Have bought a couple of Cannas and want some advice about starting them off.
Can I plant now in my pots and how much warmth indoors do they need. A
frost free porch or is that too cold? Also, what sort of planting material
do I use. Do they like good drainage? What about perlite and my own compost?

"Steele Family" wrote
Have bought a couple of Cannas and want some advice about starting them
off. Can I plant now in my pots and how much warmth indoors do they
need. A frost free porch or is that too cold? Also, what sort of planting
material do I use. Do they like good drainage? What about perlite and my
own compost?
I use normal multipurpose compost in a large pot** and a frost free porch
should be OK although they will get into growth better with more heat. When
I've seen the growing "wild" they were as bog plants on the side of streams
and lakes so when in growth drainage isn't a priority, indeed I've grown
them in my pond in the summer.
** A large pot as the roots expand so much they will fill and break a small
pot in a season. Never put a Canna in a prized pot for the same reason.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

Thanks Bob,
Useful information. tried to grow them in my gravel garden a couple of years
ago without much success. Had one flower on one and not much growth and no
flowers on another.Think they then got too cold( or wet?0 in the ground. I
want to try again and thought I'd do pots and then try to harden them
outside in second year.
Wow, they must look great in the pond! I have a pond too so that would be
something else to try.
Thanks too for the plant advice re my gravel garden.Sounds like a good
suggestion. Yes, the blood grass( forgot it was called that.....Imperata
cylindrica rubra). I'd coveted that for ages and gave in eventually! Funny
plant.....a bit fussy although nice small rooted bits to pull off and stick
in different places to try. Also, one of my gardening books showed it as a
bright red colour so I was a bit disappointed when it came out maroon!!
If you're interested, I'll post you some more garden photos. If you have any
of your garden, I would love to see. ( Always nosey when it comes to gardens
and plants!)
Regards, Liz.( 1 mile from Worthing seafront)

Liz wrote ..
Thanks Bob,
Useful information. tried to grow them in my gravel garden a couple of
years ago without much success. Had one flower on one and not much growth
and no flowers on another.Think they then got too cold( or wet?0 in the
ground. I want to try again and thought I'd do pots and then try to harden
them outside in second year.
Wow, they must look great in the pond! I have a pond too so that would be
something else to try.
Thanks too for the plant advice re my gravel garden.Sounds like a good
suggestion. Yes, the blood grass( forgot it was called that.....Imperata
cylindrica rubra). I'd coveted that for ages and gave in eventually! Funny
plant.....a bit fussy although nice small rooted bits to pull off and
stick in different places to try. Also, one of my gardening books showed
it as a bright red colour so I was a bit disappointed when it came out
maroon!!
If you're interested, I'll post you some more garden photos. If you have
any of your garden, I would love to see. ( Always nosey when it comes to
gardens and plants!)

We have had Cannas in the ground for years as have my neighbours and they
just get bigger and bigger. The only problem is that they are then so late
into growth the frost comes before the the majority of the flowers. A very
warm sunny spot would help but they still need a long growing season which
starting them off in heat gives them.

To grow them as a marginal in a pond they must be into good growth before
you try it or they may rot and you would need to remove them from the pond
for the winter.

With the photos why not use the free web space your ISP gives you and set up
a little "My Garden" web site then post a link and we could all see your
gravel front garden etc.

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London