Raising Canna

Our snow has officially melted! Yahoo! I am itching to get out into the garden and get started before the spring rains come. However, it's pretty early to do very much since our night time temperatures still dip down into the 30's.

I found this bag of Canna bulbs at Costco recently. They only carry bulbs seasonally, but you can really get some good deals. This bag costs about $12.00, which may seem like a lot to you for only 8 bulbs. However,  if you were to buy a single Canna bulb that has already been started from a greenhouse, it would run $14 to $24.00 depending on the variety. Yeah. They are expensive!

The thing is, they are very easy to start yourself at home. The bulbs are large and have lots of roots and are already starting to grow straight out of the bag.

I raided my garden shed for some plastic pots that I saved from last year. I also pulled out a bag of Miracle Grow potting soil, but you can purchase this at Costco if you need it.

Fill the 6-8" pots half full of soil. Spread the roots out gently with your fingers and put the bulb on top of the soil. Mine has a green sprout, don't worry about making them stand up straight, it will grow to the surface all on it's own. Cover the bulbs with about 3" of soil, keeping the soil level 1" below the rim of the pot.

I added some sphagnum moss to the top of my pots. I had it left over from my Bunny Topiary project. It's really just decorative, but it does serve a purpose in keeping the soil moist. I water them every 3 or 4 days when they dry out. Since I use a soil with fertilizer in it, there is no need to add any.

I keep my pots in this little portable greenhouse until it's warm enough to plant them outside. They cost about $40.00 and are available at Home Depot, any garden supply store or even Amazon. Evening temperatures must be above 50 degrees before I can plant things out. These little greenhouses work great, and they break down for easy storage after the season is over. I would highly recommend one for starting things indoors.

It's been 2 weeks since I planted the bulbs. They are already up several inches. My little greenhouse won't hold them forever! Canna will reach a full height of four or five feet when they are fully grown. They require full sun and spread easily. They are annuals in Wisconsin, but if you are in a warm climate you may be fortunate enough to have them as perennials. 

The humming birds love them. I am soooo looking forward to summer!

Designer Mom