BLOOMING beautiful efforts ensured the standard remained high in this year’s Ware in Bloom competition.

While entries were down slightly on last year the standard remained just as impressive.

Organiser Jan Wing said: “It was difficult for all gardeners trying to second guess what the weather was going to do, meaning a garden’s usual timetable was all over the place.

“Somethings were early, somethings were late – it was a difficult time for gardeners.

“The weather was so dreadful people were grabbing whatever time possible to do what work was needed to be done.”

Jan felt this may have had an effect on the number of entries, but those who did enter kept standards high.

“I have to say the quality of the gardens was excellent and those who won were worthy winners, not just winners by default,” she said.

Jan pointed to the Travis Perkins beach hut on Watton Road as an example, which has also gone on to form part of Ware’s entry into Anglia in Bloom.

Judges visited the town on Tuesday July 16, with the winners announced on Tuesday September 10.

“Our entry is certainly a lot better this year, there’s been a lot more togetherness,” said Jan.

WARE IN BLOOM WINNERS

Best back garden: 1st Josie Fish, Linwood Road, 2nd E Welland, Clifton Way, 3rd A Stewart, Musley Hill

Best front garden: Josie Maynard, Cundalls Road

Commercial category: 1st Travis Perkins beach hut, Watton Road, 2nd Bailey Gomm Ltd, High Street

Schools under 11: 1st Tower Primary School, 2nd Sacred Heart and Middleton, commended: Priorswood

Schools 11 to 18: 1st Chauncy community day, 2nd Pinewood School

Public house: 1st Punch House, High Street, 2nd John Gilpin, London Road, 3rd The Worpell, Watton Road

Wheelbarrows: under fives,1st Little Angels, 2nd Leaside pre-school; most novel theme, Amwell Scouts; most colourful, Christ Church School; most fun, Middleton School; best edible, St Catherine’s; highly commended, St Mary’s School, Sacred Heart School, 9th Ware Brownies

ciaran.gold@hertsessexnews.co.uk

Twitter @MercuryCiaran

Posted: Thursday, August 1, 2013 2:00 pm

Gardening and arthritis: Tips for easier gardening

By SENIOR LINKAGE LINE
Guest Column

Southernminn

Posted on
August 1, 2013

• 
  
  
  

  by
  
  Jennifer Holt
  

If you’ve always loved the pleasures of tending your own garden – fragrant flowers or the taste of a really fresh tomato – you don’t have to give them up just because arthritis has come into the picture. In fact, gardening is a great activity for maintaining joint flexibility, bone density, range of motion and quality of life. Researchers at the University of Arkansas found that gardening ranks as high as weight training for strengthening bones. A few simple modifications can help you keep your garden growing with ease.

Getting Started

• As with any activity, be sure to consult your doctor or physical therapist for any precautions you should take.

• Plan to garden during the times of day when you feel best; for example, wait until afternoon if you have morning stiffness;

• Before you begin work in your garden each time, warm up your joints and muscles with a brief walk or some stretching first. This will get your body ready for the activity and will help prevent injuries.

Arranging Your Garden

With creativity and advance planning, you can create a garden that suits your needs. Assess your abilities and arrange your garden in a way that makes your tasks easier and conserves your energy. For example, make sure your garden has a nearby water source so you don’t have to carry watering cans or hoses far. Keep a storage area or tool shed close to your garden so you don’t waste energy hauling your tools back and forth.

Moving the Right Way

As you garden, be careful not to put undue stress on your joints. Use tools such as hoes or rakes that have long handles so you avoid bending or stooping. Wrap the handles with foam padding or electrical tape so they will be easier to grip. If you have to work close to the ground, place only one knee on the ground and keep your back straight, or use a stool.

Choosing the Right Products

The equipment you use and the plants you work with can make a big difference in how enjoyable your gardening time is. Keep the following tips in mind when you’re in the gardening supply store.

• Low Maintenance Plants

• Choose young plants so you can avoid dealing with tiny seeds.
• Plant shrubs or perennials that bloom every year so you don’t have to replant each season.
• Ask about plants that require little care, such as ones that don’t need regular pruning.

