Cannas for 2010 - whose in?

This is my first time with cannas. Thanks to DIRTYGIRL sending me some lovely starts I am hooked. Only trouble is...winter!

Its soon gonna smack me in the face here. Well, hopefully not real soon, but fall is here and now I am worried on frost.

What do I do with them? I have them in pots! Dare I just bring them in the house? I doubt that they will flourish.. I really do not have a window for them, but anyway, whats the suggestions here?

This one set pods so I am gonna try to take the seed and start newbs next year, but what about the tubers?

(sorry about the sideways pic.. I tried fixing that, but it was a no go!)



This message was edited Sep 28, 2010 9:26 PM

Here is a better pic of the bloom. Later in the season it developed a red stripe on one of the petals. I have no clue as to what it is.

Same canna, just older....IM HOOKED! But how do I save them through the winter?

wait till the frost hits them the plant will die off, then just store the pots in a cool place (but not freezing).. You could also dig them up and store them some place cool also.. I store mine in my basement all winter in a rubber maid container all in separate plastic baskets that have holes all around for air.
jen

Ok, so Jon, you said that that one above is called Cleopatra! Awesome.

Here is that dwarf I have... it has a name, but not sure what! It had a flower very similiar to Cleopatra

Thanks Jen... pot and all works good. I could put them in my crawl space...but probably will have to worry about mice though. EEKS..dang critters...they are thick this year.

put them in the rubber maid bin weather kept in pots or just bare root the mice cant get them through there

Well, I usually bait the meeces down there, but still.

I will have to find a rubbermaid thingee! But arent those air tight? Wont they rot or mold in there?

Mine dont, The bigger ones i dont think are air tight.. I do get water build up on the bottom from sweat so I always put a plastic tray or somthing upside down then lay the stuff on that.. So it wont touch the water

good idea. I think I mightjust put the pots in big garbage baggies and set them down there. All I can do is try.

Now, how soon should one start next years seed?

I start mine out doors in mid may along with the rest of my seeds.. Here that when the sign of frost is gone.. You can start them earlier then the rest of your seeds indoors with a light or outdoors in a pot and just bring them in when theres a frost warning.. But here when i plant them in mid may i get flowers and even seeds on most of them.. The roots are fairly big with at least 3 shoots coming up by the time i cut them down
jen

Wow, thats a speedy BIG annual!

yes they do very well there first year..

Just remember....in Spring I'll be sending you some of the newer ones I have.....I have split all the cannas from this pot...TWICE...and have them re-homing around the yard... these babies don't get very tall....and the colors keep getting better and better with every bloom.

here's my favorite so far...the red is soooo brilliant

and the pink

AWESOME yummy! I cannot for spring..can we skip winter???!! Cleopatra that you sent is doing well and had set seed! I will probably have to divide it too! I cant wait and hope I can save them through the winter to have a mass of them!

The dwarf yello bloomed but the others are slower and I am still waiting. Maybe I will put them in the GPS tohelp them live a wee tad longer before I bring them in for sleeping.

I will take another pic of your Cleopatra later today... Im working up Loofa pix and will be on that thread for a bit!

the dwarf I sent...is more like a 'Picasso'...it doesn't get the red strip like 'Cleopatra'.....((I also have Mr. President growing...as well as a couple 'Sriped Beauty')) And working on a few more!!! I need a LIVING FENCE between my "outside tanning room" ~LOL~ and my neighbors teenage boys eyes!!!!!!

the pic is of my 6 ft. tall 'Cleopatra'

well, maybe the t-ager needs something else. Lordy, what is ist with prying eyes. But yano, if you dont have a fence, they gonna peak at ya!

OoooOooo! Thats a nice one! I want to try Pretoria nad some of the other stripers too. Im hooked.

My Cleopatra is only about 4 feet.. but very lovely.. I think it needs a bigger pot!

Still no new pic.. remind me again!

Here it is! Cleopatra.. still going strong.. but on the wane!

I'm a newby to canna's, and wanted more blooms and no seeds this year, so I cut the pods back. Didn't get good blooming, some were in too much shade and others I think were too crowded.
Anyway, I have different plans for them next year, and would like to know how to save seeds.

Thanks,
Crit

I take mine off the plant when the pod turns brown, I take the seeds out of the pod and just place them in an envelope labeled till spring..

dang meeces got my canna seed.

I would love getting a menagerie of colors if anyone has extra seeds they would be willing to share.

Do you plant them just like you would the rhizomes?

Thanks
Crit

you have to nick the seed and soak in water over night

OK, Thanks smurf. How big are the seeds?

they vary some are about the size of a pea while others can be smaller

Well, the frost got my canna plants and I whaacked them back. I am not sure on how I should store them. Right now they are in pots... and probably are root bound.

I thought of unpotting them and then putting them in a trash bag with pine shavings and storigng them in a cool place until spruing.. any ideas ya'll?

here the link for what i do
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1136165/

You can keep them in there pots and re-pot come spring also

Well, I reckon I will keep them in pots and re-pot them in the spring. Dont reckon there gonna grow through my winters!

No just put them where ever you store your winter stuff (out of the freezing temps that is) and come spring when new growth take them out of the pot..

The pots are headed to the crawlspace. I reckon that will be the best spot. Its cool...Hopefully not too cold.

Thanks for the help!

Moving the pots to the house

I'll keep taking pic's thru the winter of my canna's for ya... *S* they aer still blooming like mad!

Super! the least I can do is then sniff my PC's screen while I wait with baited breath!

I got them to the porch today to bring indoors for storage. Cleopatra did mighty fine! *G* thank you!

**LMAO** scratch N sniff monitor

Lets patent it! LOL!

Canna's in the planter out front

Canna's out back

Ooooh drool! Love that red/pink/pank one!