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garland67

Canna just comming up

garland67
17 years ago

I live in WA state and I planted a bunch of Canna bulbs in April and only a few are just starting to poke out of the ground. Is that normal for this part of the country? I thought they would be much bigger by now. I planted them about 8" deep. Maybe I need to be patient. Thanks!

Comments (6)

  • annzgw
    17 years ago

    Depth of planting may be playing a part. I planted mine about 4" deep and they've been slowly growing and now vary in height from 12 - 18". Most of my cannas are in pots so the soil is much warmer than the ground. The few I left in the ground have yet to show themselves...............they get less sun.

    Once our weather warms they'll do a big growth spurt.

  • garland67
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Thanks for the advice! I would have though they would start growing when My Dalhias did.

  • butterflychaser
    17 years ago

    Cannas only need to be 2 to 4 inches deep. A good rule of thumb for planting most bulbs is to plant it twice as deep as the thickness of the bulb. So, generally, if you have a one inch bulb, you'd plant it two inches deep.

    Also, cannas like it hot. They really get going when it's nice and hot. They also need lots of sun, at least 6 hrs a day. Water is a key factor too. They love water. And it wouldn't hurt to feed them. They can become massive plants and they need lots of nourishment. So feed 'em about every two weeks or so.

    Also remember that different cannas reach different sizes and some are slower to grow and multiply than others. Some are so fast and prolific that they may be a "weed", altho a pretty one.

    Good luck with your cannas.

    NancyAnn

  • garland67
    Original Author
    17 years ago

    Should I replant them to the correct deepth??

  • lee466
    17 years ago

    I plant my cannas barely below the soil, I think that they do better if you keep them close to the surface. I don't have a problem with the bulbs close to the surface, but if they are planted deep they tend to rot. I would dig them up and try to take as much root as possible, and plant them quick, or they won't produce a lot of bulbs this year. They will grow quick when the weather warms up, and they get a good root system.

  • gabrielledeveau
    17 years ago

    I bring my cannas up every spring for the past 25 years or so from the crawl space in the basement ,put them still in their winter tubs in a southern exposure area on the deck & start watering heavy, then about 2 to 3 weeks later put them on a old patio in back of garage ( cement ) total sun and the heat from cement warms them,throw some horse manure ,compost,or miraclegro soil on them and let them rip until I plant them all over the yard and in pots. LOTS of WATER! Same thing every year and they and the other tropicals seem to love it. The alocascias take longer to come back though.