| Have lots of these in my deck railing boxes. Hate to see them all die off when the cold comes. Do they return next spring or could I bring them in the house or should I just let them all die off and buy all new ones next year : ( They are so big and bushy now. Sooooo.....what should I do? ALSO!!! When can I plant Cannas? |
| Coleus are one of the easiest plants to propagate. In August or September, take as many stem cuttings as you like, dip them in rooting hormone (speeds rooting) and stick them in a pot with good potting soil. Water them and stand back. Keep them inside during the winter by a bright window or under a grow light. I do this here in Houston because we never know if we will get a hard freeze which will kill the coleus. I do this with a number of other of my favorite tropicals, just in case. |
| For the 3 years I've tended cannas. In western Kentucky (Patti's 1800 settlement) , I've not done anything to the cannas other then let the stalks die and self seed. Then I cut the stalks off at the ground. I do keep the fallen leaves over them for the winter. They come back on their own |
| Taking a perennial to a location where cold winters kill it does not make it an annual. But selling it as one prevents any unrealistic expectations or disappointment. Perennials are given a zone that indicates the climates in which they are hardy (can survive indefinitely, in the ground outside all year.) You can find your zone here: https://garden.org/nga/zipzone... Coleus is a perennial, a tropical shrub, that is not hardy except in warm, frost-free zones. Cannas are reliably hardy in the ground outside from around Zone 7 and upward (warmer.) If you live at the colder side of Z7 or lower (colder,) their survival in the ground could require some zone-cheating measures, like being against a basement wall or brick patio that prevents the ground from freezing, or being covered by a pile of leaves that would accomplish the same thing. If you have a basement, you can take potted Cannas to the basement for a winter rest after cold knocks the foliage down, then take back outside when nights are regularly at least high 40's at night. I did that for years when I lived in central OH (Z5.) |
| Unfortunatly I plan on planting them along side my shed. It just sits up on cement blocks but I have it all circled with large rocks and Hostos on one side each side of the double doors. So far the hostos have done great in the past 10 years...so hopefully the cannas with do OK also. Should I dig up the bulbs after they die off in the following fall or just cover the ground area along the shed with lots of mulch???? Gail |
| I live in the Piedmont area of North Carolina, zone 7, Coleus is considered an annual here. Cannas however will overwinter quite well |
| Here in the Chicagoland area, zone 5, Coleus is grown as an annual. I however love the plants for their extraordinary array of colors and leaf shapes. Because of this reason, I find it easier on my wallet to take small 2 inch cuttings in late September or early October depending on the weather. I will take as many as 200 cuttings which I root over the winter in a small pop up greenhouse that I keep in my basement. I use grow lights and usually have to pot them up at least once during the winter but by spring they are ready to go. I share them with friends and garden clubs. It is a touch of summer for me during the long winter which can last 6 - 7 months here. Here is a picture of the plants in the greenhouse.  And here are some of them out in the garden during the summer with some Rex begonias and oxalis that I also winterover.  |
| I. Love the white one can i buy a piece from you and i will pay shipping. And thats alot of work you do bit so rewarding. |
