts indicate that it can take
up to three weeks for the first
green growth to appear above
ground.