• Helpful Tools

• Wear a carpenter’s apron with several pockets for carrying frequently used tools.
• Consider purchasing a hose caddy to store your garden hose. You can wheel the caddy to your work area and unroll the hose as you need it.
• Use a hand truck or dolly to move heavy bags of soil, mulch or fertilizer. You can transport heavy items without having to lift them onto a cart or wagon.
• Use a child’s size old wagon to carry gardening tools, bulbs or plants around while you work. If you don’t have one in the attic, these wagons can be purchased at toy and hardware stores.
• Use seed tape. Seed tape, which can be laid in the ground or in long planters, may be easier than planting seeds by hand.

If you like flower gardening, but can’t sit on the ground or stoop to low flower beds, trying planting flowers in window-box containers or clay pots that sit on tables outside your house. This way you can avoid bending over all together and can enjoy your garden outside as well as from your favorite chair inside!

If you would like more information about “Gardening and Arthritis” call the Senior LinkAge Line at 1-800-333-2433.

© 2013 Southernminn.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

More about Garden

• ARTICLE: Owatonna Arts Center showcases local gardens during tour
• ARTICLE: New garden for butterflies to flutter, frolick
• ARTICLE: Nicollet County master gardeners up and running, planning tours
• ARTICLE: Steele County employees, students dig in their gardens

More about Minnesota

• ARTICLE: Finalist for Lonsdale Elementary principal, Tri-City United curriculum director named
• ARTICLE: Waseca’s Mr. Hot Dog holds grand opening event on Saturday
• ARTICLE: Maple Street to close Monday for Northfield street maintenance project
• ARTICLE: Dakota County Sheriff on great parrot escape, motorcycle chase

More about Arthritis

• ARTICLE: Arthritis Aches and Pains
• ARTICLE: Coping with arthritis
• ARTICLE: River’s Edge Hospital Clinic in St. Peter offers arthritis exercise program

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Agapanthus (PA Photo/thinkstockphotos)

As the hot weather continues, Hannah Stephenson offers tips on how to make your garden more drought resistant

Our sweltering July probably prompted many gardeners to reach for the hosepipe. In fact, according to The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), less than 3% of the annual water consumption of an average household is estimated to be from garden use, but at peak demand times as much as 70% of water supplied may be used in gardens.

This doesn’t have to be the case though. Rainwater collected in water butts, waste water from the kitchen and grey water from the bathroom can all be used to water plants.

Or, maybe, the ultimate solution is simply to create a garden that doesn’t need much watering in the first place.

This doesn’t mean creating a desert garden devoid of colour. Dramatic flowerbeds can easily be achieved from plants that have very low moisture and maintenance demands. Many drought-resistant plants naturally form communities of plants which all thrive in the same conditions and come from similar Mediterranean habitats.

At the front of the border you could have dwarf lavender, Sedum spectabile, lamb’s ears and ornamental grass such as stipa tenuissima, while middle-sized drought-resistant plants include Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus’, Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’ (wallflower), Russian sage and Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’ (catmint).

At the back of the border you could use species more than 1.8m tall, including Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple’, Choisya ternata (Mexican orange blossom) and Trachelospermum jasminoides.

Most drought-tolerant plants will have either aromatic leaves, fleshy and succulent leaves (which store moisture for dry spells), grey leaves, hairy leaves (which shade themselves with their own hairs), long narrow leaves (which are good at shedding heat without water), or spikes (which act as ‘fins’ to cool the plant).

The RHS offers these extra tips to create a more drought-resistant, but still attractive, garden:

:: Cultivate the soil deeply and dig in large quantities of organic matter to improve soil structure, water retention and water availability for plants. Well-rotted garden compost, mushroom compost, composted bark and well-rotted farmyard manure are all suitable forms of organic matter. Heavy manuring can add nearly a month’s worth of water storage capacity to the soil. Loam-based potting compost doesn’t dry out as quickly as peat-free composts. If using peat-free, water-retaining gels might have some benefit.

