Canna 2014

And it all started from practising on your Warcewiczii seeds
Im on the look out for a bigger propagator for next yr

 

yeah, but you forgot you were only supposed to practice - rather than "farm" them!!

I would recommend a long strip of warming mat, and build an insulated box. The warming mat needs thermostatic control.

I thought mine came from Jungle Seeds, but looking at their webpage it looks different (and more expensive than I remember), so I probably got it off eBay or similar. Anyways, to give you the idea:

http://www.jungleseeds.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d106.html

Bio Green Thermo 1 Thermostat
and
BioGreen Heat Mats - 60x200cm 263W


plus some insulation. I use some Celotex from a building site - much more efficient than Polystyrene

You'll need some growing lights too, if you haven't already got some? Much more effective, and no more expensive (I reckon??) than heating a greenhouse - and you run the risk, with a greenhouse, that we either have a really cold winter, and it costs a bundle to heat, or we have lousy light - even with heat the plants won't grow without light. So better off "indoors" I reckon

Buying heating mat in mid-Summer ought to get a decent discount ... sales will be slack then

 

Our back bedrooms warm enough,daughter will be away at uni next yr so its all mine
Want a bigger prop so i can germinate more at one time,not sure yet how i will set off for next yr,ive noticed thou over the last 2 yrs that starting them from Jan to feb as the house is warmer plus light levels have been ok,that may be differant next yr so lights i will get if needed
New GH in the planning also,i will keep my eye on price drop heat mats but isnt it a prop i need for some humidity aswell as thats what ive been using upto now?

 

I think propagator is fine if you only want a couple of square feet of "warmed space". For bigger than that you need a hot box. Same principle, but its easier to achieve by making an insulated box, and heating the base.

You could use soil warming cables - in a bench, and you cover the warming cables with moist sand - but its a hefty construction which is well suited to a greenhouse, and not being moved about, but not very clever inside the house or "temporary" construction for the seed-sowing season. So I think a warming mat is better for that purpose. It provides bottom heat (same as soil warming cables, or a propagator), and then you build an insulated box around it to keep the heat in. Doesn't have to be anything substantial - Polystyrene will do. One piece laid on the floor (or a table), then the warming mat on that, and then build some walls and a lid. The walls can just be gaffer taped together, and the lid loosely laid on top.

In terms of humidity I would put each pot/tray, of seeds, in a plastic zip-lock bag. Same as having a clear plastic cover on top of a propagator - keep the moisture in. Cling film would do, but IME it doesn't seal as well as a bag - especially when things get moved around, taken in-and-out for checking, etc.

 

I think that there is still some of that seed in my big box of stuff if anyone wants any - I cant guarantee it will come out as anything other than green, but Ive not started any of this years .. yet..

 

Im almost certain this one was the parent - the only other Canna I had out last year was Bengal Tiger, which doesnt appear to set seed.

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I grew one that had the same flower as that called brasiliensis, it produced abundant seed

 

Now hopefully the cold snap is over . When would you plant your Cannas outside ? Last year with the cold spring , I only planted out first week in June . Night temps here are now 10°c , I was thinking next week end might be OK ?

 

Personally I will still be waiting until the end of this month/early June

 

I'm going to do what @Kristen said about my bananas and let them get big in the GH first then plant out say last week of May first week June. They will have more growth and have more of a impact in the border. The rhizome you sent me @HarryS has romped away all 5 rhizomes split from 1 are growing nicely now thank you.

 

Thanks all , I will curb my impatience and wait until the end of the month.
@mowgley , you have done well with the Tropicana rhizome , 5 plants !

 

I plant out first week of June, every year. I would plant out a week earlier if the 5-day forecast, at that time, was "Wunderbar" ... but I wouldn't trust any forecast more than 5 days out, and I don't normally "act" until the 2-day forecast confirms that I really do need to act

However, they need hardening off, so you can start that from mid May - leaving out (after initialise acclimatisation over 5 - 7 day) on mild nights.

I reckon, come June, that things can be planted straight out. I don't do that for anything that can be hardened off, in the normal way, but I have some Bananas and Brugs that are so large they couldn't go in-and-out, so they go "just out" 1st week of June.