Erica, I just use Potting Soil in my containers. I think the barrel would do fine with one of each plant...those EE's and Canna get really big in just one season. I've never grown Callas.

In your zone you'd have to remove bulbs/rhizomes and store inside in frostfree place for winter...but you'd have extra bulbs...both EE and Canna multiply fast and furious. You might need to use separate barrels for them the second season to let them reach full potential. Or you could give away the extra bulbs. Have fun...and don't forget to water. josh

thanks josh-that helps, in the container do you just plant them in the dirt in container or sink them in there in another pot? if so how do you winterize them. i have a container of callas that i just put in a basement in winter(stays around 50 degrees)i leave them in the pot and dont mess with them till spring. dont know if i can do this with EE's or cannas?

Erica, You can plant right in the barrel or in separate pots to keep roots separate...just be sure to use large pots for the Canna and EE as they get top-heavy. These are both hardy for my zone in outdoor containers, so I'll point you toward the Canna Forum for advice for your zone, but your basement sounds great. Good luck...josh

Hola- I don't think that either of those plants are bog plants, at least not for me! I have all those plants planted in the yard and some of them in pots! They do not require to be kept in a bog with water all the time. Now some carnivotous plants can be kept in a bog or wet most of the time.
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Luis

Luis, You are correct: both EE and Canna can be grown in moist soil. However they also can be grown sitting the pot in a shallow vessel of water to just provide water from bottom, , or actually submerged in a pond or barrel with a few inches of water over the soil.

I've grown in ground, too, but for pots which dry out quickly I find it's easier to supply water constantly by placing pot in deep saucer of water or in shallow pond. I do remove from water in wintertime, usually, and just leave in pots outside here in my zone. But one Canna 'Pretoria' I've grown in house over winter with pot sitting in a few inches of water...puts up new leaves constantly during winter. I've a couple of the Black Taros too which do well inside in winter,but I don't sit pots in water.

Bottom line is these are just great easy-to-grow plants which adapt well to pots but really love/need moisture. josh

Here is a link that might be useful: Colocasia esculenta