:: Apply sufficient fertiliser as plants use water most efficiently where nutrient levels are adequate. But do not apply too much fertiliser to the soil, as this can encourage too much lush growth which can flop in summer, requiring extra watering and becoming frost-damaged in winter.

:: Choose plants with grey-green or silver leaves as they reflect the sun’s rays, helping to conserve moisture within the plant tissues.

:: Try to choose plants which suit the site’s soil type and aspect. They will be more tolerant of varying climatic conditions as well as of pest and disease problems.

:: Plant things while they are still small. They will develop much greater resilience as they adapt to their conditions from a young age. Ideally plant in autumn so they can do some growing before dry weather arrives.

:: If planting Mediterranean plants, do so in spring when the soil is warming up. Many of these plants will suffer from root-rot if planted in autumn and become cold and damp over winter.

:: Before planting, thoroughly soak the plants in their pots in a bucket of water until the bubbles stop rising to the surface.

:: Thoroughly water in all new plants (and keep them watered in the first season after planting to ensure they establish well). Once established, they will become much more drought tolerant.

:: After planting, mulch the bed with 5-7.5cm (2-3in) of gravel or, even better, a layer of compost or straw covered with gravel, to help retain moisture while the plants establish.

:: You may decide to go without a lawn in your drought-friendly garden, but if not, you’ll be pleased to know that lawns are surprisingly drought tolerant and usually recover well in the autumn rains even if they have been brown and parched most of the summer. Lawn irrigation should rarely be required, if at all, to keep the grass healthy.

Posted: Wednesday, July 31, 2013 8:42 am

Gardening Tips

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013 8:42 am.

By now your tomato plants should be starting to bear fruit, tantalizing you with their green promises of what’s to come. After all, no store bought tomato can ever compare to the juicy sweetness of a homegrown tomato.

However, tomato plants can quickly become overburdened with long heavy limbs and dozens of fruits. Sometimes a tomato cage won’t cut it. Here are four tips for wrangling and managing your tomato plants this summer.

Tip 1: Cage ’Em

I know I just said that sometimes a tomato cage won’t cut it, but there are times when a cage will cut it—namely while the plant is still young. You can buy tomato cages at any home improvement or gardening center or you can make one by wrapping chicken wire into a tall cylinder. Whatever you use, place the cage over the tomato and carefully thread the limbs through it, allowing them to rest on the cross wires or the center rings. It’s easiest if you place a cage over the tomato when you plant it so that you can help the limbs use the cage as they grow.

Tip 2: Stake ’Em

Stakes are a great solution for a larger vegetable garden. Your stakes should be at least 1-inch thick and five or six feet tall. Plant the stakes at least a foot in the ground. You can use wooden stakes you buy at the home improvement center, you can harvest large branches or small trees from your property, you can use bamboo or you can use fencing stakes—you get the idea. Use smaller pieces of wood or tightly pulled baling twine to create cross supports between the stakes. Carefully thread the limbs through the support system. You can also secure the limbs to the system with twine, twist ties or zip ties.

Tip 3: Net ’Em

Even if you cage and/or stake your tomatoes, they may still require another layer of support—depending on how far out their limbs decide to reach. I like to buy tomato nets and secure them to the top of their support system. Zip ties work great for this. Use the netted squares to support the ends of the limbs.

Tip 4: Prune ’Em

It’s not completely necessary, but your plant will benefit from a little pruning. The very bottom leaves (they often look wilted or yellow) are great ones to prune because they aren’t going to produce anything. You can also prune or pinch off the little “suckers” or leaves that shoot up in the elbow between two limbs. These suckers also won’t produce anything and they really do suck the plant of energy and nutrients that the plant could send to the tomatoes. You can also selectively prune back some of the leaves on the plant—namely the ones that are inadvertently shading tomatoes or blossoms. Don’t prune too much though! The leaves are gathering the sunlight that create the sugars and other nutrients the plant needs to produce and survive (photosynthesis, y’all).

