Canna is known to many as a heat-loving outdoor plant, overwintering outdoors only in southern latitudes. However, low-growing varieties also thrive indoors.
Planting and care
Cannas have thick, branched rhizomes and grow rapidly. Therefore, for indoor growing, choose spacious pots or tubs. The plant prefers fertile, loose soil that allows for good moisture and oxygen drainage. Stagnant water in the pot can lead to rhizome rot.
Sunny spots or windowsills with moderate, bright light are ideal for growing cannas indoors. The plant will not thrive in the shade. Varieties with unevenly colored foliage will lose their decorative appeal. Mist the plant when indoor humidity drops or temperatures rise. Water as the soil dries out.
For canna to bloom indoors, it needs a dormant period. For two months, reduce watering to a minimum and keep it at cooler temperatures. This can help the plant retain its crown. Some varieties do lose their foliage, but when moved to a warmer location and watering resumes, they quickly regrow.
The duration of flowering depends on the variety, but this beautiful period typically lasts about three months. Faded buds are replaced by new ones, delighting the grower with their beautiful appearance.
Reproduction
Canna rhizomes develop quickly. The plant should be repotted once a year. During this period, the root can be divided into several sections, sprinkling the cut sections with crushed charcoal. This procedure is best performed when the plant is just beginning to emerge from dormancy.
You can try propagating indoor cannas by seeds, which ripen in dense capsules 2-3 months after flowering. Before sowing, the seedlings should be soaked in a growth-promoting solution. Epin is ideal. Each seed should be placed in a separate pot at a depth of no more than 1 cm. Seedlings will emerge within 10 to 30 days. Ensure that the top layer of soil in the pot is moist. Once grown, the seedlings can be transplanted into larger pots or planted outdoors. If sown in the spring, you can have a full-grown plant by fall, which will bloom during the first growing season.
Growing in open ground
To ensure that canna thrives in open ground, you should follow several rules.
Typically, rhizomes begin sprouting indoors, placing them in the ground around mid-March. Once the threat of frost has passed, the plants can be planted outdoors in a sunny location. During dry periods, regular watering and alternating fertilization with mineral and organic fertilizers are necessary. Tall varieties may require support. Depending on the variety, canna blooms in the garden from June to September. If there is a threat of night frost, the rhizomes should be dug up immediately and brought indoors. They can be potted and continued growing indoors. Alternatively, the rhizomes with the remaining above-ground portions can be dried, trimmed, and stored in a cool, dry place until replanting.
More about flowers for the garden and vegetable garden You can read it here.