Storing Canna Tubers - Knowledgebase Question

Longmeadow, MA
Avatar for egodfrey5
Question by egodfrey5
December 12, 1999
I have been growing Canna in New England for several years. Sometimes I manage to keep a good number of the tuber/bulbs until next spring, and at other times I end up with very few. What do I need to do to maximize the "crop" for next year's planting?


Image
Answer from NGA
December 12, 1999
Here's the best way to prepare them for storage, according to Judy Glattstein and NGA writing in "Flowering Bulbs for Dummies."

Shake off excess dirt and clip back any mushy leaves.
Allow them to dry off a bit for a few days.
Pack them in a cardboard box lined with a perforated plastic bag. Fill with dry peat moss, wood shavings, buckwheat hulls, vermiculite, etc.
Don't let individual roots touch each other. It one starts to rot, it's won't spread to all others.
Punch a few holes in the plastic so moisture can escape, but not so many holes that the roots dry up.
Keep the box in a cool, dry place, such as the wall of an attached, unheated garage that adjoins the house.
Check every couple of months to make sure the material is not wet or the roots are not shriveling from dryness.

You must be signed in before you can post questions or answers. Click here to join!

« Return to the Garden Knowledgebase Homepage

Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )