Hi, I'm new here, and I really need help, more like peace of mind, rather than help... anyway...

I live in Lafayette, LA, and up until earlier today, I had a beautiful, full cluster of elephant ears growing on one side of my porch, near the stairs. They were at least 8 feet tall, leaves measured about 3 or 4 feet long. It was absolutely georgeous, but too big. They were massive, and taking over my stairway, so much so that there was hardly room to walk up and down the steps. So, I did something that I think may have been really stupid.

Now, I want to say that I have never had a green thumb, and I know very little about growing anything. I wish I knew more and growing stuff, becuase I love plants and flowers.

So, I decided I wanted to eliminate some of this massivly huge plant, and transplant it on the other side of the house (I love these plants). So dumb old me, I take a shovel and try to dig up the bulb to seperate it, but it's like trying to dig up a tree, it's no use. Very little of it will budge. After fighting with it for some time, I hastily decided to take the shovel and cut between some of the outer stems, cut into the root, and seperate part of the root system off of the main root, along with the stalks and the leaves. I cut off about 4 or 5 stems, all of which had some roots attached, and I planted them in other locations throughout my yard. Then I watered them down with water with Miracle Grow Plant Food added, that granular blue stuff that you add to water.

At first I thought it would be ok, until I see the stems that I cut off are drooping to the ground, and all the leaves are shrivelling up and dying. I think they may be in shock, then again, maybe I killed them, I'm not sure. I am a 'KNOW NOTHING' when it comes to plants :-) Even the main plant, though the leaves are not shriveled up, the bottom stems and leaves are drooping to the ground. The stems and leaves growing from the center of the plant look fine, and are as peppy as before. My main plant looks naked now, with so many leaves gone, but that's what I wanted, isn't it? I guess we should be careful what we wish for, right...

Do you think I killed my plant(s)? Will the main plant survive? Will the new plants survive? What should I do? Should I cut the shriveled leaves off? I don't know what to do, or how to revive it. Could you please help me?

Sorry so long...

Thanks,

Heather