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Cannas.

Crazyfroglady...and.now.newts.Crazyfroglady...and.now.newts. Posts: 80
in Plants
We have quite a few cannas in our garden that are all still flowering. Looking at the forecast for this week it’s going to get cold from Wednesday onwards.  Reading online the advice seems to be lift after the first frost, if I do that they will have had few night of minus temperatures as I won’t be able to lift them till next weekend. Should I leave them or I lift them today before the cold weather arrives? Thank you.
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Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    I have already lifted all of mine, I tend to do it at the end of October, regardless of frosts.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Personally, I'd lift them now.  :)
    I never left mine out to get frosted, but perhaps I erred on the cautious side. We usually get frost from early October, so they'd have been brought in by then. This year we had some very light ones in September, and nothing much until late November, but I'd always rather be safe than sorry. I haven't grown them for a few years now.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    You can treat them like dahlias, a light frost may kill the tops, but the roots will be OK.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    I think they will be OK enduring several nights below zero. Obviously it depends how much below zero, but a couple of degrees below will probably be OK for a couple nights at least. 
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    That said there'd be nothing wrong with lifting them now, you don't need to wait for the frost
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I agree @Loxley. We often have the problem of wet soil freezing, so pots are always a safer bet for them. I never plant them out. Wet cold is often the problem rather than dry with a light frost. Same with so many plants. Like @punkdoc , I always err on the cautious side as I said earlier :)
    We had a lot of ice overnight last night, because the ground's soaking, and it was frosty from around 8pm until about 9am today. Cars were covered in ice. That certainly wouldn't have been great for them.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Crazyfroglady...and.now.newts.Crazyfroglady...and.now.newts. Posts: 80
    Thanks for all your advice we have decided to err on the side of caution and lift them. They have lasted so well, it’s time for them to have a well deserved rest.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Very nice cannas!
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • Crazyfroglady...and.now.newts.Crazyfroglady...and.now.newts. Posts: 80
    edited December 2022
    @Loxley Thank you this is the first time we have grown them. My husband wanted banana plants behind the tree ferns I wasn’t keen on the idea due to the leaves splitting. The canna musifolia was a good compromise.


  • JAYJARDINJAYJARDIN Posts: 256
    I'm in Devon and have some striped ones in the garden. Will they be OK if I leave them in the ground and mulch them ?
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