Cannas: For the Canna Tyros - How to Grow Canna From Seeds, 1 by bwilliams

bwilliams wrote:
I have held off growing seeds for the last two years due to all the breeding I did 3 years ago. I have finally been able to catch up and start sprouting seeds again this year. Most of mine are considered open end hybrids. This is because I am using many different pollens on the same plant. The ones I have high hopes for I put in envelopes and store till I am ready to use the pliers and file on them. I have found that this helps them to germinate at roughly the same rate. When your dealing with thousands and thousands of seeds this method is impossible. I use another method that is much more easy and lazy. You take all the mix seeds and soak them in water for a day then you put them in flat trays keeping the soil moist. Place in full sun and let bake. I often use tops on the trays as well. The one thing to be careful with is as soon as they start to germinate remove them into small pots or new trays with out tops, they will burn up inside the closed container. This method works great but the germination rate is erratic some seeds will germinate right away while others may sit their all summer long. The rate they sprout is enough to keep me busy all summer long. I usually have a lot left over at the end of summer to try again next year.