Thanks for your question.

For purposes of clarification, canna lilies do not develop from true bulbs; they grow from rhizomes, which are thick, horizontal underground stems. When you dig things up, you end with a collection of these underground stems. See:

https://www.almanac.com/plant/cannas - :~:text=Though often called “bulbs,”,hardy in Zones 7-10.

To address your specific questions:

1). From the clumps you dig up, trim off the foliage to about 2–3 inches above the rhizome. Completely trim off the fibrous roots.

2). Place the clumps in a well-ventilated area (like a garage, basement, or porch) for 7–10 days. The area should be out of direct sunlight and have a temperature of around 60°F. Let them dry until the outer surface feels dry and slightly leathery but not shriveled.

3). After the rhizome clumps are dried, remove and discard any soft, moldy, or badly damaged rhizomes. If there are small cuts or bruises on a specific rhizome, it can stay in place as long as the rhizome still feels hard to the touch. If a portion of the rhizome feels soft, remove it so that only firm rhizome pieces remain.

4). You can store whole clumps of rhizomes or divide them into individual rhizomes. If you separate them, each single rhizome should contain at least one “eye.”

5). Place the rhizomes in a box or paper bag containing peat moss, sawdust, vermiculite, or dry wood shavings. Keep them in a room where the temperature is between 40–50°F. A cool basement or attached garage often works well. Check monthly for soft or moldy rhizomes and remove any that start to rot.

6). In spring 2026, bring the rhizomes about 4–6 weeks before planting. You can pot them up indoors for a head start, or plant them directly after the last frost once the soil warms.

See the following for further information on these and related points:

https://hennepinmastergardeners.org/canna-or-not/ - :~:text=To overwinter canna lilies, you can: *,rhizomes between each layer of peat moss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0o-kBpPpGU&t=118s

https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/flowers-fruits-and-frass/2016-09-30-digging-and-storing-cannas - :~:text=Carefully loosen the soil using,I prefer to recycle newspaper.

Good luck. Please get back to us if you have further, related questions. Thanks for using our forum.