Now that we have had a few good freezes here in the Miami Valley it is time to store our tubers, roots and corms for the winter. Some of these root systems may have a problem surviving a very cold winter that freezes the soil deeply. Canna lilies and Elephant Ear plants have become very popular in gardens, they provide great foliage and super color all summer long. If you have purchased plants from a garden center or nursery that started their plants from virus indexed (clean) stock you have enjoyed some fantastic, vigorous plants this past summer. The plants in the huge planters in MVG’s parking lot were grown from these “clean” disease free plants. The Cannas grew to be 6” tall this year and just full of flowers, what a show! Many times the cheaper tubers have invisible disease issues. These plant do not perform very well.
Scott, Ashley and Susan and team have been cleaning up the Meadow View landscape and gardens and have dug up the tubers of the Cannas and Elephant Ears and have them ready for storage for the winter. You can store your roots in a similar fashion. All you need to do is dig up your tubers, shake off the garden soil and store them a crate of sawdust or damp peat moss in an area where they will not freeze, such as an unheated garage. We will plant some of ours in pots so they will root out over the winter to give them a good start for spring. They will be kept in a cool greenhouse. You can do the same thing and keep your potted plants in your cold garage. Beginning in April you can put the pots outside when it is mild and bring them in if it is going to freeze. By doing this you can enjoy plants that you started instead if making a purchase of new tubers. You will have a jump on the season with plants that you grew.
The Elephant Ears and other plants can be stored in a similar fashion. Corms like Gladiolas can be stored this way also. In fact all summer blooming flowers, with similar root structures, can be cared for this way. When you get ready to divide them you can break them apart or use a sharp butcher knife to make clean cuts.
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