Will this storage method work? Need help from you pros!!!

22 years ago

I dug all my canna last week. We have had no frost yet in Central Ky. I left the bulbs in the garage for a week to let them dry. I removed the dirt and many broke apart during cleaning. I placed anywhere from 5-10 bulbs in ziploc gallon bags or wal-mart bags tied tight with several scoops of peat straight from the bale in each bag. Most bulbs are completely covered in peat. I put the bags in huge rubber maid containers and plan on storing in my garage this winter. I am concerned after doing more research that the bulbs will die sealed up in the bags. I read they need air. What do you guys think?

I checked on several bags today.... they have been in storage for a week or so. There is condensation on the inside of the bags and several shoots have shot up similiar to the way they do in spring while waiting to be planted out. It has not gotten real cold here yet but it is coming. Today it is near 65 degrees. I had to dig early because of my upcoming schedule. Do you think once it cools down the bulbs will go dormant in the bags? I hope this works i am storing about 30 varieties and around 300 bulbs total. My major concern is the lack of air in the baggies and the sprouting now due to warmer than usual temps. I can always open the baggies slightly but am worried they will dry out.

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Comments (8)

topsiebeezelbub
22 years ago
I would poke holes or open the baggies...they might rot. You can't do much about the warm temperature. Good luck.
hairdady
22 years ago
DarrinKy.This is from hairdady, I live in WIs. I ususally wait for the frost to kill them off, then dig them up. Then knock off all the dirt,don't worry if they break apart, you'll just have more to plant or trade or give away. I put them in my basement, under a blanket till Spring,and they grow just fine the following year.I don't store them in any containers at all,or any soil,peat or anything, as that will hold in moisture,and could cause rotting. Check out webshots,I have pics of cannas there that were stored the way I said. Good luck. If you want write me, I'll send you pics.
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dennisjmccoy
21 years ago
The one time I tried storing in plastic everything rotted. I have good luck just digging and letting the soil dry on the rhizome. They are stored in 20 gal pots in the unheated garage.
tyshee
21 years ago
Well so far I am having good luck with my experimental storage. I wrapped them in saran wrap and them sealed them in food storage bags. No air, no rot, no loss of moisture and it has been since September. I think this is going to work.
carolxi
21 years ago
I wouldn't store any roots in plastic. Your best bet is newspaper. Everything else you did seems fine, but I would definitely change the bags to paper and the storeage boxes to wood. Cheers, C
rusty_blackhaw
21 years ago
Speaking of unheated garage storage - what's the permissible lower temperature limit on canna tubers buried in peat?
aachenelf z5 Mpls
21 years ago
I think it depends on how cold your storage area is. I store all of mine in sealed platic containers with peat. My storage area stays at 50 or below all winter. They keep perfectly. If yours is warm, you might have problems with rot.

I've also noticed that some will start to grow when I first put them in storage and the temps aren't cold yet. Once it does get cold, they just stop growing and restart in the spring when temps rise.

Kevin
don_brown
21 years ago
Open those bags unless you want canna mush in the spring. Store them in bags that allow some air and moisture movement. While these rhizomes are "dormant", they are still living, which means that they will absorb and "vent" gases and moisture. Let 'em breathe! Ideal storage temperature is around 50 degrees if you can manage it.