How to share cannas

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One of the really great things about cannas is that they're like tulips and daffodils, they grow from bulbs. Well, technically they're rhizomes, but the principle is the same - you plant the bulbs, and season after season they multiply.

And that means that you can share them. In fact, it's a good idea to thin out your cannas every once in a while just to give them more soil space to live in. Things can get awfully crowded down there! You just dig down a bit and give the plant a tug.

Today I filled a garbage bag full of cannas for a friend of mine who has been kind enough to share plants with me, too. He asked me to leave the tops on, which isn't actually necessary because the old growth will die back. But the grew growth will start right away. And cannas grow like wildfire!

I promised about a dozen, but I will be giving about twice that. This is a win-win situation, it's good for the garden, and it feels good to share!

If someone just gave you a bag full of canna bulbs, the first thing to do is to cut the tops off. Then plant them fairly shallowly in rich soil with plenty of water. Then stand back - they grow fast!

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