I have just one question. Is it still to soon to be planting cannas into the ground with night temps going into mid forties? Not all of my cannas that i potted are coming up yet but i do keep them outside overnight if its about 50 and if it goes below that i move them to the garage which is usually around 55-60. I've only grown cannas for 3 years now, I started off with 2 plants. a Black Knight and a Wyoming the first year. We overwintered them bad, more like overneglected them, yet they came back with tons more. Then the second year I got on plant of each Pretoria and Phasion. Learnt a correct way to over winter them and had about 60 sprouts this year between those 4. This year i joined DG....then i picked up about 6 more varieties this year and i dont think i can stop next year. So now that DG and you guys have me addicted and having me buy more then i can hanndle, i figured id better learn as much as i can about these beautiful plants.
this one question turned into a ramble. whoops. thanks for any help :)
Planting times
MrEli,
I'm a newbie, but I've learned sooooooooo much at DG. I'm keeping my eyes on the 10 Canna Stuttgart's I planted last month. They're about 18 inches tall and getting stronger. What's the correct overwintering technique you learned? Would love to get more of these next year from the 10 I bought at egardens.com? If they make it, I'll be happy to share some with you next year. Thanks for any advice you can share.
P.S. I have learned that cannas LOVE high phosphorous, and lots of water until they get established. Then, cut back on the watering or the bulbs will rot!
there are so many ways that i have read for overwintering, and im sure everyone has thier own ways. the way i did it was: after the first frost i cut the cannas down about 2 inches from the ground, then i carfully dug them up knowing that they were goingto be bigger now underground then when i planted them. after that i removed most of the dirt simply by shaking or knocking off what i could. be sure to keep them seperate if you have more then one kind because its will be very hard to tell them apart just by the rhizome. after i had them all dug up i placed them in cardboard boxes and kept them in my basement all winter, i checked them a few times never having to water them or anything. In march i pulled them out and divided them with a razor, making sure there was at least one growing eye on each section. then i potted them up and let them grow. next year id be willing to trade some variety of mine for some of your Stuttgart's. if you want to know which i have ill list them for you.
Thanks for the info! How cold was your storage location? You're in WI and I'm in Houston. Big difference in our winter temperatures. I'm probably storing mine in the garage, which will get an average temp of around 40-50 degrees most of the winter. Let me know if your average temp was much colder. I may actually need to overwinter my rhizomes outside.
no, that temp sounds fine, i would say 50 is a good temp. with you being in houston, im not sure but you might be able to get away with keeping your cannas in the ground, even if you do get cold, you might be able to get away with putting mulch over the top of them. if it frost only a few times you could do the mulch thing. how often, if ever, does it frost by you?
Three times in the last 5 years...
lucky you... i dont know, i think you could leave them in the ground. im not sure how they could handle one frost.
I've researched here, and most of my friends do just leave them in the ground. That's great news! I'll still trade with you anyway, ok? Just as soon as the season is over, and I see what I have to trade with next season!
sounds good, im sure we could make even trades for cannas every season. it would be like an extra birthday every year.
im still wondering if its O.K to plan t cannas outside yet?
MrEli,
I got my camera, finally! Canna Stuttgarts!
Canna Cleopatras from bulbs.
What creature did this to my Canna? See post right above.
i dont know but it s ruining the look of the leaves! the holes are so uniform, its wierd. maybe one of the more educated will tell us.
MrEli,
I would think they'd be OK. I'm in the Portland, Or area and the last two weeks our evenings have been in the 40's and two nights dropped to 35 degrees. Our days are just now warming up to the 60's!
Anyway, I set out my (newly purchased/traded) canna in pots and in-ground 3 weeks ago and they're all sending up leaves/sprouts. No signs of damage from the cool nights.
I leave them outside year round and they all survive our few days of snow and sometimes 20 degree nights.
thanks axle! thats good to know, now i just have to wait for the rain to stop.....
Gymgirl, If you post your picture and question over on the Garden Foes Forum I'm sure you could get an answer. Smart people! I need to know too, I had the same thing on one of my Cannas. I used Sevin Ready-to-Use Bug Killer,(spray bottle) and whatever it was it went away.
I don't use a lot of chemicals, but this works on Aphids on my Hisbiscus buds when nothing else will!
Pati
patischell, i heard with sevin you are supposed to change your clothes after using it and was them seperatly?? have you ever heard anything like that?? i purchased a bottle and i would like to know things like that with a little one in the house.
MrEli, I have always had kids, dogs, etc. in my yard and my late DH used the Sevin dust because it was not supposed to be harmful. He never took any special precautions, and we never had any problems. That being said, check on their website and see if they have further info, or just E-mail them if they don't. They always have a contact E-mail on websites.
I use the already prepared liquid in the spray bottle. It's a little more expensive than the dust, but there is no waste or dust flying around. You can aim and spot spray. It is wonderful stuff!
I saw the picture of your beautiful baby....that red hair is just breath- taking! What a sweet Lily flower you have. (smile)
Pati
Pati, I also have the spray and im definatly ready to use it :)
Yes, the red hair :) everyone loves her red hair. mom gave it to her. she's really my pride and joy and really is the best thing to happen to me :) thanks for all the info and time.
There was some sort of tiny black wormy looking caterpillar thingy hiding down in the stalk. I fished it out, crushed it, and NO MORE HOLES! And none on the other new cannas in the neighborhood either. Someone told me that worm could get thick as your little finger after he munches on all those cannas! I caught him as a teenager!
im glad you found him before he ate everything! im hoping to not get any bugs in my cannas