The Dirt Gardener's Column for January 2, 2010

Q. I have an indoor plant but I'm not sure of its real name. My mother calls it Elephant Ears. The leaves are a very dark black, green color. However, it has not done well as the leaves keep dieing. I don't know if it’s from too much or not enough water. What do I need to do to get it growing again?

A. Elephant Ears is the common name for a group of plants called Alocasia. It gets its name from the large green leaves whose shape resembles that of the ears of an African Elephant. African Mask is the name of the variety with the dark greenish black leaves used as a houseplant and that is what I'm assuming you have. There could be several reasons for the leaves dying with water being one of them. If the leaves get brown and crispy, the plant is not getting enough water or going dry in between applications. The entire root ball needs to get wet when you water. The easiest way to water indoor plants is to do so in a sink or out on the patio or deck. You can then fill each container to the brim several times, letting the water recede or drain. The frequency could be weekly or every ten days depending on the temperatures. Alocasia leaves turn yellow and go limp with too much water and then wither away. I’d also avoid leaving any water in a saucer as the excess water can wick back into the plant causing the lower portion of the plant to rot. Alocasias doesn’t like wet feet so they need to dry out just a bit. Alocasia doesn’t like to grow in low light or dark conditions. They prefer a location that gets lots of indirect, and bright light. So the closer they are to a window the better. They will tolerate direct sun but only the early morning sun during the summer months. And finally, I’d feed them with Osmocote three times a year to provide the necessary nutrients for year round growth.

Q. I have thirty roses in several raised planter boxes. Since planting them over four years ago, the soil has sunk nearly a foot. I’d like to raise the soil and replant them this winter. My thoughts are to prune the roses and then extract them from the planters. What are your thoughts on this?

A. This is a very workable solution to your problem. With thirty rose bushes to prune, move and replant, you have a project that could be done over several weekends instead of right away. You have the luxury of time right now. I’d store the extracted bushes in any type of open container in a dry location. Another solution is to place them on any type of surface and covered the roots with a tarp. When replanted, your bushes will suffer no serious setback.

by Buzz Bertolero, CCNP