GROWING CANNA WITH EARTHWORMS

HOW TO GROW CANNA:
Native to tropics and subtropics, cannas are one of the showiest, productive, and best summer blooming or flowering bulbs, most valued for its exotic tropical green, bronze or variegated foliage that resembles banana (musa) or ti plant (cordyline terminalis).  It is best adapted to warm and hot – summer climates.
Cut flowers do not keep well but leaves are useful in arrangement.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF CANNA / cannaceae:
Parennial rhizome
Grand opera-2 feet tall; Pfitzer Dwarf-2.5 to 3 feet; Seven Dwarf-1.5 feet.

                 
 HOW TO DO ORGANIC MIX FOR CANNA AND THE USE OF EARTHWORMS:
The following is a simple mixture for garden and container culture bedding of Canna.
1 part peat moss.
1 part other organic material such as earthworm castings, compost. Leaf mold or Nitrogen stabilized bark.  1 part builders’ sand.
After preparing the organic mix above, dig and mix the soil to amend the bedding for Canna. Follow planting instructions below. Water immediately and thoroughly, dig a small ½ inch hole beside the plant the day after planting and put a dozen live earthworms into it, then cover the earthworm with soil so that birds won’t come and pick them up right away

HOW TO PLANT & CARE FOR CANNA:
Choose a good warm and sunny location where plants can receive regular watering, Prepare the soil for your Canna bedding by digging up and mixing the above prepare organic mix into the soil.  Follow package directions for planting, Setting the Canna rhizomes after the last frost in spring where the climate is hardy for the rhizomes.  Space Canna rhizomes 1.5 to 2 feet apart, cover rhizomes with 2 to 4 inches of soil mix. in colder region, start rhizomes indoors 4 to 6 weeks before usual last frost so that the plants will bloom earlier after outdoor planting. Give the Canna plant plenty of water during blooming season. To preserve the energy and to prevent fungus cut to the ground level, the stems that have spend bloom; new stems with flowering buds will continue to emerge from summer throughout autumn. Lift and store roots over the winter where soil freezes deeply.

HOW TO DO CONTAINER AND POT CULTURE FOR CANNAS:
Cannas make stunning container plants, it has bright blossoms and bold wide tropical looking leaves that add a tropical touch to your garden. Put the organic mix described above in the pot, plant the Canna rhizomes 2 to 4 inches deep water evenly. Put a dozen of live earthworms in the pot after a day of planting.

HOW TO PROPAGATE CANNA:
Buying new top quality canna plant cultivars each year can really break a bank. Single rhizomes could cost $5.00 to $15.00. Fortunately, the Propagation of canna is easy, after 3 to 4 years of patience and diligence, you will have plenty to use and trade with other gardeners. All from just one rhizomes. Canna can easily be Propagated by the following ways described: Canna can be divided by separation of over crowed clumps in early spring. chop each rhizomes into pieces with at least two growing points on each canna rhizomes, then set each chopped pieces of rhizomes in pots on potting mix described above and grow them indoors until weather warms up. Another way is by cutting new leaf growth from under the ground around half an inch from the rhizomes, and re-planting the new growth in a shaded area, with moist rich soil, then water it well and regularly.