Overwintering Cannas

At our wee garden shoppe, we love Cannas, they allow us to make a big statement every year in what we call the "Big Pots". We have 3 "Big Pots" that sit on the sidewalk in front of the shoppe.

I love those "Big Pots" for the following reasons:

1. It allows us to show our customers interesting plant combinations, highlighting color, texture, form.

2. Huge Curb Appeal.

3. I love Container Gardening! And the possibilities are endless in a 41" Container.

After the 1st hard frost, or just before Halloween (we need those pots for the Jack o' Lantern Totems) we dismantle the "Big Pots". And we save the Cannas for next year.

This is what you end up with out of the pot.


All those narly, twisty tubers are what we are after. They are comingled, after living together happily all summer. Treat them kindly they don't have much to look forward to during the long cold winter.

You gently begin to tug, pull and tease the tubers apart. It's a dirty job but someone has to do it. (the real reason we have employees - thank you Paula! )

Cut off all the remaining foliage

This is what we end up with, all these lovely little tubers, separated and ready to bed down peat moss. Place them in a single layer in cardboard box on a good bed of peat moss. Keep them in a cool place i.e. basement and check once a month, discard any tubers if they begin to spoil.

The Last of the Harvest

"The Man " says this is either a Hopi or a "i have no idea" squash. It was grown at our home garden. To give you a little insight on "the Man" he gardens on a 1/4 acre plot at the back of our property, and on said plot he grows enough organic produce to supply our small town.

The real reason he is not sure exactly what variety we have here is that he grew over 10 mostly obscure squash varieties.

The man has no self control.