Zierpflanzen-Stauden-Canna
title: How to Fertilize Your Canna Lilies Like a Pro
Despite the name, Canna Lilies (Indian Shot) actually hail from the tropical regions of South and Central America. Because they produce such lush foliage and stunning, oversized blooms, these plants are “heavy feeders”—meaning they have a massive appetite for nutrients. If they aren’t getting what they need, they’ll let you know pretty quickly with browning leaves and weak, lackluster flowers. To keep your Cannas looking like a tropical paradise, a solid fertilizing routine is key.
Start Strong at Planting Time
Since they are tropical beauties, Cannas can’t handle a freezing winter outdoors. Whether you’ve just bought new rhizomes or are bringing yours out of winter storage, you’ll want to get them in the ground in May, once the threat of night frost has passed. When you plant them, mix a generous amount of compost into the soil. This gives your Cannas the “fuel” they need for a great start to the growing season.
When to Fertilize
For an exotic-looking plant, the Canna is actually pretty low-maintenance. Their biggest demand is regular watering, but when it comes to feeding, your schedule depends on where they are growing. If you have your Cannas planted in garden beds, you really only need to fertilize once a month. However, if you’re growing them in containers or pots, they’ll burn through nutrients much faster—aim to give them a liquid feed once a week to keep them happy.
Choosing the Right Fertilizer
For container-grown Cannas, a standard, budget-friendly liquid flower fertilizer works perfectly fine. For those in garden beds, I always recommend going the natural route if possible. Well-rotted horse manure or compost are fantastic choices. You can also mix in some horn meal (or a similar organic nitrogen boost) right before the blooming season begins. Cannas crave nitrogen to push out those spectacular flowers. Once the blooms have arrived, you can back off the nitrogen a bit. To really thrive, your plants also need a good balance of:
- Potassium
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Boron
- Sulfur
- Zinc
The Autumn Potassium Boost
As summer winds down, you’ll want to gradually reduce your overall fertilizer amount. Starting in September, switch your focus to potassium. Adding a potassium-rich fertilizer at this stage helps the plant ripen its rhizomes (the underground roots) for winter storage. This ensures the plant stores enough energy for next year without having to drain all the life out of its own stems and leaves prematurely.
meta: Learn the best tips and tricks for fertilizing Canna Lilies. Whether in pots or garden beds, here is how to keep your tropical blooms vibrant all season long.
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