I think I am in trouble. I browsed more about storing them. I read that it's bad to wash them. However, I already did. Why are there so many conflicting information about storing cannas...

So what should I do now?

Forgot to update. I replanted them :D Hahaha. Washing the dirt out is totally wrong. I noticed the outer skin was a little bit slimy/slippery even after 4 hours I cleaned them up. I was told to replant them, so I did.

So from what I have gathered more, here is what I think is best.

If in pots and you want to make it as an indoor plant
1. dig them before frost and while foliage is still nice
2. put a new soil that will provide good drainage
3. Put in a sunny location
4. Water as needed

If in pots and you don't want it as an indoor plant
1. let the leaves gets zapped by frost
2. cut them short
3. bring it in basement(cold dark area) but don't put directly on cold floor, maybe on a table. You decide.
4. cover the pots with tarp or black garbage bags

If in ground
1. let the leaves gets zapped by frost
2. cut them short
3. dig them up
4. remove dirt but not too much. Dirt acts like an insulation. Try to mimic the nature
5. put in garage so the soil dries out a bit if canna recently took a shower
6. once it's dry(not too dry), put them in paper bag. Paper bag prevents moisture but also keeps the lite moisture from going out the bag.
7. pray :D

My Cannas are in the ground. They can be dug before frost or after. It doesn't matter. I dig them, and cut them to about 3 inches. Some of the dirt is removed. I try to separate them, keeping an eye or two on each piece. Then I toss them into a recycled plastic-feel grocery store bag. They are NOT sealed. I label them and then put these bags into a cardboard box and put them into my wine cellar. I have found that Cannas don't like it too cold in the winter, so I chose my wine cellar which is about 55 degrees F. The one year, I put them into my cold cellar, and it was too cold. My dahlias, glads,etc do well in the cold cellar, but not the cannas. In April, I pot them up, and take them up to the garage where on Sunny days, they go outside, but cold nights they come back in. This goes on until Frost is past, and I usually have cannas in bloom before anyone else. I pot my dahlias up early as well, and also have dahlias blooming in July.

Win! Win!

Soil helps them retain moisture,you can also use wilt-proof which helps them retain water by reducing water loss from transpiration,this also works on banana corms

Here are few update folks.

I took them out of the pots. I removed some of the dirt but left some as well. I didn't wash them with water anymore. I still have about 10 pots that I need to work on tomorrow. Today, I finished 21 pots. Right now, they're in the garage. I'm going to let them sit there for a week. Once it has dried up, I am going to put them in paper bags then onto the basement, cool & dark area.

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I'm very happy that even after a day leaving the exposed rhizomes in the garage, I didn't smell any foul odor as compared to Oct 2 when I washed them. So definitely, do not wash them. Thanks Kevin and Boca Joe!

Here are the pics of my other cannas. That's all I have. After a week or once they're dried up a little, I'll put them in a paper bag, then finally down in a cool dark area in the basement. I'll take some few shots in December. {{gwi:285449}}

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Nice pics and looks like you are in control.

however, you will have to get those toys and gadgets out of your way in the garage. A gardener needs space and dirt to play in too. They are not sharing with you.

Yep. I brought them down to my basement. The temp is better which is around 50F. In the garage, the temp was like 40F. I got worried that it might rot them.

I have boxed all my rhizomes. They've been inside the box for 3 or 4 days now. I'll check them out tomorrow. Anyways, here is a pic at the basement when I was drying them out.

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I looked at them and they're all very healthy and smells earthy as well. :)

good luck with your cannas. you can cut those roots off also.