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Elephant ears are a grouping of sub - tropic plants known for their monumental trilateral - mould leaves .
These plants are perfect for adding a touch of verdure to yourJapanese - inspired dose garden , or for creating a space with a tropic feel .
If your elephant ear plant is drooping because it’s been overwatered, let the soil dry out a bit.
In general , elephant ears are easy to produce . As long as you satisfy their grow necessary , they can develop rapidly .
If you ’ve note your elephant ear plant drooping recently , you ’re probably wondering what ’s go on , and if you should be concerned
Here are 13 reasons why elephant ears can droop and go wilted , plus root that will help oneself the plant life recover .
If your elephant ear plant is drooping because it’s been overwatered, let the soil dry out a bit.
unlawful watering and failing to meet your elephant ear ’s lite demand can result in drooping . Because elephant ear are hard feeders , low N can contribute to drooping as well .
1. The problem: Overwatering
Your elephant ears will grow best in loose , loamy soil that is fat in organic materials , but that also drains well .
Elephant spike are a sub - tropic plant , so they ’re of course going to execute best in conditions that mimic those of the jungle base , which is plentiful in crumble material and retain some wet .
But , much as elephant auricle need to remain moist , they can still suffer if they receive too much weewee .
Meeting your elephant ear’s light requirements will prevent the leaves from drooping.
When the soil becomes waterlogged , air can no longer reach the flora ’s roots . The result root rot leads to yellowing leafage , foliage blisters , and loll .
If your elephant spike is embark on to wilt , take a feel at the grime .
If you see water standing , or if the soil feels tight an inch beneath the Earth’s surface , and has been wet for more than a few day , those are good signs the plants are struggle to emit .
Elephant ears grow best in humid climates. Spritz water on the leaves to prevent them from drooping.
The solution: Let the plants dry out
If your elephant ears have been overwatered , then the solution to the problem is dewy-eyed . Just descale back on your watering agenda and give the plant a fortune to dry out out .
When planted in soil that has been meliorate with moisture - retaining materials , likecompost , manure , andsphagnum moss , elephant capitulum call for enough water to keep the materials damp .
These materials play like a leech which the elephant ears can pull water from as they need it .
Yellowing drooping leaves may indicate nitrogen deficiency. Use a high-nitrogen fertilizer, like manure, to feed your elephant ears.
A good rule of ovolo is to give your elephant earsan inch of water per calendar week , more in red-hot , dry weather , and less in coolheaded , humid atmospheric condition .
Another important beat you may want to take is improving drain .
Amend loamy , compacted soils with sand or perlite to keep them airy and porous , and be certain to constitute your elephant ears where they wo n’t be sit in pool for days after it rains .
Avoid over-feeding your elephant ears to keep the foliage healthy.
Once you ’ve pay your elephant ears a chance to dry out , the flora should recover within a few day .
2. The problem: Underwatering
When elephant ears do n’t get enough water , this can spell trouble for the plants , too .
When water is in short supplying , the plant will soon start to droop . In uttermost cases , the works may turn sensationalistic and browned and bead leaves .
You ’ll need to hold back the territory to determine whether or not your elephant ear are too ironical .
Avoid feeding elephant ears in late fall as the plants prepare for dormancy.
If the grease feels powdery at a deepness of one inch , then it is much too juiceless for your elephant capitulum ’s wish .
recollect , elephant ear choose to grow in humusy territory that stays systematically moist .
Because these plants can also suffer from overwatering , this means you ’ll have to walk a fine agate line to keep them satisfied .
If you notice your elephant ear plants drooping, check them for insects.
The solution: Turn on the hose
If your elephant spike ’s ground dries out too much , then the plant life will get going to stomach . Fortunately , the solution to this trouble is light .
Just give the works a drink !
irrigate your elephant ear plants deeply to encourage strong roots . And keep an eye on the soil to verify it stays moist enough for your elephant ear ’s liking .
Water elephant ears well in the days following transplanting.
If your elephant ear ’s ground is somewhat sandy , you may need to amend it with organic materials so it can keep more wet .
you’re able to also use mulch to foreclose your elephant ears from drying out too much .
Growing the elephant ears with the appropriate companionsalso works to their vantage by enabling them to trap humidity . This , in turn , helps varnish moisture into the soil .
3. The problem: Insufficient sunlight
Insufficient sunlight can also cause your elephant capitulum to droop .
Like any other works , elephant ears utilize a process called photosynthesis toproduce intellectual nourishment for themselves .
If the plants do n’t receive enough sunlight , then they wo n’t be able to turn the pee , nutrients , and carbon paper dioxide they absorb into push .
In the brusk full term , plant may begin to droop . But after a few weeks of growing in deficient sunlight , your elephant spike ’s foliage will turn xanthous .
