Anniegirl, by early I mean as soon as possible in the spring. It depends where you are ...how cold etc. if cannas, for example, are in their pots and nice and dry and warm start to water a little, say in march, watch for growth. When shoots are growing well water more and feed. It's way,I do it always trying to get a head's start. It's about being careful not to water though if it's still too cold as plants will then rot. Get timing right and your cannas will flower in August or September. You said you bought the "small bulbs" ....how small are they? Each year , next year, they will be much bigger. They are tubers and mine really are quite massive.
