Seed germinating tip & easy overwintering success

15 years ago

This has probably been mentioned somewhere, but here's a tip for helping to germinate canna & other hard seeds. Scratch or clip a small tip of the seed. With canna seeds I scratch the seed w/ 60 grit sandpaper until I start to see white. I soak the seeds for a few days in a small bowl of water w/ some hydrogen peroxide - maybe 10-20%??? When they start to puff up, put them in seed starting mix - unless you live in a warm climate....I hear some do this with palm seeds.

With another hard seed, moonflowers, I just clip a corner with toe nail clippers and soak in water(only) overnight and before putting in seed starting soil mix.

Incedently, This was my first year overwintering cannas indoors. I simply just dug a couple up and put them in a large "contractor" garbage bag - dirt and all. I removed just a little dirt to make it lighter. Very simple & goofproof...Watered very lightly once a month (since mid Oct). They look great with several shoots coming up even in the dark. I have been doing the same with banana plants for nine years now. Cannas are much easier...

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Comments (5)

tangerine_z6
15 years ago
That is very helpful information to me. I have 6 tall canna seeds from a coop that I want to ready for planting and have used seed starting mix in the past. I've never grown cannas or very many tropicals and would love to see these thrive. I live in Zone 6 and have S/SW exposures around my house where I would like to plant them. Any other tips for success?
taz6122
15 years ago
I used a fine wood file and filed until there was approx. two mm of white showing and planted them in soil without soaking them. They sprouted in 4 days and are now about two weeks. This is a first for me and I am proud. The only description I got with the seeds was Red Canna. I will try to post a pic. New camera and just getting the hang of it.

{{gwi:529543}}
tangerine_z6
15 years ago
taz6122, Those pictures show a great example of what the germinated seeds look like. I wonder if I could wintersow the "Tall Canna" seeds I received in a trade at this late date in the calendar. I live in zone 6. Your plants look robust and healthy.
daryljurassic
Original Author
15 years ago
Taz, Thats fast. Nice pics!
taz6122
15 years ago
Thanks for the compliments and I forgot to mention my soil mix is 2-1-1 sphagnum peat/sand/perlite and temp. was 80F.