Cannas

Yviestevie

I have just taken my cannas into a frost free greenhouse for the winter.  They are in containers.  The greenhouse is very small and I would like to cut them back to make more room but I am receiving conflicting advice.  Some say leave them to die down so the goodness goes back into the plant (like bulbs).  Others say this doesn't matter as the frost would blacken the leaves anyway (like Dahlias).  What do you do?

Watering also seems contentious.  Some say they should be kept dry during the winter.  However, Hart Canna who grow them commercially, say never let them dry out and water lightly throughout the winter.

punkdoc

I chop mine back and keep them a tiny bit moist.

I have been doing this for about 10 years and it seems to work. It is also the way Christopher Lloyd kept his.

Perki

I chop mine down to 6 inch and pot them up, I store them in the cold greenhouse, they started growing again very early this year due to the warm winter, it resulted in having flowers for the majority of the season 

Hostafan1

Mine are being lifted and put into the polytunnel. If they carry on growing or are frosted off, so be it. I don't interfere.

I don't " water" them, but there's probably always a bit of moisture in the soil.

Last edited: 26 October 2016 06:21:21

Fairygirl

When I lived in my previous house, I brought the canna I had into the conservatory for winter. Due to 'circumstances' I wasn't there and forgot about it. It was never watered. When I eventually found it during house sale preparations in early spring, it had started growing and I rescued it then. It was fine. 

Yviestevie

Thanks everyone,   They'll get the chop tomorrow

Yviestevie

Verdun, you are much further south than me.  We've already had frosts.

Hostafan1

I've started moving mine into the tunnel, just to avoid waterlogging. 

No frost here yet either and mercifully dry for the time of year.