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This is my first year to try EE's. They did well all summer although they seemed to need lots of fertilizer. At this time nights are reaching into low 60's with day temps still in the low 90's. Both are still producing new leaves although the growth rate is slower now. Do I let them grow until they stop and the foliage turns brown or do I need to pull them and trim off the stalks before a certain temp for storage for the winter indoors? These I have are nothing fancy (Mammoth) but I'd like to winter them and maybe get nicer ones next spring.
themoonhowl,
Thanks for the info. I've begun looking through the links starting with should be stickies in the Aroid forum. I believe all I need to know can be found there. I'll admit that I first looked for the EE forum and didn't know they where "Aroids". Thought it was strange that they didn't have a dedicated forum but it was simply my lack of trying harder. That is one of the reasons I like DG so much, people here have a wonderful spirit of helpfulness. Thank you.
In Lubbock, caladiums need to be lifted each winter because they will otherwise freeze. EEs are not as cold sensitive, but to be safe you can lift them and store them in a garage or somewhere over the winter. Let them die down naturally. You can wait until a near-freeze, dig them up LEAVES AND ALL and let them dry for about 10 days. Then pull off the leaves and roots. Wrap each tuber separately in newspaper, loosely, and put them in boxes or sacks. It's best to store them where it's cool but certainly not where they can freeze. Then in late spring plant them just as if they were new tubers.
I have a dump question...leave it to me to have a dumb question...am I supposed to do that? I mean I grow mine as houseplants only move them outside for some summer sun...am I supposed to cut the leaves off and move them to the basement or something?
No, as long as they look good, you will want to leave them alone. I've never heard of anyone using them indoors; only outdoors, and the cycle of the seasons causes the leaves to wilt and die when it gets cold in the fall. How long will they stay leafed out indoors? I'm quite curious.
