Cannas and Earth Boxes, Grow Boxes or Square Footers

I have about 48 Canna Lily rhizomes coming in, in about 3 weeks, I know I'm in Florida, but, I'm in NW Florida, I had an idea here, that possibly since I have 6 grow boxes, 5 earth boxes and 2 square footers, I could grow the cannas indoors this winter. So here are my questions:
Can I plant the rhizomes in there or do I start them in another pot and then transfer them?
How many do you think I can put in each box?
joy112854

Joy,

Cannas are very hardy plants. I have them in the ground here and they come back fine in the spring. I have two giant nursery pots full of them, too -- temporarily, going on two years now. LOL. So, while they would grow wonderfully in EBs, I wonder why you want to winter them inside.

Karen

Karen: Sometimes it gets below 10 degrees in the winter here, and I'll be starting them from rhizomes, which I figure if I plant them inside till almost full grown they will stand a better chance of making it, I can then transfer them outside when it starts to warm up the end of February or early March. In time for me to start the grow boxes for my veggies right? LOL
joy112854

Joy,

Oh, I see. Actually I don't think that is really a problem as I've talked to people in zone 5 who leave theirs out all winter and have no problem with them coming back. I am a Zone 7b here, but the ones in the large nursery pots outside are actually be growing in zone 5 or 6, because of the "zone loss" with potted plants.

Since the EBs are a temporary solution, I don't see any reason why you can't put as many into an EB as will fit. I think if they are too crowded for quite a while (years) they will slow down in blooming but for just one winter that should not be a problem. I wouldn't worry about starting them in other pots and transferring them. I would just plant them in the EBs and dig them up in the spring when you need the EBs back.

Karen

Karen: My rhizomes came in and they were planted directly into beds, so, didn't use my earth boxes or grow boxes. I think they will do fine, thanks for advising me.
joy112854