Ken,

Your concerns are well taken in regard to your growing area. If you lived in the Gulf States or the Southwest, you could likely succeed with decent results. Starting canna seeds in your growing area at this time would be possible but risky. The biggest problem is the ability of the plant to mature to a size that would develop a large rhizome system capable of sustaining itself over the long winter months.
If it is of interest, I have canna seedlings blooming at this time and they germinated in mid March. Seeds started early and grown indoors in a warm sunny location will often bloom as rapidly as field planted rhizomes. The unknown is the speed of getting good, rapid germination of the seed and the somewhat slower development of the seed rhizome growth verses the conventional vegetative produced rhizome.

Kent

Thanks Kent!

I guess I will wait till the mid winter to plant seeds as it seems to be the better option. I had someone ready to send me seeds that he gathered from last years crop. I will ask him to send me some from this years plants and start them indoors in March.

Ken

If you're going to keep them in a pot, I think you'll be ok as long as you take the pot in for the winter. :)

I think is best to keep them in a pot now anyway so they get the right nutrients and stay nice and warm so you can easily sow them now and let them grow and just bring them in when frost comes. Then you can keep them growing during the winter and int he spring they will be ready to go and they might even flower in early spring if your lucky!

Thanks guys!