How to Dig Up Canna Bulbs
According to Eileen Powell's "The Gardener's A-Z Guide to Growing Flowers from Seed to Bloom," people who live in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 4 through 7 must dig up their canna plants and store them indoors over the winter. That comprises most of the United States. In Zones 8 to 10,where they are native, they may be left in the ground during winter. If you must dig, do so in late autumn when the leaves have yellowed. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Garden hose
- Pitchfork
- 10 percent bleach solution (one part bleach to nine parts water)
- Screen or cooling rack
- Hand pruners
- Peat moss or another dry medium
- Plant tray or crate
Instructions
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1
Use the garden hose to saturate the spot where the canna rhizome (sometimes referred to as a "bulb") is buried to soften the soil and make it more malleable.
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2
Dig into the ground several inches from where you think the rhizome is and carefully scoop it out. Give it a wide berth to avoid accidentally piercing it with the pitchfork's prongs.
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3
Spray any clumps of matted soil or mud off of the rhizome and its roots.
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4
Dip the canna rhizome in the bleach solution for 10 seconds to kill of any diseases it may be susceptible to.
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5
Repeat for each clump of canna. Discard any canna where you were unable to get disease or infestation under control as you will not want to store them with healthy rhizomes.
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6
Lay the canna rhizomes on top of a horizontally-placed window screen or a cooling rack to dry out. Be sure the bottom of the screen is set up from the surface it is on to allow circulation on all sides of the rhizomes. The drying process is important because it will prevent the rhizomes from rotting when they are stored.
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Store the rack of canna in a shaded, cool place for two days. Ideal locations are garages, laundry rooms, and basements. Canna should be kept at around 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
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8
Trim the dried leaves off the rhizomes with your pruners and transfer them to a container. Fill it with peat moss or vermiculite or another loose dry material such as sand or wood shavings. Return the rhizomes to the shaded, cool room and plant them outdoors in spring after the threat of frost has passed.
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