How much room to allow for Elephant Ears

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Just saying that Elephant Ears "get big" doesn't really help you to picture how much room to allow for them. I planted this one in February of this year (it's September 23rd today) from a tiny sprout and it is now 52" wide from extreme tip to extreme tip of the widest leaves. That's just a little over four feet wide. In height, the plant is about three feet tall. I just went out and measured.

Tropical plants look great when they are a little crowded, which is how they grow in the wild, jostling for space and light. But they don't look so good if they smooshed up against a wall, or if they are blocking where you need to walk.

So give your Elephant Ears space to grow! I like to have a lot of rocks around, which helps to fill in some of the visual blankness while the plants grow. It also tells me where the water, and misting lines, are.

To make them grow their best, plant them in rich potting soil. I use a lot of Miracle Grow Moisture Control (no, they don't pay me to advertise them, I wish they would!). I also get the little houseplant food spikes from the Dollar Store, and I do foliar feeding with water-soluble plant food. And I also trim away any leaves once they start getting a little ratty. Don't worry, there will be more!

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