How to grow cannas from bulbs in the desert

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One of the really great things about plants like cannas is that all you really need to plant is the bulb. That is, you don't need to buy a plant with leaves on it, in a pot. This not only makes them much less expensive, but it makes them much easier to plant. This is how you do it.

First of all, prepare a place with shade (here in the desert) that can get plenty of water. Dig away the native soil and remove it. Fill the hole with potting soil and sprinkle in some dry plant food. Cannas are really just giant grasses, so technically the bulb is actually a rhizome, but it's all pretty much the same. Plant the bulb, roots down, a couple of inches down. A nice grove of cannas should be about four feet wide and four to six feet tall.

Water well. Then water some more. And more water. Did I mention that cannas love water? Give them plenty of room and stand back. Cannas like these Canna Tropicannas can grow to be about six feet tall in a few months, and spread profusely. I've had these in the ground for a few seasons and they grow like wildfire. I started with six bulbs and now have hundreds. In fact, I am digging them up around the edges.

Now go plant, and water, your canna bulbs!


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