Adequate sunlight support healthy microbes in the soil . These microbes have a symbiotic family relationship with elephant ears , enabling the plant to uprise strong and healthy .
If your elephant spike are in full shade , or if they only get 4 hour of sunlight a twenty-four hours , then their easy requirements are not being met .
The solution: Transplant the elephant ears to a sunnier spot
Elephant ear are n’t likesucculentsandcacti . They ca n’t put up dry grime and full sunlight .
That say , they do still require enough visible light to run into their energy demands .
If you observe that your elephant ear are n’t getting enough sun , move them to a brighter location .
transplanting plantsto a pip where they can receive collateral sunlight all 24-hour interval , or morning sunlight and afternoon shade .
Situate pot plants on the east side of your nursing home to help them catch the morning sun and recover from their energy deficiency .
give your elephant ears more sun will improve their show dramatically within just a few days .
4. The problem: Too much sunlight
If your elephant ears are droop , and you ’re certain that it ’s not because it ’s being over - watered or under - irrigate , then the next thing you should examine is how much sunlight the plant is get .
Elephant ear get best when planted in bright , indirect sun . This set aside the plant to get all of the ignitor they require forphotosynthesis .
It also keeps the plants warm without letting them get too spicy .
If your elephant ears are getting too much sun , they may begin to loll .
You ’ll also belike observe yellow foliage , which may call on brown despite regular lacrimation .
Keep an oculus on your elephant ear during the solar day to see how much sunlight it ’s getting . If the plant is receiving more than 4 hour of direct sun per 24-hour interval , then it may be getting too much light .
The solution: Move the plants to a shadier location
If your elephant spike are getting more sun than they need , then you must move them to a shadier location .
Ideally , your elephant ear should be planted in a location where they can receive plenty of collateral sunlight .
In the absence of such consideration , planting your elephant ears in a emplacement where they receive morning sun and good afternoon shade should answer .
Move potted plants onto your porch , deck , or patio to shield them from the sun ’s scorching rays .
you’re able to also tryplanting your elephant spike around a large treeto give them some protection . This mimics the shape of their native environment , and will also help keep their soil moist and nerveless .
5. The problem: Low humidity
Some plants , likerosemaryandlavender , rely on good external respiration to prevent diseases like powdery mildew from setting in .
But elephant ears dislike growing in well - vent field . Instead , these plants thrive when kept in somewhat humid outer space .
If the air is too juiceless for your elephant ears , then they ’ll let you know by droop .
You ’ll also notice their foliation getting slightly crinkle and tissue - paper - like . That ’s because the air around them is n’t moist enough to keep their leaves adequately hydrate .
When humidity is miserable , elephant auricle may also twist black or browned . In severe cases , the plants may lose their leaves and drop dead .
If your elephant ear has been grow more slowly lately , that ’s another foretoken that the standard pressure is n’t staying dampish enough for the works to grow healthily .
The solution: Keep the air moist
Spray potted and indoor plants with urine to ensure their farewell abide hydrated .
When watering outdoor elephant ears , be sure to dust the foliage with H2O .
you could also make conditions more humid for your elephant ears by creating a makeshift greenhouse around them .
Arrange stake around the works , and embrace them in clear charge plate or mesh fabric , leaving 6 to 12 column inch at the base of the plant to reserve for some public discussion .
This method works well for help plant recoup from dry conditions . However , this is not a long - term solution .
lead your elephant ear in such a damp environs over a long period can be as dangerous , and may also result in drooping due to …
6. The problem: Fungal infections
Keeping your elephant ears in a humid surround is all important . alas , it ’s also a double - edged blade .
unreasonable moisture sic your elephant ears up for a fungal infection .
While it ’s important to keep elephant ears adequately hydrated , and their leaf damp , keeping the plants overly moist enables spores to circulate .
Fungal leafage blight is the most common transmission elephant ear suffer from .
If your elephant pinna plants are drooping , this could be the reason why . Fungal leaf blight results in wilting foliage and even collapse .
Bacterial piano rot and stem rot are also fairly common . These pathogen are highly destructive and lead to sag and social organization loss .
Once plants show symptom of bacterial soft rot and stem rot , their wellness is already so compromise that they are most likely beyond saving .
The solution: Remove diseased foliage and apply a fungicide
Diseased elephant ears should be process promptly to kibosh the infection and keep it from spreading to surrounding plants .
practice pruning shears to remove infected leaf , being certain to spray the clippers down with a bleach dilution in between each cutting , to stave off propagate the infection to tidy portion of the plant .
Once the plant has been pruned , apply acopper - based antimycotic .
Avoid watering the plant from the top down , and keep the leaves on the drying agent side . While the leaves should still be preserve moist enough that they do n’t wilt and wrinkle , do n’t implement so much water that it pools on the industrial plant ’s foliage .
