Canna ~2013~

A quick update on my Cannas - well the ones in the 2lt pots have continued to grow well and the tallest, the 'Grand Pink' now stands at 4ft tall and a couple of the others aren't far behind. They are now stood on the patio in a sheltered position and looking very good, hopefully this week some will be put into their final large pots for the summer

 

Same here John mine are really slow. The Wyoming has had it and pete cleopatra that he sent he me is not showing yet either. Most of mine are in beds though and it's not exactly tropical weather is it! The 2 canna australia are growing well in the greenhouse though

 

None of mine that I grew from seed last year had re-materialised - musafolia, paniculata and others that I have forgotten then name of. Do these normally over-winter, or do folk normally sow from seed each year? or perhaps keep them growing overwinter, rather than allowing them to go dormant?

 

Its the same situation for me, all my Cannas that are thriving are grown from seed this year. The only one I have that I have managed to get growing again after overwintering is Canna altensteinii which has come through two winters now.

Its a little disappointing because I moved all last years cannas into the greenhouse last autumn before they had chance to get too wet from the increasing rainfall and I let them dry out and die back naturally before cutting back. I then wrapped the pots in bubblewrap and fleece and put some straw in the top. In March I checked most of them and they all had nice firm rhizomes and in some cases immature new shoots but as time went by they never got going and some rotted even though they were in dry compost and weren't watered???

So I'm not sure what to do this autumn at the moment, I have 3 options the way I see it; either try the same process again, try and keep them at a higher temperature so they're kept just out of dormanincy or scrap them and just grow from seed each year (which although I always grow some from seed I don't like the idea of scrapping plants without at least trying to keep them ).

 

All my rhizomes started OK . I pot them up around mid March and bring them into the house for light and warmth. I Put them in the GH for about 2 weeks to harden off a touch and I planted out first week in June, pics were taken today.
I have planted Salvia Farinacea and Salvia Hummingbird around them it seemed to work well a couple of years back.

 

Thanks JWK. They were all "indoors", and all had the same conditions - including all the fancy known-name ones ... but only the "names" seem to have come back. Perhaps the seed-grown ones didn't establish large enough tubers; but knowing that yours have survived I will try overwintering my seed-grown again this Winter.

 

The first flower buds are appearing on one of my Cannas, Canna Limbata has suddenly thrown up a flower spike despite only being 24 inches tall, its not root bound so I'm assuming its a shorter growing variety

 

My Cannas are making steady progress. At the moment, they stand about 18" tall....



Cheers...Freddy

 

Some of mine are getting a spurt on now
Russian red...

Blue thai,paniculata & redbird

More in potting shed

 

I am the same as you guys. This years seedlings are doing quite well. The ones I overwintered in the house are also doing OK. But the ones overwintered in the greenhouse (frost free) still haven't shown yet. I was getting very disappointed until I saw a tiny sign of life on one. As all the rhizomes are quite firm I presume its just the cold weather that is holding them back.

A seed grown indica red is showing a flower spike, whilst hardly 12 inches high. Everything has been outside for a month now.

 

Some of the warscewicii re still small,ive planted them where i had the tabacco patch last yr..see how they do

The first 3 warscewicii i started on boxing day from seed are fairly chunky but not very tall..My babies

 

They don't grow big (like many other cannas). Anyways, for me, they are just a cheap and cheerful bed-filler as easy to save&sow from seed.