They look inconspicuous with their white, yellowish or sand-like color - the rhizomes of the flower cane. But they are the powerhouse of this tropical plant and form the basis of its health. Good reasons to take a closer look at them…

When and how are they planted?

There are no bulbs like many other perennials, but tubers. They are planted in the garden in mid-May, unlike the commercially available, pre-grown canna plants.

The rhizomes are planted eye up. The eye is a pink, oblong-pointed spot that is clearly visible. The tubers are buried at least 5 cm deep in the ground.

Dig up in autumn and prepare for wintering

When the flowering season is over, autumn arrives and with it the time for wintering. For example, if Canna is outdoors in a garden bed, its bulbs should be dug up. But beware: the tubers should not be dug up before the leaves of the plant have turned brown. They draw important nutrients from the leaves that they need in the coming year.

That's how it's done:

  • Prune canna back to ground level
  • Prick with a spade a generous distance around the plant
  • take out the tubers
  • if necessary remove the remaining soil (e.g. with a brush)

The tubers overwinter

After the tubers have been cleaned, they can be transported to their winter quarters for overwintering. The following should be noted:

  • cool room with temperatures between 5 and 10 °C (basement, garage,…)
  • Stick tubers in sand or soil
  • don't water the soil
  • tubers should not dry out; If necessary, spray lightly with water from time to time

From when and how can you advance the tubers?

The tubers can be advanced as early as January/February. To do this, they are stuck in the ground and placed in a warm place, for example near a heater. Occasionally the soil should be slightly moistened. The first shoots are visible after one to two weeks.

tips and tricks

If you have too many tubers left, you can get to know their culinary side. They are edible and should be cooked for a long time before consumption because of their high fiber content.

Category:

Vegetable garden