Canna bulbs anyone????

[mark page]

I have about 400 sq feet of canna bulbs to dig soon. All are the red (wine) colored leafed, bright red flowered style. Forgive me as I can't remember the correct name of the variety. Height depends on growing environment, but mine grew anywheres from 6 to 12 feet high. They are beautiful plants and are a star for drawing in humming birds. Problem is I need to give away lots of bulbs (tubers) as they multiply like rabbits (plant 50 plants and will have 200 tubers).In my temp zone I have to dig them each year...yuk. Let me know if anyone may be interested and I will ship them to you before the spring planting season for the cost of postage. 8.95 flat rate box will get you enough tubers for a heck of a starter set. For winter care, I usually snap the tubers and separate them into ones with two eyes or large one eyed, store in large 50lb bone meal bags, packed with peat moss. About January I slightly dampen the peat moss just to keep them from drying out. Store in the garage or very cool area. They just can't freeze or it will kill the tubers. http://www.sd1new.net/GardenPages/canna-ambassador.htm is a link to a similiar plant. (may even be the same, I don't know). Plenty of info on the web on planting, growing, and care. Well enough rambling. Let me know if interested or not. I am not taking orders now as I do not know the exact total of tubers I will have to give away (but it will be a lot). I will post a message again before the spring planting season if enough interest, if not I will give them away locally. Just giving the creekers first dibs.

[Jim Becker]

Tempting...very tempting, Mark. I'd be concerned about freezing here, however, as we just don't have time to dig up bulbs. Heck, it's hard enough to find time to dig up weeds! LOL

[Lee Schierer]

Maybe you should consider leaving them in the ground unless the mortality is 100% the reproduction rate might equal the mortality rate and you would have the digging time available for woodworking.

[nic obie]

I wouldn't mind getting a few.

[mark page]

Jim I know the feeling. Two years ago I had four varieties and four times the work. I gave away the complete set of two varieties and kept two. I have some dwarf yellow flower/green leaf ones but they don't multiply like the larger plants do. In our temp zones they are work. It seemed like the entire neighborhood here was asking about them last year so I gave away tons, so everyone here had cannas growing. This year about 40% of the people I gave them to provided for them correctly and replanted. They turn into work and I'm reluctant to give them to people that aren't going to take the time to care for them. Every year I say to myself that I'm cutting back on the number planted, but still end up filling the space (planting is easier than removing). But my planting area is a neighborhood trademark and if I didn't, I'd have people calling to make sure I was still alive, lol. But just for the hummers we get each year I'll continue to keep them going as long as I can physically do it.
Lee--the frost line here can get pretty deep depending upon winter weather. Although it's been mild the last several years I don't want to take a chance on losing them. Plus to have the large plants that I grow, they do need thinned out a bit. If I did lose them all, it would cost a fortune in bulbs to replant the large area that I always have. They almost turn into a privacy hedge row if planted in a linear line with 3-4 bulbs deep.

[Von Bickley]

Mark,

I just showed your message to LOML. Count us in.....

[Terry Kelly]

Count me in too... The LOML will love these...

[Dave Ray]

Mark, count me in.

[Randy Moore]

Count me in Mark. In live just south of KC so I will come get them. Let us know when you will be ready


Randy

[Benjamin Dahl]

Mark, I am interested as well.
Ben

[mark page]

I'm starting to get a bigger response than what I thought I would through PM's and replies. I'll try to fill everyone's wish, but I will take them in the order they came in to be fair to everyone. If I run out, then there is always the end of next years growing season.
Thanks,
Mark