And there you have it. Four simple tips to help you get the most of your tomatoes this summer. Here’s to many tomato sandwiches.

Darla Antoine is an enrolled member of the Okanagan Indian Band in British Columbia and grew up in Eastern Washington State. For three years, she worked as a newspaper reporter in the Midwest, reporting on issues relevant to the Native and Hispanic communities, and most recently served as a producer for Native America Calling. In 2011, she moved to Costa Rica, where she currently lives with her husband and their infant son. She lives on an organic and sustainable farm in the “cloud forest”—the highlands of Costa Rica, 9,000 feet above sea level. Due to the high elevation, the conditions for farming and gardening are similar to that of the Pacific Northwest—cold and rainy for most of the year with a short growing season. Antoine has an herb garden, green house, a bee hive, cows, a goat, and two trout ponds stocked with hundreds of rainbow trout.

With the sun out and summer growth peaking, keeping plants cut back and trim has never been more important. This season Graham Grimmett, English Woodlands’ resident gardening expert, is sharing his Top Tips for summer pruning.

(PRWEB UK) 29 July 2013

The East Sussex based retailer of specimen trees, hedging and accessories, English Woodlands, have been suppliers of high grade trees and planting accessories since 1918. The business has established a strong reputation across both the South East and nationally across England for their wide range and high quality large trees. Well known and respected for their high plant survival rates, the friendly team’s extensive product knowledge is built from a genuine passion for helping our customers grow and create magnificent gardens.

One particular member of the English Woodlands team, Graham Grimmett, has gardening credentials that speak for themselves. As the Specimen Tree Centre Manager, Graham is a regular blogger for English Woodlands and offers seasonal tips every month through the English Woodlands monthly newsletter. With garden enthusiasts requesting advice regularly both at the nursery and online, this week Graham tackles the popular and often asked for topic regarding effective Summer Pruning of fruit trees.

“Traditionally, formative pruning of apple and pear trees takes place during the winter so that the structure of the tree is clearly visible. Summer pruning is usually the main method for trained apples and pears such as cordons, fans and espaliers which are pruned to a restricted area. However summer pruning is also important for free standing trees as it helps to restrict growth and to facilitate training without needing to cut old wood.”

Summer pruning for free standing trees is extremely advantageous, Graham outlines four key reasons why:

1.    It allows fruit to ripen better as the removal of excess foliage enables extra light to reach the fruit.

2.    It will facilitate the tree to produce a good crop the subsequent year.

3.    The weather is usually better in the summer!

4.    The plants are still growing so pruning cuts heal quickly.

Some useful signposts as to when particular fruit trees should be pruned in the summer include; Pear trees are best tended to and pruned neatly around mid-July; Apple trees in mid-August; Plum and Cherries should only be pruned on a dry day in mid-summer to avoid the fungal disease silver leaf.

Graham offers some further useful pruning tips on how best to tackle fruit trees and specifically apples and pears.

•     The trees should only be pruned when the oldest third of the new shoots has started to get woody and stiff.
•     Cut back the new shoots that are longer than 9 inches/23cm as the shorter growth is likely to bear fruit buds naturally.
•     Shoots should be pruned back to a stub around 3 inches in length. You should ensure that you make the cut just above a bud or leaf.
•     Find out if the apple tree is a tip bearing variety before pruning- be careful not to prune new shots which will form fruit buds.

For more advice on how to prune trees during the summer months, visit the online advice centre at English Woodlands, or contact the helpful staff at English Woodlands by emailing info(at)ewburrownursery(dot)co.uk or calling on 01435 862992. Interested parties can always take a look through to http://blog.ewburrownursery.co.uk/, where tips on summer pruning, foliage, and much more are regularly updated.

Don’t forget to take advantage of current offers online at English Woodland which includes 20% off Rite Edge Lawn Edging, 25% off Borderline Steel Tree Rings and the chance to save 20% on all olive and fig trees. Simply visit the promotions category to find a voucher card and add it to the shopping basket.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/7/prweb10973189.htm

 Cannas are elegant colorful tropical flowers that are easy to grow and pretty darn rugged! Here’s how to grow them.

