Cannova Culture Guide

Cannas have long been a staple in the North American landscape. These durable plants are among the tallest found in gardens and are used as thrillers in combinations or in-ground planting. The F1 Canna Cannova launched by Ball Ingenuity offers an option for growers looking to serve the canna market. Bred in the Netherlands by Takii, Canna Cannova will actively grow in cooler and lower light conditions even though cannas as tropical plants have traditionally needed a lot of heat and light to actively grow. Canna Cannova also germinates faster and more uniformly compared to other seed canna lines. In the garden, Canna Cannova is more uniform and repeat bloom quicker than other open pollinated cannas.

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Production:

Sowing

Sow Canna Cannova seed directly into a large plug tray – between a 72-cell to 128-cell tray with one seed per cell. Covering the seed does not appear to affect germination if humidity is kept at 100 percent.

Germination

Keep in germination chamber until radicle emergence. This should be between 5 and 8 days. During germination, keep temperature between 75°F (24°C) and 85°F (29°C).

Plug finish time

The large plug tray should be ready in 4 to 5 weeks.

Transplant containers

Cannova can be finished in a 4.5-inch pot, but also will finish out a one- and two-gallon container with additional grow time and plants per pot. For containers from 4.5 to 6.5 inches, it is recommended one plant per pot. An 8-inch or gallon container can be finished with one plant per pot, but two or three plants per pot will finish faster.

Growth regulators

If height control is needed use a 1 to 4 PPM Bonzi drench two weeks after transplant.

Finish temperature

Canna Cannova grows better than other seed cannas under cooler conditions. For best results daytime temperatures should be 70°F -85°F (21°C-29°C) and nighttime temperatures should be 60°F to 80°F (15°C to 27°C).

Media and fertility

Use a well-drained potting mix with an EC of 1.0-2.6 mS/cm for finishing (calculated using the pour through method). During the plug stage, maintain EC lower than 0.5 mS/cm before cotyledon expansion. As the cotyledon expands up until the first true leaf growth, the EC should be below 0.75 mS/cm. As plugs are finished, the EC should continue to be raised to 0.75-1.2 mS/cm. The pH should be kept between 6.2 and 7.0.

Days to flower

Crop time for Cannova from sow to flower is 80 to 110 days.