Taking these measures will help the elephant ear works find their terms and get back to producing healthy leaves .
As for bacterial soft rot and theme rot , your best bet is to remove infected plants immediately to avoid spread the disease to ring plants .
7. The problem: Nitrogen deficiency
Elephant ear are known for their mammoth and distinctive leaves . But for the plants to produce their iconic foliage , they involve plenty of nitrogen at their disposal .
Nitrogen deficiency is another common cause of elephant ear plants drooping .
Other augury of this nutritionary deficiency in elephant ears include stunt emergence , yellow and brown foliage , discolorations , and dieback .
If you surmise your elephant pinna are fight with miserable level of nitrogen , then use a grime tryout to ascertain if levels are really low .
The solution: Apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer
Because they bring on so much foliage , elephant auricle have an increase need for N , specifically .
Nitrogen is considered to be the most important food for works . This element is a primal component part of chlorophyl , which take on a role in photosynthesis .
Without N , elephant auricle droop , turn yellow , and kibosh grow .
It ’s authoritative to feed elephant earshigh - nitrogen fertilizerslike feather meal andblood mealto check that they get quite a little of nitrogen .
Although synthetical fertilizers like30 - 0 - 10may work best for feeding elephant ear that are struggling with a severe N deficiency , constitutive fertilizers are often the better choice .
Organic fertilizer support soil health , which , in go , supports flora health .
Add N - plentiful soil amendments to your elephant ear ’s substrate at the start of the grow season , and throughout the spring up time of year , to keep them sizeable and happy .
8. The problem: Other nutritional deficiencies
Of naturally , it ’s also possible that your elephant pinna are struggling with another nutrient deficiency .
Elephant ears trust on phosphorus and potassium to replicate their genetic materials to bring about raw tissues and order wet intake .
Trace minerals like iron , manganese , and sulfur also roleplay an important theatrical role .
Without these minerals , your elephant ear plants will be ineffective to perform many of their canonical metabolic processes , including photosynthesis and respiration .
If they ca n’t go in good order , then the plants will no longer be capable to bring about an adequate supplying of energy from themselves , resulting in flag , lamentable - looking leave of absence .
Use a soil test to ascertain which nutrients your elephant pinna plant are lacking .
The solution: Feed the plants more often
Because elephant ears rely on so many different nutrient , it ’s best to apply a multifariousness of organic plant food to prey them .
Kelp mealis a great source of I , copper , and zinc that your elephant auricle will benefit from .
Epsom salts can help revitalize wilting , yellowing leafage by give the plant an extra battery-acid of Mg .
And , of course , compost is an excellent addition to the soil , not only because it ’s a copious beginning of nutrients , but also because it adds structure to the substrate , keep it loose and advertise salutary drainage .
These organic materials are ideal fertilizers because they release slowly , keeping the soil fertile and nutritious for much longer than synthetical plant food .
9. The problem: Over-fertilization
Another near reason to screen your ground before applying fertilizer is to avoid use too much of it .
apply too much of one nutrient and not enough of another creates imbalances in the grime that can result to drooping , yellowing foliage , foliage burn , and even the death of the plant .
Feeding your plant too often can also be a job .
Although elephant ears are heavy confluent , even they can be over - feed .
Not only does over - fertilise your plants contribute to nutritional dissymmetry , but it can also make plants more prostrate to disease and insect plague .
That ’s because nutritional imbalance moderate to nutritionary deficiencies , and when plants do n’t have all of the nutrients they need to support a level-headed immune system , their resistance to pests and infection inevitably go down .
The solution: Stick to a fertilizing schedule
Consider the soil your elephant ears are growing in .
aboriginal soils that are sandy and have been amended with constituent materials will need to be fertilize regularly because their supplying of valuable nutrients is modified .
But soils that are already nutrient - dense and full of decompose constitutive affair are a upright source of nutrients on their own .
Plants growing in humusy , productive soils are at a higher risk of exposure of being overfed .
So to avoid over - fertilise your elephant ears , test your soil periodically , and stick to a exacting fertilizing schedule . That direction , your plant wo n’t recrudesce nutritional issues or drooping leafage .
10. The problem: Feeding the plants at the wrong time
Feeding the plant at the wrong prison term can also cause problems .
Fertilizing elephant ears in the capitulation can cause wilting because the plant ’s nutritional demand are much low at the end of the growing season than they are at the start of the growing season .
Feeding the plants in wintertime is also a no - no . Applying fertilizers to a dormant industrial plant intend the food go unabsorbed , so they sit in the soil and burn the plant ’s radical .
The solution: Fertilize at the right time
Apply your first round of golf of fertiliser at the very start of the growing time of year .