About cannas

History:
Cannas are tender plants from tropical regions of the world but are easy to grow outdoors in many areas providing there is no risk of frost. They were very popular in the Victorian garden for their elegant tropical look and landscape ease. Then in many parts of the country, particularly sunny California and Florida, they became popular as city landscape plants in road medians, traffic circles and public gardens. Now they are making a come back with home gardeners who want a taste of the tropics from an easy care flowering plant–there is a canna for every taste! They range in height from 2 1/2 feet (dwarf or Opera series types) to 16′ the Omega) The dwarfs only grow to 3′ and tend to have larger flowers. The average tall canna is 4-6′. Foliage colors vary from green to purple to bronze and varigated yellow and green or even red orange with colorful flowers of pale or lemon yellow, scarlet or ruby reds, salmon or hot pinks, orange and multi-colored spotted or striped.

Gardening Tips: Grow Tropical Cannas – in Pots!

Cultivation: 
Cannas can be grown in pots, windowboxes and the ground. They make great landscaping plants to fill in large areas as they multiply each year and can form a screen or windbreak, but if you don’t want them to spread, sink pots into the ground. They prefer full sun and can take lots of rain. They aren’t fussy about soils but are big feeders I am told. They do like soil enriched with organic matter and dressed with a general fertilizer such as Miracle Grow. I add coffee grounds, egg shells, and shredded leaves regularly and sometimes Breck’s Dutch Bulb Treat 5-10-5 a couple times a year but it isn’t necessary. Cannas do well with other plants and can be underplanted with annuals, perennials, vines or shrubs. I find ferns, sedums and aloes look good, attracting and holding the moisture they adore. I like combining colors and textures– chartreuse sedums and black leaved peppers, coleus, and even trailing vines. Some cannas grow well in water too. The ideal temperature is 60F but cannas will grow at much higher or lower temperatures provided they do not get frost. Cannas make good container plants for the patio or sunroom. They don’t mind crowding but plant in good sized pots (10″) and windowboxes using a good potting compost, water and feed regularly. In a greenhouse, if temperatures are kept at 55F or above, cannas can grow and flower all year, just dead head old flowered stems from time to time– cut them off conservatively just below the last bloom as they often shoot out more flowers! Divide in spring or fall when they are more likely to be dormant. Many cannas like the Bengal Tiger, Tropicana and purple leaved varieties like Black Knight and Wyoming look beautiful even without blooms because of their colorful foliage. (More about these in upcoming aticles.)

Maintenance: 
During the growing season, keep the plants well watered and for maximum growth, use a liquid feed. Mulch also helps hold in moisture but if you underplant, you will have attractive living mulch! Dead-heading prolongs the display and keeps the plants looking tidy. Remove dead blooms and yellow or brown leaves and shred for mulch. Be sure not to remove the side-shoots below the first flowers, as these become subsequent blooms. Most cannas do not need staking.

Pests: Very few pests bother my cannas. If slugs are a problem throw some pennies in the soil with broken eggshells. Beer placed in shallow dishes or film canisters attracts them as well and they drown. Few other pests or diseases attack cannas but occasionally small caterpillers or “leaf rollers” may cause damage that is easily confused with slug damage. The leaves will be rolled and sticky and often have a few distinct holes in them. Remove and consult a local nursery for the best remedies.

After Summer: 
At the end of the season, make sure the plants are carefully labelled before the blooming ends or you may get confused over colors and varieties! I do! In colder climates, you may want to bring the pots indoors to a sunroom or near windows before that first frost. If they are in the ground, as soon as frosts blacken the foliage, dig up the rhizomes and store in frost free conditions such as a garage or cellar. You can pack the roots into peat or newspaper to keep them moist. Do not allow the roots to dry out completely or they may shrivel up and die. In green all year climates like mine, I leave them in the pots and cut back on water but would never leave them outside for a freeze. I put them under row covers or in the back porch under sheets and blankets. Cannas can be left in the ground permanently in some places, covered with a thick mulch to protect from frost before winter. Overwintered plants may be divided in spring but do not rush it. To divide them, wait til they put forth new shoots and easily break apart. Pot in any good potting soil in a 6″ or larger pot. When I pull mine apart and they aren’t dormant I stick them in water and they keep for a long time.

