On Sat, 2 Sep 2006 12:26:51 -0400, "amyky123"
wrote:

Hello! I have some cannas that we planted this spring. They have done
beautifully, but I'm wondering how I need to winterize them. Some people
have said that they absolutely need to be dug and brought inside, some
people have said that they will do okay as long as we put several inches of
mulch on top.
Also, we have a few different colors. There are some pink (almost a salmon
color), some red, and some yellow/orange. All of them have produced seeds
(I've got about 100 seeds already). I've read that they should be nicked and
soaked in warm water for several days, until the root sprouts. Is there
anything
specific I need to do until spring? Do I keep them in a cool place, dark
place,
etc?
I'm near Louisville, I think we're zone 6.
Any suggestions?


Unless hybridization is done, cannas are rarely grown from seed. They
are propagated by division of rhizomes.

If your climate is likely to go down into the 20s and stay there for
at least 10 hours, you will lose your cannas. I live in USDA Zone 8b
and mine do very well in the ground.

However, our ground never freezes.

The best way to store cannas over winter is to dig them up, dirt and
all, put them into bushel baskets you can get from the produce
department of most groceries and put them in a place which will be
about 45 degrees.