Cannas not doing well

Hi, I hope someone can give me some advice with this. I have about 16 "journeys end" cannas planted in my front garden, and maybe half a dozen "lucifer" planted in my back garden. It seems to me that they should be a bit bigger by now than they are. Also, the leaves seem a bit pale (more of a yellowish green than the deeper green I see in photos of these cannas) and they're kind of wavy at the edges. I'm not sure if the slightly wavy leaves are normal, but I'm pretty sure they should at least be a deeper green. I also have some "presidents", "omegas" and a "scarlet's rib" canna that all seem to be doing fine. Anybody have any ideas about what they may need, perhaps a certain type of fertilizer or something? Thanks!

The best source I know of is ButterflyChaser. She sent me a ton of canna. Just ask her and she'll help you out - she's very knowledgeable, "The Queen of Canna", and very sweet.

Arlene*
*She just got home from vacation and is busy planting 400 plants so it may take a day or so for her to respond. I'll write to her and have her view your question.

Kru, perhaps if you could take a picture of your cannas, I could see if you have a virus. Don't panic about the word "virus". It's a scary word but it isn't a death sentence for your cannas despite popular belief. In warm climates like ours, the symptoms of the virus will fizzle out as our weather heats up. It will go dormant until cooler weather comes back. Rarely does it destroy a canna. With the mosaic virus, your leaves could appear slightly discolored, mottled, variegated or streaked when they shouldn't. I have some Princess Di cannas with the virus, and the foliage is beautifully variegated. I'm told that in some plants, the virus is actually introduced to obtain the variegation we all love.

Also, be aware that Lucifer and Journey's End are dwarfs, so they will not grow as tall as Omega or Scarlet's Rib. And each canna has its own personality and grows on its own terms just as daylilies grow in varying heights and bloom at varying times. Cannas really perform their best during the heat of summer, so be patient.

Cannas also love LOTS of water and sunshine and they only need to be planted a couple inches deep. And fertilizer helps too--Miracle Grow or Peters or some generic will work fine. You can fertilize them every two weeks if you want. But I never fertilize mine and they do great anyway.

Hope I've helped. If you have any questions or want to show me pictures, just let me know.

NancyAnn

Hi NancyAnn,

Wow, it sounds like you really know your cannas! This is my first year growing them. You may be right abut the virus, because the leaves are a bit variagated and I think they should be solid green. I'm going to post a pic or two of my journeys ends, if you can take a look and let me know what you think, that would be wonderful.

On the bright side, when I went out to snap a picture just now, I noticed a flower stalk (I think) starting in the center of my biggest journeys end!

Thanks much for all your help and advice!

See, Kru - I told you ButterflyChaser was nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!