Elephant ear bulb is just a cranium

[rokosz]

Hi, Early last spring I bought a bulb from an orange box. It'd been 20 years since I last tried. Did well, loved it but so did the deer. Now I'm in a low-sec prison till next summer (think fences) so I tried again.

It planted late spring, came up , leafed out great. Too much shade possibly (only about 3-4 direct mid-day) Zone 6. But no outward symptoms except maybe I didn't water often enough.

Midway through summer I noticed tendrils or roots right on the surface at the stem. That made me think -- not enough water Or not planted deep enough. Still it soldiered on.

I dug it today to bring it in for the winter and the those surface roots were much more prevalent under ground (spreading maybe a foot? diamter. Plant was never taller than 2-3' 6 leaves.
Stranger was the original bulb husk was pretty much gone except for the top portion (like an arctic cap) attached to the underside of the plant. Cap was also hollow on the underside (like an empty skull).

Ok, most of the bulb obviously rotted away. Normal? Or a symptom of something not good? I expected a full bulb, maybe a little bigger or with bebes like pototo plants.

Is the plant as it is now (put back in soil in pot until I figure out what's happening/to do) a lost cause for next year?
thanks everyone.

 

[oneeye]

I would cut off any of the mushy or rotting parts and then leave it in the open dry air. If you have a humid environment then you should use a desiccant or moisture absorbers to help keep it dry. Look for white flesh in the bulb because that is what will grow again next planting. If you don't see any white then you should throw it away. Good luck

 

[cpp gardener]

Can you post a picture? They really are worth a thousand words.

 

[rokosz]

Here ya' go. Have a look. you're looking under its skirt root tendrils up to the bottom of the top. Looks kind of like a a spider. the fangs are edges on the shell edge. I keep thinking it rotted - it was too wet. Yeah it rotted, but too wet? doesn't seem likely. Oneeye there really isn't much of anything left in this bulb case -- maybe I'll find something if I rinse. Need to take it out of the pot again. -- right, no bulb for the winter what does it store or use? Interesting to see what happens if I try keep up with it. Anything jump out?

 

[cpp gardener]

It really doesn’t look good. About all I can suggest is to replant it, give it very warm, very bright conditions and hope it gets better over the winter. Since it doesn’t have a tuber left, you have to keep it alive and thriving as much as you can and hope it grows a new one over winter.

 

[Sheal]

The roots still look healthy so it's worth giving it a chance.