at worst, you'll lose some leaves, but they should bounce back. knock the whole clump out of the pot, and brush or flush the soil away so you have a clear look at the tubers- you SHOULD just be able to separate them by hand, leave maybe three in the original pot- I've only got two in a 4-gallon urn, and they're quite the spectacle :)

you can dig them up in september (mine sometimes last into october, but I've got a protected little microclimate, and get irises in early april) and dry them for the following year- though I actually made taro chips last year, and bought new ones this spring :)

I was hoping someone would tell me I could successfully take them out of the pot - only 2 or 3 have leaves so I won't be losing much. Thanks a bunch.

chinacat - I have some huge elephant ears that have been growing in my garden for many years. From time to time, they begin to look a bit "ratty." Do you feed them with anything special to keep them looking fit?

Also note you make taro chips. How do you do this and what are their uses? Seems to me, I heard that taro root can be used as a thickener, but I wasn't aware it came from elephant ears.

Bejay

hmm... honestly? I just take off the leaves that get ragged (sometimes, the cat likes to play) I clip them short (near the base) with scissors, then come in a week later and peel away the 'heel' from the base.

Taro chips like potato chips. slice thinly into a bowl of water, then rinse, pat dry, and fry in a higher-heat oil. peanut is ideal.

the bath may not be needed- but my husband's one of the people who's allergic to the sap of the plant, and the 'milk' of the tuber so I just slice it into the water, which I then toss into the side of the garden he doesn't rummage in (the side without yummy treats in it ;)

Oh - so that's how they do it - thank you - I'll be sure to rinse in water, before hand. Appreciate the recipe.

Bejay

I too, have a pot of EE's with new ones shooting out. Are you saying to remove the entire plant from the pot, wash off the dirt until you see the root, then divide,and repot the old and new?

yup- they actually make new tubers, so they're not like irises where you have to figure out where along the root to cut. they just kind of 'untangle' from one another.

Thanks chinacat_sunflower. I am headed out to try it today. right now I have a med size pot of EE's with about 8 to 10 new ones in it and growing.I wish I could just dig down in there and get them out to repot, and still not hurt any of them.
Thanks again