Canna advice please

[Koulibiak]

I bought a potted canna a few weeks ago. I think it must have been started quite late, it’s certainly smaller than I would expect it to be this time of year. It was also in a tiny pot and root bound, so I’ve repotted it in a larger pot.

Can I plant it out in a bed or is it too late? I’m in the south, we don’t usually have frost before November and my garden is quite warm. I have lots of cannas in beds and never lift them, they come back reliably year on year. But I’ve never planted one this late. Thank you 🙏

I think it's a bit late to try to get it established for the winter. Do you have somewhere you could store it once it gets cold?

@Koulibiak I agree that its a bit late to plant it out, especially if it is a more specialist variety which isn't readily available locally.
I would leave it outside in its pot until the first frosts hit the leaves then cut down the stems to approx. 10cm and bring it in for winter. It just needs to be frost free, shouldn't need watering unless totally dried out, then only a drop.
I have recently re-potted a couple of mine as I feared I might struggle to get them out of the pots by spring. They have immediately thrown up loads of new shoots and the fresh rhizome growth will be more prone to damage over winter which could lead to rot.
My potted canna tend to show signs of re-growth around late feb, then I start gentle watering and harden them off and get them outside as soon as temperatures allow. I would then keep them in their pots for a few weeks before planting out.
I have a few semi-tender plants which I didn't get planted out early enough, so I am overwintering frost free to plant out in spring.