Hi Michele, Are you wanting to start them in pots and then moving them into your garden? Or do you plan to leave them in the pots? I start mine in boxes I made then move them into my garden, if you plan on leaving them in the pots they will need a little room to grow. They basically all have the same requirements once they start growing, sun, sun more sun more water and some fertilizer. You can get a head start now and start them inside the house in your pots.

I am planning on starting them in small pots, then move them outside and then this fall, bring in the root/rhizome/tuber to overwinter down in my basement.

I currently have several bananas that overwinter inside in large pots and I just don't have the room/space for more overwintering potted plants.

Are cannas like bananas in that their growth is affected/controlled by the size of their pot? None of my banana's is over 6 feet tall because I after they reach a certain size, I don't re-pot them into a larger pot (this does cause a lot of 'pupping' though).

I thought I'd start them in smaller pots inside and then in a couple of weeks, move them outside into larger pots.

From what I've read on the postings here, Cannas don't like to be pot bound or overcrowded, is that correct?

The only people that I know personally that have canna's treat them like annuals, they don't bother to dig up the tuber/rhizome/root (which is the correct term, anyway?) and just get new ones every spring. To me that just doesn't seem right; plus I'm cheap, I'd rather not have to buy new ones every year.

I save mine too. Why pay for new ones?

You are right to start them off in small pots, but once they get started and outdoors, they will fill a big pot pretty fast. I grew a dwarf canna in a pot around 14" and it filled it up in no time. I did find that the ones I planted directly in the ground did grow bigger and bloom more than the ones in pots - I think the roots liked the extra room. But pots are certainly workable. Give them lots of sun and lots of water and lots of fertilizer.

I'm not sure what "giant" Stuttgart is, but the normal Stuttgart needs more shade and more water than the others - the variegated leaves tend to scorch otherwise. Some people say that addind Epsom salts helps prevent burning. This is just what I have read - I'm growing it for the first time myself this year (took me a while to find it!)

You will be pleased by putting them in the ground verses keeping them in pots, though you will maybe want to keep some in pots. In your area you will want to dig them up in the fall anyway and then you will be surprised how many more you will have. Just store them in a dry cool enviroment for the winter. I have about a dozen different cultivars I will be growing this year. In my area they are okay left in the ground all year but I dig alot of them up because I change my gardens around every year so it doesn't get to be the same every year. Out of all your different cultivars Australia is my favorite. {{gwi:531177}}

Love the picture, downeastmd! I just planted out about 30 canna last weekend and am hoping for a canna forest. ;) I ordered about 15 but the company goofed and sent me the wrong ones so they let me keep them and sent replacements. Lucky me!

It's my first time though and your garden is an inspiration.

Beautiful picture! Thanks for sharing.

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"Some people say that addind Epsom salts helps prevent burning. This is just what I have read - I'm growing it for the first time myself this year (took me a while to find it!)"

I used epsom salt (1Tbsp/gallon per week) on my Stuttgardt last year and it still burned up in a shady location. Last year was my first year growing it. I hope this year will be better!