Canna Bronze Scarlet grown from seed

[huporhaha]

I have grown some canna bronze scarlet from seed this year. They are currently about a foot tall and in bud. Whilst everyone else seems to be tucking their bulbs and tubers up for the winter - my canna are only just coming into their own. I have had them in the greenhouse again for 3 weeks now.

As it is their first season, I don't want to cut them down in their prime and I am concerned that they don't have enough below-ground reserves to get them through the winter. I don't want to cut the top growth off if it would be detrimental to the health of such young plants. I nearly cut all the flower heads off this afternoon to prevent them putting energy into flowers and seeds but the buds looked so beautiful, I couldn't steal myself to give them the chop.

Any advice would be most welcome as I would like to get them through the winter if at all possible. Thanks......

[miketropic]

just keep them in the coolest part of the green house they will slow down to a crawl when the temps get down around 7c and when summer arrives sit them back out they will be fine

[huporhaha]

Thanks Mike - it has been pretty cold here these last few days - I think damp is the biggest killer here so I will keep them quite dry as well shall I?

[miketropic]

as long as the rhizome is not exposed it should do fine. if you dig it out of the pot it is going to need a slight misting at least once over the winter. I keep the harder ones to find potted the other are stored in a slightly damp bag of sparghum.

[kata]

my canna are only just coming into their own.

Similar here Steph but mine are outside. I think I am going to leave it where it is, its been poor for my new Canna this year.

[huporhaha]

Thanks again for the advice. I have some outside still but space is really at a premium. ~I think I'll dig them up tomorrow and store over winter - they have not bulked up at all since I bought them. Still tiny little one foot specimens that have not flowered but I'll give them one more season to prove themselves - otherwise they will either be out-the-door and on-the-compost-heap or I will give them away to someone south of Hadrian's Wall where they might do better.

[miketropic]

try to give as little root disturbance as possible and they will continue to grow. distrubing the roots/rhizome seems to set them back a bit once in a pot

[huporhaha]

Thanks Mike - will leave in pots but well above freezing - not too damp but not too dry either.

[huporhaha]

Well, all is safely gathered in.........young plants in greenhouse nursery bed that provides minimal winter heat,. Pretoria, Bengal Tiger and others all put away under greenhouse staging in a closed box. Have left soil on them and will check at least once a fortnight for rot or mould. Was tempted to put perlite round them but didn't have the pluck to try!