Hello All.
I planted tubers of several varieties of Canna indoors in pots over three weeks ago. While a few of the tubers have sprouted, most have not. I have them in good soil, in a warm and light location, and keep them evenly moist, but not wet. I gently stuck my finger into the soil of one of the unsprouted pots yesterday and the tuber still felt firm. Do I have reason to be concerned that the remaining Cannas will not sprout for me, or am I just being impatient? Any advice would be sincerely appreciated.
Thank you.
Erick
Canna Sprouting Question...
Erick,
Cannas like to be really warm before they sprout. If the tuber feels firm, I am sure it is just a matter of time before they sprout! No worries!
Mel
Thank you very much, Mel, for the great advice. I appreciate it.
Erick
Canna rhizomes purchased from retail sources can be very slow to sprout - they often get very dried-out. Just make sure they have warm, moist soil (but not soggy/waterlogged) and they should be fine. Especially if you live in an area where the soil temperature does not warm up until late, don't plant them directly in the ground - you were right to start them in pots. Once they are growing, some cannas can tolerate very wet conditions, but if they're just emerging from dormancy after the stress of shipping, you don't want to keep them too wet or they can rot. Cannas need lots of sun, water, and fairly frequent feeding or rich soil to grow well. Where I live they will overwinter in the ground, but anywhere north of zone 7, during dormancy I'd recommend storing them in peat moss (if you grow them in the ground and dig them up in the fall) or just let the soil dry out in the containers you're growing them in. Don't store the rhizomes bare or they will get too dried out and possibly die.
Hello Tom.
Wow! Thank you VERY MUCH for all the great information. You have definitely added to my knowledge about this great group of plants, and I appreciate the time you took to share your expertise with me. More than ever, I am looking forward to a garden full of beautiful Cannas this summer.
Thank you again, and all the best to you.
Erick