Saturday

Bayou City Heirloom Bulbs sale: Formosa lilies, oxblood lilies, gingers and more. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at 5842 Velma Lane, Humble; 713-471-4383.

Fall vegetable gardening: Sponsored by Urban Harvest. 9 a.m.-noon at University of Houston, 4361 Wheeler; 713-880-5540, urbanharvest.org. $24 members, $36 nonmembers.

Introduction to Chickens: With John Berry. 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Wabash Antiques and Feed Store, 5701 Washington; 713-863-8322, wabashfeed.com. Free.

Aug. 3

Arboretum at Night: Wine and Cheese and Bats: With Cullen Geiselman. 7-9 p.m. at 4501 Woodway; houston arboretum.org. $30 members, $40 nonmembers.

Starting a community/school garden, Class 1: Sponsored by Urban Harvest. 9-11:15 a.m. at Green Planet Sanctuary, 13424-B Briar Forest Drive; 713-880-5540, urbanharvest.org. $24 members, $36 nonmembers.

Upcoming

Houston Urban Food Production Conference: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Aug. 17 at the United Way of Greater Houston, 50 Waugh Drive. Participants can select sessions pertaining to starting commercial operations and production methods. Commercial topics include organic certification, marketing options, agricultural valuation for land, efficient irrigation and funding support. Production topics include poultry, goats, beekeeping, integrated pest management, fruit and nut growing, irrigation, season extenders, soil building, weed control, vegetable production and cut flowers. To register, call Diana Todd at 281-855-5614; facebook.com/HUFPC2013. Registration prior to Aug. 9 is $35 and thereafter is $50. Lunch included.

Saturday

Bayou City Heirloom Bulbs sale: Formosa lilies, oxblood lilies, gingers and more. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at 5842 Velma Lane, Humble; 713-471-4383.

Fall vegetable gardening: Sponsored by Urban Harvest. 9 a.m.-noon at University of Houston, 4361 Wheeler; 713-880-5540, urbanharvest.org. $24 members, $36 nonmembers.

Introduction to Chickens: With John Berry. 1:30-3:30 p.m. at Wabash Antiques and Feed Store, 5701 Washington; 713-863-8322, wabashfeed.com. Free.

Aug. 3

Arboretum at Night: Wine and Cheese and Bats: With Cullen Geiselman. 7-9 p.m. at 4501 Woodway; houston arboretum.org. $30 members, $40 nonmembers.

Starting a community/school garden, Class 1: Sponsored by Urban Harvest. 9-11:15 a.m. at Green Planet Sanctuary, 13424-B Briar Forest Drive; 713-880-5540, urbanharvest.org. $24 members, $36 nonmembers.

Upcoming

Houston Urban Food Production Conference: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Aug. 17 at the United Way of Greater Houston, 50 Waugh Drive. Participants can select sessions pertaining to starting commercial operations and production methods. Commercial topics include organic certification, marketing options, agricultural valuation for land, efficient irrigation and funding support. Production topics include poultry, goats, beekeeping, integrated pest management, fruit and nut growing, irrigation, season extenders, soil building, weed control, vegetable production and cut flowers. To register, call Diana Todd at 281-855-5614; facebook.com/HUFPC2013. Registration prior to Aug. 9 is $35 and thereafter is $50. Lunch included.

 Cannas are elegant colorful tropical flowers that are easy to grow and pretty darn rugged! Here’s how to grow them.

