Re: Re: Cannas in zone 7?

I have never had a Canna survive winter in my garden.  I've even
tried mulching very heavily, but think it's the stolid clay soil
where I plant these guys; just stays too wet in winter.  In a sandy
soil or one that stays dry in winter, they just might make it in
colder z 6 or 7.

I was told by Tony Avent that the secret is keeping these marginally
hardy plants dry in winter - in the ground - it's not the cold so
much that kills them but wet cold.

Indoor storage...I used to clean my cannas and carefully layer them
in various things - peat, perlite, vermiculite, sand.  Lost a lot of
them.  Have found, through sheer accident, that digging them up and
just leaving the clumps of clay and root in a tub in the garage where
I whiz them with the hose periodically so they don't get completely
dried out, gives me more live plants come spring...with Canna and
dahlia it's always a fight between rot and desiccation.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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----------
> From: Libby Valentine <L_Valentine@adelphia.net>
> I had several nice groupings that I dug up to overwinter for about
5 years,
> then let stay in the ground the last 3.  First 2 winters in the
ground they
> did
> great, but not a single one survived last winter, which was colder
and
> wetter
> (and colder for a longer time) than the previous ones.
> 
> When I overwintered them in the basement I layered them in tubs in
slightly
> damp soil additive (it's a light sort of leafy compost sold here to
mix with
> the heavy clay soil).  I'll remember the brand name later, I'm
sure...
> 
> Libby
> Maryland zone 6.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Jesse Bell" <silverhawk@flash.net>
> > Chris...I live in Zone 6 and they SAY that cannas are not
supposed to
> > overwinter here either. Tell that to my cannas. They ALL survive
the
> > winters here and have for the past 4 years. You should leave a
few out
> > and see how they do over the winter.

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