Not exactly a bulb, but I have a ? about storing canna.

I have just lifted my potted canna and don't really wish to keep most of them growing during the winter in the house. Last year we had mealy bugs just terribly and are still fighting the pests. However, I have heard in the past that several of the cultivars will die if allowed to dry out. I have 3 new ones that I've never had before and don't want to lose them. They are Apricot Dream, Pureum(?tag wasn't real clear), and some that had no tag. Does anyone else in the midwest have these and do you let them dry for even a few months-like until February? TIA.

i had 18 varieties last fall this spring only 4 made it! i give up im not doing this any more!

what varieties don't make it??????

I lost Stuttgart, Cleopatra, and some I don't remember the names of any more. It was really hard to have all those canna in the plant room last year, but I'll do it if I have to. We really like canna.

hope this site help ... www.stokestropicals.com/ekart/catalog.asp?action=displayCategory&cid=210 --> was working when i posted this site. probably now being updated. most url i post are working at time i posted them.

i would suggest though to cut off all the leaves of the canna. wrap in newspaper to store for the winter. if u keep the leaves on, it will draw out all the moisture from the rhyzome, thereby allowing the whole plant to die. don't feel bad about cutting off the leaves. flowers do come from new shoots emitting from the rhyzomes. new shoots becomes new plants that will produce better flowers. in fact i trim off the leaves, after flowering. that is the practice i learned from the Phils. keep the plant neat and tidy too.

i have kept canna's ang ginger rhyzomes, wrapped in newspaper before. they did fine over the winter. good luck!

edited to change url >>>
winterizing plant ideas - http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/222/12667 , http://members.aol.com/ralph810/grdngate/check.htm , http://www.edecorshowcase.com/Portals/Portal/Theme/June2002/Winter_wisdom.htm , http://outreach.missouri.edu/stlouismg/growing/growcal/octcal.htm
lots of tips on this site >>> scroll down to the bottom for winterizing tips ... http://cjlutz.tripod.com/Fashion/Tips.html



This message was edited Sunday, Oct 20th 3:25 PM

this past year my stuttgart made itover the winter ,dried with the others..the year before I lost 3 of them......

i put mine in paperbags with some peat moss in them last winter, put them in my cellar, i did't loose a one. i take off all the leaves, check them for any rott or soft spots, clean them up good and dust them where there are any open flesh, then i put them in the bag with the peat. cool, dark place. easy. of course i planted these in a sunnier location than last year and wow, do i have a lot of canna's this year, they at least quadrupled. now i can put them in more placesd against the fence.
good luck

I dig mine and place them in produce crates I get from the fruit market ( like the crates sweet corn come in) I store in the coolest part of the basement.

Paul