About cannas

History:
Cannas are tender plants from tropical regions of the world but are easy to grow outdoors in many areas providing there is no risk of frost. They were very popular in the Victorian garden for their elegant tropical look and landscape ease. Then in many parts of the country, particularly sunny California and Florida, they became popular as city landscape plants in road medians, traffic circles and public gardens. Now they are making a come back with home gardeners who want a taste of the tropics from an easy care flowering plant–there is a canna for every taste! They range in height from 2 1/2 feet (dwarf or Opera series types) to 16′ the Omega) The dwarfs only grow to 3′ and tend to have larger flowers. The average tall canna is 4-6′. Foliage colors vary from green to purple to bronze and varigated yellow and green or even red orange with colorful flowers of pale or lemon yellow, scarlet or ruby reds, salmon or hot pinks, orange and multi-colored spotted or striped.

Gardening Tips: Grow Tropical Cannas – in Pots!

Cultivation: 
Cannas can be grown in pots, windowboxes and the ground. They make great landscaping plants to fill in large areas as they multiply each year and can form a screen or windbreak, but if you don’t want them to spread, sink pots into the ground. They prefer full sun and can take lots of rain. They aren’t fussy about soils but are big feeders I am told. They do like soil enriched with organic matter and dressed with a general fertilizer such as Miracle Grow. I add coffee grounds, egg shells, and shredded leaves regularly and sometimes Breck’s Dutch Bulb Treat 5-10-5 a couple times a year but it isn’t necessary. Cannas do well with other plants and can be underplanted with annuals, perennials, vines or shrubs. I find ferns, sedums and aloes look good, attracting and holding the moisture they adore. I like combining colors and textures– chartreuse sedums and black leaved peppers, coleus, and even trailing vines. Some cannas grow well in water too. The ideal temperature is 60F but cannas will grow at much higher or lower temperatures provided they do not get frost. Cannas make good container plants for the patio or sunroom. They don’t mind crowding but plant in good sized pots (10″) and windowboxes using a good potting compost, water and feed regularly. In a greenhouse, if temperatures are kept at 55F or above, cannas can grow and flower all year, just dead head old flowered stems from time to time– cut them off conservatively just below the last bloom as they often shoot out more flowers! Divide in spring or fall when they are more likely to be dormant. Many cannas like the Bengal Tiger, Tropicana and purple leaved varieties like Black Knight and Wyoming look beautiful even without blooms because of their colorful foliage. (More about these in upcoming aticles.)

Maintenance: 
During the growing season, keep the plants well watered and for maximum growth, use a liquid feed. Mulch also helps hold in moisture but if you underplant, you will have attractive living mulch! Dead-heading prolongs the display and keeps the plants looking tidy. Remove dead blooms and yellow or brown leaves and shred for mulch. Be sure not to remove the side-shoots below the first flowers, as these become subsequent blooms. Most cannas do not need staking.

Pests: Very few pests bother my cannas. If slugs are a problem throw some pennies in the soil with broken eggshells. Beer placed in shallow dishes or film canisters attracts them as well and they drown. Few other pests or diseases attack cannas but occasionally small caterpillers or “leaf rollers” may cause damage that is easily confused with slug damage. The leaves will be rolled and sticky and often have a few distinct holes in them. Remove and consult a local nursery for the best remedies.

After Summer: 
At the end of the season, make sure the plants are carefully labelled before the blooming ends or you may get confused over colors and varieties! I do! In colder climates, you may want to bring the pots indoors to a sunroom or near windows before that first frost. If they are in the ground, as soon as frosts blacken the foliage, dig up the rhizomes and store in frost free conditions such as a garage or cellar. You can pack the roots into peat or newspaper to keep them moist. Do not allow the roots to dry out completely or they may shrivel up and die. In green all year climates like mine, I leave them in the pots and cut back on water but would never leave them outside for a freeze. I put them under row covers or in the back porch under sheets and blankets. Cannas can be left in the ground permanently in some places, covered with a thick mulch to protect from frost before winter. Overwintered plants may be divided in spring but do not rush it. To divide them, wait til they put forth new shoots and easily break apart. Pot in any good potting soil in a 6″ or larger pot. When I pull mine apart and they aren’t dormant I stick them in water and they keep for a long time.