How Much and How Often Should You Water Canna Lilies?

Canna Lilies originated in hot and humid tropical regions such as South America, Central America and Asia. You would assume being a tropical plant, that they would need tons of water? Well, shockingly, Canna Lilies are very versatile and can thrive in wet boggy soils to shallow patio containers.

Understanding how much and how often to water your canna lilies will yield amazing results in both foliage and blooms. You also want to ensure you don’t over water, or under water, both of which can cause plant problems and disease.

This article reviews a number of topics related to watering canna lilies. For example, how much should we be watering them? And how often? Where in my garden or home should I plant canna lilies? Let’s take a look at the answers below.

The Long Answer

Once you have planted your canna lilies it is best to water them every day until all shoots have emerged. Ideally, an inch or so of water until the canna lily spikes out of the ground.

Once the canna lily emerges, water once a week with about an inch of water. Check soil conditions weekly to determine if additional watering is needed.

This is the standard watering schedule and you can stretch the time between waters if necessary. In extreme heat, consider watering more frequently. Below are signs and symptoms of overwatering and underwatering to look for.

How Much Should I Water?

When planting in the spring, typically they are planted at a depth of 2 to 3 inches. When watering, it is best to soak the area where they are planted with an inch or more of water each day. This will allow the water to reach the rhizomes and ensure proper germination. Continue this method until all shoots have emerged.

Once your canna lilies emerge they require less water. For them to perform to perform their best, it is recommended to keep the first 6 to 8 inches of soil moisture for best results. This isn’t a hard and fast rule to follow. Pay attention to signs and symptoms of underwatering to prevent any plant stress.

Like most plants, it is best to water early in the morning or later in the evening to encourage water uptake and prevent water from sitting on the roots or leaves too long. I typically water in the evening and have no concerns with water intake.

How Often Should I Water?

This is a tricky question because there are a number of factors that go into watering frequency. Climate plays a huge factor in how often to water, you can read more about this in the climate section of the article. Let’s start with how often they need water when first planted.

After they have been planted, you should be watering them deeply everyday until they emerge. Each shoot won’t all emerge at the same time and take upwards of two to three weeks to emerge. Continue to water everyday all plants have visibly emerged. You can skip watering if you’ve received at least half an inch of rain that day.

Once they have emerged, you can water less. Canna lilies should be watered once or twice a week depending on temperatures. This could be less if your soil retains moisture well or receives adequate rainfall. Check your soil regularly for moisture retention and watch for symptoms of over or under watering.

Soil Conditions

Your soil type and conditions will make a difference in how often you need to water. They prefer rich soils with high organic matter but will tolerate other soil types. They prefer a soil pH of 6.5 but handle a wide range of acidic to basic soil pHs.

If you have sandy or clay soils in your garden, it’s recommended to incorporate compost, peat moss or any other organic matter you prefer. This will allow your sandy or clay soil to hold moisture and allow the water to properly drain through the soil.

The best way to determine if they need water is to check the soil. If the top appears dry, dig down a little and see if the soil is damp a few inches down. If there is no moisture a few inches down, it may be time to water.

Location

Location plays a key role in how much you should water they need. Since they are versatile in their planting location, you may have to water more frequently in one location than another.

Canna lilies can be grown in a variety of locations. If you choose to grow them in containers, this will require them to be watered more frequently. If grown in a container consider watering daily, possibly twice a day to promote proper growth. Plants grown indoors may require less water because ambient temperatures are typically cooler and more consistent. 

Canna lilies planted in direct sunlight for 8 hours or more will require more frequent watering. Location plays a major factor when it comes to watering needs. Be sure to consider all options when planting in the spring.

Climate and Rainfall

Canna Lilies grow in USDA hardiness zones 3-11, depending on the variety. They can be grown perennially in zones 8-11, and overwintered as an annual in zones 3-7.

Climate will affect how much and how often you’ll need to water. Cooler, rainy climates would require less watering versus a hot, dry climate. Evaluate your USDA hardiness zone and annual rainfall to determine how often and how much you’ll need to water.

If your region receives consistent rain, continue to check soil conditions to ensure the rainfall received is enough. Typically, rainfall received isn’t enough for the week and additional watering may be necessary.

Mulch

Adding mulch on top of canna lilies will be beneficial in many ways. Mulch retains soil moisture and helps prevent weed growth.

There are many choices for mulch. You can use grass clippings, leaves and wood chips. Your local greenhouse will have a number of options of mulch to purchase as well.

Growth Stage

Their growth stages will also contribute to the amount of water they need. The early stages of canna lilies growth will require the most water.

The rhizomes have sat all winter and once they are planted will need larger amounts of water to hydrate and germinate. Once the shoots have emerged, it’s best to continue to water every day until their first leaves unroll.

Once their first few leaves have been unrolled you can water them once or twice a week depending on rainfall. It takes a lot of energy to produce a bloom.

If you notice the plants are starting to flower, giving extra water will aid in the blooms growing and producing more vibrant colors. Consistent watering through the summer and fall will produce steady blooms and lush foliage.