Can You Root Cannas?

Preparation

• Choose a planting site that receives full sun all day and is protected from high winds. Cannas tolerate partial shade but do not flower as well. Till the soil to a depth of 1 foot, within a 1-foot radius of the site. Loosening the soil makes it easier for the rhizome's roots to stretch out as they develop. Add 2 inches of compost or well-rotted manure to the soil. The nutrients in the amendments help the bulb root and get off to a strong start.

Planting

• The canna requires a steady supply of water over the summer, so avoid planting it near plants that don't tolerate a lot of water. Plant the canna rhizome deep enough so that 2 inches of soil covers it. There is no top or bottom on the rhizome, so don't be concerned about how you lay it in the soil, other than horizontally. When planting more than one rhizome, space them at least one foot apart. For a natural look, plant the rhizomes in a random pattern.

Care

• Water the rhizome immediately after planting it in the garden. Saturate the soil and then allow it to dry a bit before watering it just enough to keep the top 6 inches of soil moist. Fertilize the canna just before flowering. Apply 3 lbs. of 5-10-5 analysis fertilizer per 100 square feet of garden bed. Reapply the fertilizer once a month throughout the flowering season. Don't apply fertilizer during the hottest part of the day to avoid burning the plant's roots and water as you normally do after the application.

Considerations

• After a flower fades, the canna's natural inclination is to produce seed. At this point, it won't bloom again. To keep it from going to seed, snip off the flower as soon as the bloom fades. There will generally be another flower directly below the top flower. Snip that off when it fades, as well. Remove the entire stem, back to the soil, when all of the shoots finish flowering. This allows sun to hit developing stems and the plant may produce new flowers.