Plant elephant ear bulbs outside after all danger of frost has passed and daytime temperatures remain above 70 degrees. Elephant Ears are tropical plants and cannot tolerate any frost. They only emerge when the soil is warm.
Select a location in full sun or part sun with a good, rich, moist, organic soil.
Prepare the bed for elephant ears by turning the soil under to a depth of 8 inches. Then, level with a rake to remove clumps of grass and stones.
Most elephant ear plants respond well to soils amended with organic matter. Compost is a wonderful form of organic matter with a good balance of nutrients and an ideal pH level, and it can be added to your planting area at any time. If compost is not available, top dress the soil after planting with 1-2 inches of organic mulch, which will begin to breakdown into compost. After the growing season, a soil test will indicate what soil amendments are needed for the following season.
Plant elephant ear bulbs 2-4 feet apart. Plant so the growing tip is up.
Dig a hole so that the top of the bulb is 4 inches deeper than the soil line. Cover with 4 inches of soil.
Tubers may be started inside 6-8 weeks before all danger of frost has passed. Plant the tubers individually in 6 inch pots using a good quality potting soil or seed starting soil. They require a warm soil in order to emerge so consider using a heat mat.