| We planted Cannas this year for the first time. We know they are not a bulb, and need to be dug up and stored. How do we know when to dig them up, they are still in bloom? How should they be stored until we plant them next spring? Thank you, Barb |
| Wait until a frost kills the top growth. Trim the stalks off short to about four inches. Then carefully dig up the rhizomes. (They will be bigger than when you planted them.) Shake off excess dirt or rinse clean if you wish. Air dry for several days at room temperature. Then store at 45 to 50 degrees. Pack them in a single layer (so they don't touch) in dry shavings or peat moss or vermiculite or sand or perlite. If your storage place is very dry, enclose them in a plastic bag with a few holes punched in it to allow some air to circulate. Otherwise, use a paper bag or cardboard box. Check them from time to time and remove any that begin to rot. If they begin to shrivel, sprinkle lightly with a little water. Next spring, consider starting them indoors in pots to get an early start, and wait until the soil has warmed before planting them in the garden. Good luck with your cannas! |
