Dig after frost has damaged foliage and allow foliage to dry a few days before digging. Dig carefully to avoid damage which will cause rotting. Store in sphagnum peat, vermiculite, or sand.

Caladiums and the Elephant Ears may be stored the same way. Be careful when cleaning them off; then allow to dry for a day or two, as you do not want to put any tender bulbs away damp.

Since I would rather not deal with the cold I dig mine when it is obvious they are starting to look like poo from the cold (but not frost) nights. Canna are so tough you can just grab them by the stem and yank on them if you want....these are impossible to kill plants in my 15 years experience of digging them every fall....they multiply like rabbits and are almost impossible to give away in sufficient quantities. Cut the stem off close to the rhizome and toss in peat in your garage or basement. You did not say what genus of elephant ears you have.....Alocasia are much less prone to rot than Colocasia in my experience...the typical C. esculenta vs. A. maccrorhiza that is. Dig them and cut them back....not all the way.....under this years leaves is where the growth point is that will develop next spring for these....let them dry for a few days and you will be able to peel off this years leaves and after a couple rounds of this you will have a tuber that looks just like the one you bought. I find that some of the others like Colocasia 'Coffee Cup' or the pink stem varieties rarely grow back for me from the main tuber, but the offsets that form by the dozens can be just broken off and stored in peat for the winter and then they grow like weeds again the next summer. Put them in a rubbermaid container, bucket, old bag, whatever...in peat in the basement....just make sure they have dried because if not they will rot as pointed out....My Alocasia I do not worry about this as they are just sturdier folk!! By the way, just go to any Asian market and buy some Taro or such.....these are Elephant ears and grow great.....many different forms may turn up from your grocery shopping :o) Dan