How to force bulbs is a common question. good idea...what bulbs should it maybe address... daffidils...both those requiring chill and also the paperwhites tulips hyacinths crocus muscari (grape hyacinths) What else is commonly forced and asked about? It seems to me that there should be a bulb list with season to plant, bloom season, and perhaps planting depth? with zones or something. I think zones would be best and some of then would be approximate, since the net gives various hardiness zones for some bulbs or different cultivars. Do you think it should be just one list with all bulbs, or a list for each zone? I'll be starting some threads and putting FAQ in the subject line, to start to compile some info. I like the way the existing FAQ are set up, with a main link for example for Daffs and then it goes to all the daff questions. I thought it would be nice to try and organize the info similar to the existing format. I found out the format is called HTML anchor codes....something totally new to me. I think this could almost get overwhelming, but try to keep in mind that they can continually be updated, or corrected as need be. Maybe an 'outline' would be in order after some more input/suggestions here, think?...Maybe a Google document that could be shared with all here. Sue

My stuttgart canna grow like weeds here in CA during the warm months. They started growing about a month ago. They are under the shade of a big Hong Kong Orchid tree. They flower at about 8 feet. The soil is pretty heavy clay that has been covered with compost every year for the last 15 years so the soil probably has lost some of its alkalinity, but I wouldn`t call it acid soil. I`ve never put any peat moss down in that area. I`m in south Orange County about 10 miles inland from the ocean.

If you soak your canna seeds for 48 hrs. in a solution of half apple-cider vinegar, and half very hot water for 48 hrs., you will find that it is extremely easy to nick your canna seeds. What happens is that the natural acidic reaction of the vinegar wears off the hard outer coating so that if you just firmly rub the canna seed against any hard rough surface, like a brick, it can easily be removed. Also, it weakens the hard outer coating of the canna seed, making it easier for the embryo within to emerge. This is further discussed in a new group of people who are interested in learning how to hybridize new types of cannas from seeds. I can't post the link, but it's a new yaho group called Cannahybridizers. If you do a search, you can find it and join. There are lots of generous canna growers in the group who frequently give away seeds for the asking or for SASE.

After danger of hard frost has passed, plant canna rhizomes about a foot to 18 inches apart. Lay the rhizome horizontal with any visible eyes pointing toward you. Then cover with two inches of soil. Cannas can also be grown in big pots. Just be sure to use a big pot because cannas multiply quickly.