Canna Seeds

I have some canna seeds that have been soaking since the 3rd. I've been nicking them every few days, or when I remember. Tonight I nicked them and one of them is swelled and when I nicked it, the outer layer split. Is it time to plant that seed? I can't see anything that looks like sprouts.

If they have swelled, it's time to plant. Good luck with yours!

I've been soaking mine for forever too! I nicked them also. They finally started showing little roots so I planted them yesterday. Lets hope we all have beautiful canna beds this year :-)

Thank you go vols. I'll get them planted today. I noticed there were a couple others that were swelled too.

Vic, yes, let's hope we have some beautiful cannas this year. I just love them. Can you leave yours in the ground all winter in zone 7? I have to dig them every fall here and replant them in the spring. Last year I had a few cannas, and I'm hoping they come back this spring too. I think I'll replant those this weekend in pots so they can get started growing again.

Go ahead and start your rhizomes in pots....I have mine and I have a tropical jungle in the kitchen...soak 'em really good....your seeds should sprout this year, but it may well be a year or two before they bloom.

"eyes"

Thanks "eyes". I'm going to go collect them from my MIL's house and get them growing too. This is exciting. Spring is definitely getting closer.

I use my dremel and sand them till I see white, then the germination rate is almost 95% .

Oh ya, soak for two days after sanding.
Crystal

I'll remember that Crystal. Thanks. I'm always afraid of hurting the seeds when I nick them, but I'm getting better.

Joan,
I never nick or soak my seeds and they will grow and bloom in 1 season. maybe GA has something to do with it? lol
Larkie

Joan, this is my first year for cannas. According to what I'm reading, I need to pull them up in the fall. I have talked to some locals though that leave theirs in the ground. Haven't decided yet what I'm going to do. I'll probably do half in and half out and see what happens. Good Luck with yours...vic

Well, here is another question about Cannas. Where I live, there is a plastic pot, about 18" tall & in diameter. These cannas have been in this pot for 8 yrs I know of. (I didn't plant them.) In the last couple of yrs, I have been watering them when I watered my plants. This past summer the pot was solid leaves & several blooms til it got too hot. When is the best time to divide them? Now? They are still mostly brown & we are expecting 35 tonite & 25 tomorrow nite. So, maybe by the wkend, if it warms up? Or should I wait?

i just plant them -no soakin or nicking!

Smockette.....dig them up this weekend and divide them, 2-3 eyes per division. Plant them 15 inches apart, 3 1/2 to 4 inches deep, your 8" pot will yeild you most likely a 4'x4'garden bed this spring.

"eyes"

I don't know how anyone can live without a dremel! I was trying sanding, soaking and planting... they all were growing fine but my arthritis was killing me! I couldn't do very many, I got a dremel and wow what a great thing!

I just tried the peroxide and distilled water soak and wow! I used my Nail Genie (like a Dremel, but for acrylic nails) to sand a white area then popped them in the solution. This is day three and I think everyone of them is sprouted! The rate is almost as good on some daylily seeds I soaked on the same day!

Badseed,

The peroxide soak really works!! I've tried it with other hard brown coated seeds...I like instant results because I'm running out of space on my heater and my growlights. If you put your pots of cannas on the heater they leaves will come up in a couple of days. I then just move the pot to a window.
Joydie

Joydie, what zone are you in? Here in six, I have just moved all my seedlings out to harden off. Time to finally get the nursery (baby room, not for plants) decorated! LOL The baby is already three months old! I did get her room painted days before she arrived, but didn't embellish yet. Our temps have been 70s/50s which is perfect for me. I am so thrilled I found that sprouting recipe on here, otherwise those seeds would probably still be sitting in a box. Anything else I start will be outside. I have declared war on the seed box. I am bound and determined to get rid of my stock pile. I figure if you need a wood chest to store seeds, you might have too many. ROTFL

Badseed,
I'm in zone 6 also, the last few days have finally been mild. Still had the furnace on 3 days ago though. I have all kinds of tough seeds soaking. I'm now using the peroxide on banana seeds to see how they do.

I'm now experimenting with vinegar as it contains acetic acid and I want to compare both the vinegar and the peroxide to see which works best. I've been using potassium nitrate (saltpeter) on other old seeds and they are sprouting within a day. I want everything outside by May.

Okay, where does one go to buy saltpeter?

Brugie,
You can buy it at the pharmacy. If they do not have it on the shelves they can order it for you. I got a good sized bottle for about $5.98 and this will last me for years I'm sure.

I've now taken to soaking all my hard brown shelled seeds in the peroxide soak. My tropical hybiscus seeds sprouted in the soak in 2 days and by day 3 100% germination. Iused it on siberian, pseudacorus and japanese seeds and germination took 3 days max. Morning glory seeds sprouted in 24 hours...I swear by it now. Thick coated seeds like peony, banana and canna sprout within 3-7 days instead of months.

I want to have all my seedlings outdoors over the summer where they will grow much faster.

joydie