We have dug up the Cannas, the gladiolus, and the cala lillies, now I want to make sure we are preparing them properly for the basement until spring.

Calla lillies:  My burpees says to make sure they are dry so they don't rot.  It also says if you want to divide the rhizomes, do it now and let the fresh cut ends to dry too.

For Cannas, in the past I have set out newspaper on a table in the basement and let them dry out for a week or so, then put them in a large muck bucket with peat moss. 

Of course when planting them again in the spring, I was too late,and they didn't get enougth sun, and all I got was green part and no flowers.  I had tried to plant them in pots in very early spring to give them a headstart, and that didn't work either.

Gladiolus - I haven't taken them out of the ground in years.  I just mulch the bed lot. They are up against the house, and I don't really worry about them anymore.

You know, putting in your zone is probably going to help a lot here :) 

I love glads but haven't bothered with them for a long time and never brought them in.  Sometimes they would live here but it's a weird zone.  I almost think my mom may have hung them in stockings in the basement, lol.  Would I hallucinate something like that?  She definitely brought them inside.

Thank you, Sherry, for starting this.  When I get to it, I will track down the "good" zone map.  Some aren't detailed enough.  The good one has things like 5a and 5b and you will sometimes see why you are having problems.  (Like you live in some stupid corner of a county that's listed in a different zone...).

hahaha I hear ya on the weird county, Diana. I have seen the double divided map, and I'm actually 5b (northern Indiana, just barely in the lake effect area) so we are one of those weird counties :)

I don't think you mis remember the stockings, as I was a little taken back when I read that somewhere today. Your memory just helps confirm it, yep, they said hose!

Maria, thanks for the confirmation on the peat moss. I had just thought it was probably a good thing when I go my plant swaps from Marcy, and she had her stuff in peat moss. My FIL has had Cannes for years, and says he just wraps them in newspaper, puts them in a bucket, and if they look like they are getting too dry, he sprinkles them with a little water. Well, that doesn't help much, they aren't even dry yet according to the directions to "leave them out to dry for a couple days" and *I* them they need watered already!!!

Julie, do you think I should divide my hostas I just dug up to split them too? Shall I rinse the dirt off, so I can see better? I think I read that somewhere, but I couldn't find it again. I think I was supposed to rinse most of the dirt of the roots & bulbs I dug tradea and shipped today, too, but can't remember where I saw it. I sure hope I did them right ! hahahaha

I am at my house in Idaho and all my plant books are in Florida, so I can't comment on hostas.  I do not have a green thumb, so any minimal amount of advice I can pass on is plagerized from a book.  lol

I'm in Michigan zone 5.

Put the bulbs/corms/tubers in a cool dry place, but not too dry. In the basement is usually good but don't put them in a plastic bag or box, they will rot because the moisture cannot get out. Put them in paper bags or cardboard boxes. Small bulbs have a tendency to dry out more (and die). Try misting them once every 2-3 weeks or so.

I had a problem with Jerusalem artichoke corms that dried out so bad, they all died. Oddly enough, the ones outside survived because, as the cool weather came, they actually burrowed themselves deep in the ground! They returned the next spring and have been ever since.

You might benefit from buying a cheap hydrometer, that shows the humidity in the room you are storing the bulbs. Try to keep humidity at 40-50%.

That makes sense, Chuck.  Our basement was never super-dry.  We had mild winters for awhile but last year I lost some things.  It's been difficult since you don't know what to expect (winter or summer).