The decorative canna flower is valued for large colorful flowers and lush green leaves. The thermophilic plant blooms beautifully during the summer, but does not tolerate the harsh Russian winter. That is why for many gardeners, the question of how to store canna in winter is relevant. A tropical beauty can delight with its flowering for more than one year, provided that the tubers are properly preserved during the cold months.
There are several ways to store canna in the winter. Each has its own characteristics. But it is worth considering that only healthy, not damaged by rot, fungi and pests roots should be laid for storage. Otherwise, putrefactive bacteria will be transferred from diseased tubers to healthy ones, becoming a source of infection.
3 ways to store cannes for the winter
- After abundant flowering, watering should be gradually reduced so that the plant enters the dormant period. Before the first frost (usually mid-September), the tubers are dug up with a lump of earth. The remaining stems are trimmed, leaving 7-10 cm in length. Cleaning the roots from the ground is not required. Leaving a layer of earth, tubers can be dried in a cool room with an air temperature of at least +10 degrees. Further processing consists in placing the rhizomes together with the soil in boxes, boxes, plastic bags and putting them in the basement, cellar, and heated balcony, where the temperature does not drop below +5 ° .
- There is another way to store cannons. It is suitable for those who do not have the ability to clean cannons for storage in cold rooms. In early autumn, green healthy plants are dug up and transferred to pots or flowerpots at home. At the same time, trimming the stems is not required. Bright lighting and sufficient watering in the winter will extend the flowering period of these tropical beauties. True, reduced daylight hours will slightly weaken the plant. In the shortest winter months, the flower will go into hibernation, stopping to develop. And at the beginning of spring it will again grow.
- The third way, how to store the canna in winter, is suitable for those who have spacious verandas, balconies, cellars, where the air temperature is kept at a level of +12 to +15 degrees. In this case, you can also transplant flowers into flowerpots or containers, but cut the stems and occasionally water them. This method has several advantages over the others. Firstly, with such storage, tubers are less susceptible to various damage. Secondly, the growth of greenery stops, and the flower continues to gain strength, forming additional buds from which flowers will appear in the summer.
There are flower growers who do not use any of the above methods, but can share how to store canna in the winter and get excellent results for the next year. To do this, dug rhizomes are washed from the ground, kept in a solution of potassium permanganate, dried in heat and put in the refrigerator. By adding shavings to a bag or container, you can protect the tubers from drying out. But with this method, planting material should be regularly inspected for the occurrence of fungus. If the tubers begin to dry, then with this storage method they can be wrapped in a damp cloth or paper.