HOW TO PREPARE CANNA FOR SPRING
When I went through the pictures of the Cannas in the garden month by month through the last year I regretted that I didn’t buy more of them.
The great big, graphic leaves are found in a variety of shades and patterns, its flowers are delicate and exotic. The whole plant provides the garden with a tropical and lush appearance. Cannas are very easy to get to thrive, they are hardy here (USDA zones 7-9), love a good soak of water and they love the Texas sun. Just remember that they are heavy feeders.
So why don’t I have more of those marvellous plants? Because the leafrollers are a frustration. You can’t talk about Cannas here in Texas without mention the leafrollers.
Canna is a plant where the leaves are a big part of the appearance, and when they become rolled up, withered and tattered after they have been randomly crunched on, the impression of the plants goes rock bottom. The leafrollers are caterpillars of moth, the eggs can reputedly survive over the winter in the mulch around the plant.
When you see some tightly rolled up leaves, probably some caterpillar poop and some silken threads, you just have to cut out the leaves and throw them in the bin.
NOT in the compost. It helps a lot to keep the plants tidy and remove withered leaves and stalks.
This is the time for the spring cleaning, so check carefully after a kind of artificial tightly coiled leaves where the caterpillar parties are held.
Obviously, you can use insecticides, but you will possibly have butterflies in your garden? They are also caterpillars at one point.
You can buy Cannas as blooming plants at garden centres, you can buy bulbs (rhizomes) on Easy to Grow Bulbs.com , or as plants at Plants Delights Nursery.
