Cannas in containers

Hello List:

Tim Chavez wrote in v1#64 about wanting to grow cannas in containers to save
on the digging.  (BTW, Tim, I sympathize about wanting to avoid lots of
digging, being disabled myself.)

There are two seed strains of dwarf canna: Seven Dwarfs (a strain of mixed
colors) and the Tropical series (Tropical Rose and Tropical Red).  I've
grown both from seed from Park Seed; expect 2-3 years to first bloom, though
gardeners in the South & Southwest may be able to get bloom sooner.  There
are also a number of cultivar strains I've seen listed in various
catalogues - the Pfizer Dwarfs, for example.  Van Burgondien carries quite a
few.

I have the best luck with cannas in containers when the containers
themselves are fairly large, allowing the rhizomes plenty of rooting room.
I guess you could grow them in sand, and standing the pots in trays of water
would help their water requirement.  But cannas like a rich growing medium,
so if sand is used you will need to fertilize constantly.  Keeping the soil
moist/wet will also help stabilize the pots so they're less likely to topple
over in the wind.  Square containers and round, cylindrical containers -- as
opposed to vase-shaped ones -- also have a more stable center of gravity, so
even lightweight plastic containers can be used and still be fairly
secure -- especially when wet.

Cannas can be perfectly happy in a container year-round.  If indoor or
greenhouse space is limited, you can let them go dormant in their pots and
bring them into growth again in the spring.  They should bloom well if the
rhizomes are mature, the plants maintained in full sun and in a rich, or
well-fertilized, medium.

Good luck & good growing,
Phillip Allen
Coastal Connecticut, USDA zone 7a



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