Cannas (Help please!)

17 years ago

Hello,

A family member was trying to do something nice for us and while we were on vacation they planted some stuff in our rose garden. It turned out to be cannas, and it not only took over the place, but it has killed our roses, and made the area hard to control. I would just use some plant killer and not worry about it, but it all borders on some grass, and also the rose garden was planted in between 3 palm trees.

Is there a way that I can get rid of the cannas, and remove what is left of the very sick rose bushes without hurting my palm trees? I don't mind needing to wait a year or two to be able to replant the roses, but the cannas have got to go. It is amazing how they grow like weeds.

I am willing to even lay a tarp down and nail it in place for a year or two if it would work.

Thanks in advance,

Tom

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Comments (7)

pamcrews
17 years ago
Cannas are pretty easy to dig up and there is a great demand for them as well. Why not turn this into a positive thing...Maybe give them away to family and friends who will enjoy them or sell them on ebay. Take a picture of the bloom and leaves and post here. I'm sure someone would be able to tell you what type they are.
Would be intersted in hearing what you plan to do with them. Good Luck!
tropicalzone7
17 years ago
I would dig them up and sell them on ebay for a cheap price. They are not hard to dig up, and lot of people will buy them. You can sell a nice clump for 10 dollars or so, and make some money as well as get rid of all your canna problems.
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homemommy
17 years ago
If you want a dig free solution, post them on Freecycle, as a "you want them, you dig them and carry them away". I am sure you will have lots of takers!!

Again, their roots are not very deep, I can't see that they would hurt your palms!

I am kind of glad that here in my Zone 6, we have to dig them up if we want them again the following year! No worries of them taking over the house and kidnapping the children too!!
spamolla
17 years ago
It just doesn't sound like cannas. Cannas can be very easily pulled out of the ground. Sounds to me more like bamboo? Bamboo is a terribly invasive plant and will literally eat you up if your not careful! Best way to kill it is to cover it with a dark tarp. Without the sun nourishing the leaves, the roots will eventually die. It's very important there is no straggler peeking out or the root system will be fed.
Good luck Tom, hope you rid your monsters!!
Tammy
jaceysgranny
17 years ago
The main thing is that when you dig them up to get every spec of the rhizomes or they'll come back. You should be able to get them pretty easy even though they do produce new eyes. It's not like trying to get rid of ditch lilies~
staetnislandpalm
17 years ago
give them to me mine refuse to grow. I can cover shipping.
rusty_blackhaw
17 years ago
I have exactly the opposite problem - someone planted roses in my canna bed and now the darn roses are spreading like wildfire and killing off the cannas.

Oh well, assuming that the original post was not a big whoosh - it's very difficult to believe that your problem plant is canna. In fact, you'd probably have to make a special effort to keep cannas alive in most if not all of Arizona this time of year. They sort of like moisture. ;)