Cannas Rotted in Storage

I dug, washed and stored my canna roots in the basement only to have them rot. Is there something different I should do to increase my chance of success?

In the future allow the cannas to cure after digging and before storing. Just allow the bulbs (rhizomes) to sit for several hours or overnight in a warm dry. Curing allows the rhizomes (root-like structures) to seal the wounds and reduces the risk of rot. Store cannas in peatmoss, vermiculite or sawdust for the winter. This keeps the rhizomes moist while reducing the risk of rot. Check rhizomes monthly and discard any that begin to rot. It is true that one rotten apple, or in this case, canna rhizome, can spoil the bunch.