Has anybody grown Canna Brasiliensis before?

[sanatic1234]

I used the same method as what I did when sowing my indica's and marabouts. I held the seed between two fingers and chipped into the seeds using some nail clippers. I Only chipped into the seed so that you could only just see the white but did not go into the white. I must of had some duds. I also put mine straight into my heated prop. Where they stayed till yesterday.

[dave2166]

Well it sounds about right
My only comment would be the relative lack of control you have with the clippers over the depth of cut and hence possible damageto the seed
I've never used a saw before but must say it was dead easy and despite my scepticism I was pleased with the results
You might be right over the duds but to not get ANY is mote than bad luck
By the law of averages I would have thought a few successes would have been warranted

[sanatic1234]

Yeah me to mate. I was expecting at least one or two to germinate may be I did cut a little too deep? I will buy some more and see how I go with them. I also dont think the vercumilite helped either. I will just use MP compost like I die last time.

[dave2166]

Vermiculite is ok but I have to say my successes with it seem fewer
I mixed an open mix of mp plus a load of perlite
I found it kept the mix lighter fluffier andwhlst holding moisture doesn't seem to go soggy like it dies with vermiculite. About 2/3 to 1/3 mp to perlite
Seeds popped in with about 5mm of mix above them.

[Dave Brown]

I am not a fan of vermiculite as every time I use it the seed fails, I get success with coarse moss peat squeezed dry and bagged. You can tumble this giving the required air.

As I said before I never tried Canna from seed..... but basic seed growing requires oxygen and water to germinate

[sanatic1234]

I agree with both of you, since using vermiculite my germination rate has dropped as of before when i was just using MP compost. Now i add perlite to my compost and this seems to work really well. My echiums germinated in no time at all. So i will try perlite with my next lot of canna seeds.