Apply a dose of plant food once a calendar month during the grow season , to make trusted your elephant ears have all of the nutrients they want to keep producing healthy foliage and unassailable ascendent system of rules .
As fall approaches , issue the dose of fertilizer in one-half , and point off completely by the starting time of fall .
This supports the works ’s lifelike growth cycle , which will forestall drooping leafage and other problem .
11. The problem: Insect infestations
Soft - bodied worm like caterpillars , worm , aphids , andspider mitesare all too felicitous to make a meal of your elephant ears . And if the plague is bad enough , it can cause the plants to droop and turn yellow .
Some worm , like thrips , are sapsucker . They habituate particular oral cavity parts to die through a plant life ’s leaves and feed on the energy the plant makes for itself .
presently , the plant life does n’t have enough solid food to make new leaves . It does n’t even have enough food to sustain the leaves it has , so it wilts and becomes discolor .
Other insects , like armyworm , make holes and chew pungency out of the leave-taking .
Over fourth dimension , this make severe terms to the plant , hindering its ability to photosynthesize and produce food for itself .
The result , again , is wilting leaf and yellowing .
The solution: Use an insecticide
If insects are making your elephant ear plants droop , the sooner you move out them , the well off your plants will be .
Use a hosiery with a sprayer attachment to physically polish off any worm that may be hiding in the leaf .
Once the plant life have dry , apply ahomemade insecticideto all parts of the parting to kill and repel negative louse .
In severe cases , we recommend implement diatomaceous earth . This scratchy powder penetrates the exoskeleton of voiced - bodied worm , make them to dehydrate .
regrettably , it can also obliterate beneficial hemipteran , so it ’s best to only apply diatomaceous worldly concern as a last resort .
12. The problem: Rootbound
Many nurseryman choose to keep their elephant ears in crapper , either indoors or outdoors .
Growing your elephant ear plants in pots do it easy to make adjustments to their routines if want be .
you’re able to move them around to catch the light . you’re able to see their private fertiliser requirements without having to worry about surrounding plant .
pot also tend to offer these plants good drain , which can be helpful , particularly for elephant ears that have been drooping due to overwatering .
But elephant ears are fast growers . allow in the same pot for too long , the plants will become rootbound .
Rootbound plants have nowhere for their roots to grow , yet they keep growing them because , well , they need them to absorb water and nutrient .
The resultant role is the roots follow the shape of the vessel they ’re growing in , and , eventually , choke themselves out .
If your elephant ears are rootbound , you ’ll come up root growing out of the drainage holes . You may also be able-bodied to move the plant around inside the pot , with the roots and turd move as a single deal .
The solution: Repot the plant
If your elephant ear plant has outgrown its container , it ’s time to size up .
Choose a new pot for your elephant auricle plant life , one that is at least doubly as wide and as deep as its current pot .
Fill the new sight with all - purpose potting soil amend with a heaping smattering of compost .
Next , gently remove the elephant pinna from its current pot . Be careful not to damage the foliage or antecedent during this process to avoid stress the industrial plant .
Place the plant life in the cakehole , keeping the root collar even with the surrounding land , and backfill around it .
Tamp gently to remove air pockets , then water the works deeply until you see water coming out of the drainage holes .
instead , you could transfer your rootbound elephant ear to a spot in your garden . The process is the same .
Dig a hole doubly as wide and as deep as the works ’s roots . Amend the soil with compost to make it slack and fertile , then imbed the elephant ear so that its beginning collar is stage with the ground . weewee the plant life exhaustively when you ’re done .
Once your elephant ear has enough room for its roots to spread out out , the plant will perk up within a few days .
13. The problem: Transplant shock
mayhap you decided to transplant your elephant capitulum to a new location in your backyard . Or possibly you repot your indoor plant to a roomy container .
If your elephant ears are drooping short after having been moved , that ’s a house the plant is emphasise .
Other signs of transplant shock in elephant ears include brown and black spots on the foliage . The plant ’s stems will also become faint and wilted .
The solution: Keep the plant well-watered
The figure one causal agency of transplant shock is dehydration .
It ’s important to keep your plants well - watered in the days following transplantation to help the base recover from the stress of being moved .
Keep your elephant spike ’s land consistently dampen to the touch after moving it . Avoid have the soil dry out during this time to ensure the plant stay on hydrated .
This will foreclose the industrial plant from droop , and enable it to jump grow again as quickly as potential .
Tips for growing healthy elephant ears
Keeping your elephant ear plant life from drooping is a matter of touch their growing requirements .
By reach the works enough light , piddle , and nutrients , they should grow just fine .
By paying close attention to their appearance , you may make adjustments to their precaution , and treat your drooping elephant ear plant before their condition worsen .
