This year a friend gave me 8 tubers from a plastic trash can that she had that was completely full. She simply digs them up, cleans the dirt off of them and keeps them packed with layers of newspaper in a fairly well insulated garage here in Columbus. This year she stopped digging them up after filling her second trash can!

The 8 plants that grew for me currently would fill about 1/2 of a trash can. I am keeping them in a large pot with layers of newspaper. I was shocked at the number of tubers that I dug up, including the parts that broke off. She indicated to me that they too will become flowing plants next year.

So in closing, you should be fine without the vermiculite. They simply need to be in a cool area that is dry. In the years to come your friends will enjoy your gifts to them, as you will have more Cannas than you will know what to due with. My friend has been growing them for 10 years. They are a Red variety. Next year I will purchase a couple of Tropicana Cannas (Orange with dark leaves) and see how I do with wintering them. - Mark

I have stored mine, each one wrapped in newpaper in a clothes basket in the celler under the house and they do fine. This year I haven't had time to wrap each one so I am layering them in a cardboard box using newspaper to separate each layer.

I have read that they like it damp and some people even spray their's periodically. I haven't done this as my cellar is quite damp as it is. I have not had a problem and hav never used sawdust or peat moss. I think the temp and dampness are more important. I like the garbage can idea too. That would keep them from drying out.