What to do with dug up rhizomes now?

16 years ago

I was in Salem, Oregon this week and my mom dug and sent me home with five tropicana rhizomes. She cut the tops off to about 6 inches. My question is, should I put them in the ground now and dig up after the first freeze, or store them?

Thanks

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Comments (5)

stephanotis_1
16 years ago
In my experience, unless you can keep them in a cool enough spot, they will start to sprout. I divided all my cannas recently and just put them all in 1 gallon containers to let them sprout at will. When it gets too cold for them to be in the pots I will cut them down again and store them during the frosts, then repot them, then put them in the ground later. In the meantime they sit on my patio making it look very tropical, and I have even gotten some blooms to enjoy.
joycee_5b
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for your reply, but not exactly what I'm looking for. Typically here in the midwest, the rhizomes would be planted in the spring (I don't want to put them in pots), then dug up after the first frost. Since they were dug earlier, I don't know if that interferes with the growing cycle? Does it matter if I put them in the ground or store them?
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fatbaldguy
16 years ago
When I lift mine, I rinse them, dry them for a day or four, then store them in stackable crates labeled with variety. Temps should be from 45-55 and with limited light. Usually, the rhizomes are in burlap inside the crates. Airflow should be good too.

YMMV
marquest
16 years ago
If you do not have someplace cool to keep them they will grow leaves even if you do not plant them now. It will not have any effect on their growing cycle. They just will not be healthy and may dry up and die if you keep them someplace warm until you have a cool place to keep them.

Since you just got them it would not have to be a big pot just something to let them get going before you put them to sleep for the winter.

Do you have someplace to store them in the pots? I cut mine down and leave them in the pots in a cool 50-55 degree room. It is so easy to place them in the Spring without having to dig, plant and dig again in the fall. They are beautiful in pots on the patio and decks.
luvmybulbs
16 years ago
I just traded for Banana Canna 2-3 weeks ago, I planted in the ground and will let them sit there until frost. I figure it is best for them to be in the ground instead of storing for a long period of time. I am in the Mid-west also. They have sent up a new leaf on each plant.

Also on tropicana I have had problems storing, only a few come back they dry easier for some reason and I have read others have this same problem. So I would leave in the ground as long as possible and keep checking to make sure they don't dry out. I am going to try and pull mine out in Feb. and pot inside. I started some end of March this year and they were 2 ft tall by mid-April.

Hope this helps.

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What to do with dug up rhizomes now?

Comments (5)

stephanotis_1

joycee_5b
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What to do with dug up rhizomes now?

Comments (5)

stephanotis_1

joycee_5bOriginal Author

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