When do I pull my elephant ear hostas out of the ground in cincinnati?

Question

When should I remove my hostas from the ground and store them inside? Do I cut off the roots and leaves? When I bought them they were dry bulbs can I just store them dry over the winter?

Answer 1

Alright... we've got some confusion. I think you're talking about the plant commonly known as Elephant Ears (Colocasia). There are several different kinds of elephant ears. Most/ all are annuals in most of the USA (unless you are USDA hardiness zone 8 or warmer). Those bulbs need to lifted before severe frost, allowed to dry. Once the bulbs have dried, cut off the dead leaves and roots, store in a paper bag with perilite. They can be grown as a houseplant without the dormant season- though they take up alot of room.

If on the other hand you're speaking of the perennial Hosta (Hosta), that's a different story. Those plants are hardy through most of the USA, and would not have to be lifted at all. In the spring rake up the dead foliage and discard. Do this early before the sprouts start growing. Hostas do not form bulbs.

Well I hope that this helps,
Good luck-