How to Grow Canna Bulbs

Cannas are popular with gardeners for their bright flowers as well as decorative foliage. Natives of Asia and Latin America, cannas come in many varieties and are easily adapted for both ground and container growth. Aside from their aesthetic benefits for your garden, cannas are also known to attract hummingbirds. Depending on the variety, cannas can grow to 6 feet tall.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Choose a spot in the garden that receives full sun and has rich, well drained soil. Plan to plant in the spring.

2. Divide the rhizomes. Most cannas are grown from rhizomes, or the roots that are left after the flower dies back in the fall. Divide the roots leaving one or two tips per section.

3. Plant each set of roots 3 to 4 inches deep and 2 to 4 inches apart. Add compost or other organic matter to the soil used to cover the rhizomes.

4. Keep the soil moist throughout the growing season and add a nitrogen-rich fertilizer once a month. You can help the plant retain water and replenish organic matter by mulching around it.

5. In the fall, cut back the flowers and dig up the roots, or rhizomes for storage. Keep in a cool, dry place until it is time to replant. If you live in an area that is warm year-round, you do not have to store the rhizomes over the winter, but you should mulch heavily over the top of them. In this event, established plants should be separated and replanted every three years to avoid overcrowding.