moving this from the Cannas forum
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Hi. -
After the first frost, I cut down the cannas that will be overwintering in large containers outside. Now I'm thinking about adding some pansies for winter color. I have a well, so I will be watering the pansies -- will that be a problem for the dormant cannas? I don't want them to rot.
thanks for any advice -
jo
cannas and pansies?
Jo.. I wouldn't do it. You would definatly be takign a major chance on rottign your cannas. They really need to not be disturbed durign the winter.
The only way you could do it would be to plant your pansies and then just leave them to mother nature. Don't water the pansies at allafter initial planting, just let the rain take care of them. Pansies are pretty hardy once established. Just mulch them good.
If you do do it, I would also suggest mounding a bunch of mulch in the cente rof the pots and planting your pansies in the center and kinda lettign them drap around the rest of the pot. The extra 4" to 6" of mulch will help protect your canna and feed them and help keep the pansy roots from wrapping aroudn the cannas to much,
Thank you, starlight.
This particular pot of cannas (Color Clown) is one of my favorites so I think I'll just leave it alone rather than taking any chances..
jo
Jo... If ya don't want those pots to just sit looking empty, go to the dollar store and find your self some plastic vines. There alot of them out now adays that look totally real. They may not be the real thing, but would perk up your pots for ya. Just an idea.
If you have as many Pine cones as I do you could also spray some red or gold glitter on them and glue them up into a pyramid. Hot glue works fine.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
chris
Thanks starlight and chris - both great ideas.
and yes - Happy Thanksgiving to all - those of us fortunate enough to hang out here at DG certainly have a lot to be thankful for!
jo
Jo, I would throw some petunia seed into the pot and let them do their thing...and not worry with them at all...mother nature will take care of them and you should have petunias pretty soon, which have been hardy for me the past two Winters in pots as well as in the beds here!
petunias? In the winter? i'll sure it that a try!
Yes, lol, I had petunias, Allysum, and Blackeyed Susans all make it through the Winter here...it is quite amazing to see them blooming when it is so cold...but they have here. My allysum is in a bed near the garage door, and it bloomed year round last year, the black eyed susan was in the same spot...but the petunias I have had bloom in Winter were is a bed on the side of the house, as well as one in the front, not next to the house...both places got either morning or afternoon sun however. So it is certianly worth a try....
Cannas can survive in marshlike conditions and come back after winter.. I think they would be fine. They thrive in water and the tubers are themselves watery.
:)
Susan
I agree Susan! I always overplant my containers, whether with some seed, or with annuals....I have canna and calla in pots that will get some winter seeds too..lol IF they sprout and flower, then I have a wonderful Winter treat! Pansies will come from seeds VERY easily, as will the petunias and allysum...
Well, now that you mention it... I do have a large planter with Cleo canna and Lousiana iris. The Irises definitely are marsh plants so i keep 'em watered. Didn't seem to hurt Cleo one bit (although I accidentally beheaded her last year while trying to lug that heavy planter next-door to show my 86 year old mother-in-law!) LOL. Won't do that again this year... the old woman can just get off her chair and come see it for herself :-)
LOL, Jo, you are something else! OR you could take a picture...lol 86 years old! That is wonderful!
Well, here's a picture of where I schlepped that big pot of cannas from -- and where I schlepped it to. That's my deck in the foreground (with part of the screen porch). Then we have this little breezeway connecting our house to mother-in-law's. That's her back door (her bedroom door). it's hard to tell from the perspective, but it's about 30' from our back/kitchen door to her door. Cleo is in one of those large pots you see on my deck, but not up yet because this picture was from March.
jo
Next time you want to do any plant hauling, I would get one of those little red flyer wagons that my kids used to have. They make them small and plastic now and they come in handy.
Or.........you could put the 86 year old in it and bring her to the plant. Just make sure she holds on cause those things can pick up some speed when fully loaded.
:)
chris
Hey, that's a good idea. Mother is a hoot; would probably love it :)
Mom-in-law worked as a seamstress and lived alone in atlanta untill she was 80 - Metropolitan Pkwy (aka Stewart Ave) if you know it. Then she finally agreed to let us sell her house and put the proceeds into this cute little modular apartment that we tacked on to our house. She loves flowers and it gives me great joy to plant all sorts of them outside her window where she can enjoy them.
But this particular Cleopatra was so glorious that i just couldn't resist dragging it over there -- to its doom. :-(
jo