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When should I dig these bulbs up for winter? I'm hearing all manner of wives' tales from my coworkers.

steve-in-kville wrote: ↑Thu Oct 12, 2023 10:43 am When should I dig these bulbs up for winter? I'm hearing all manner of wives' tales from my coworkers.

I don't.

They keep coming up year after year. But maybe my climate is different from yours.

I waited till after frost had killed the plants.

Bob Villa says you can leave them in the ground if you are in zones 7-11 but must dig them up if you are in a colder zone than that. I'm in zone 8b so they do fine left in the ground over winter around here.

Hardiness zone map: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/

For Pennsylvania you are probably borderline

I dig up my bulbs soon after the plants are damaged by frost. I gave some bulbs to my brother who lives in warmer Maryland and he tried leaving them in the ground overwinter. They did not survive.

They multiply like crazy. I sell a few dozen canna lily plants and bulbs at the farmers' market each year.

Thanks for the replies. I heard one week after the first killing frost. I also was told I could do it now if I wanted to. A lady I work with has 50+ varities of dahlias. She has a very precise method to digging up and storing her bulbs

I have one dwarf canna in a container. Can I just bring the entire thing inside? Or do I need to actually dig up the bulb?