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Old 12-09-2009, 07:56 PM   #24 (permalink)
Eric
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Default Re: Frozen in Oregon

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lisa View Post
Eric;
I just checked out your photo gallery and am shocked!!! Amazing!!! You are in zone 7 and can maintain that jungle without everything dying in the winter?? You can't possibly dig everything up and move inside before the cold starts.......Or do you??
Thanx ! Well, actually, me, Sean, and a friend do it. We dig and bring all the bananas in as houseplants... cept the Really big ones! We cut most the leaves off the huge ones & overwinter those in a back room, dormant. We keep water plants alive under strong lights in a shallow water tank & the aroids (elephant ear types), Zantedeschias (Calla lilies), Saffron, some Cannas, Passion vines, Gingers, Diefenbachias, Coffee trees, & palm all come inside as houseplants, too. But you'd be surprised how much winters over outside with little or no protection. The Robert Young & Red Margin timber bamboos can survive major ice storms and things like Giant cannas, Shamrocks, Purple Heart, large Zantedeschias, Irises, etc over-winter naturally here!
It is def a lot of work, and the yards look like construction sites for a while, but with 3 or 4 of us working, it all gets done in time! Btw, we always start over-wintering about a week before the nightime lows get down to the 40's (F). That gives us plenty of time!
Guess ya can see now that zones aren't as important as how good you can over-winter things inside ! We've had the Blue Java (Ice Cream) banana plants going for 3 years now and they just keep getting bigger & taller every year ! Luv it!
Please keep us posted on how your Basjoo does! Cause if your Basjoo will do that good where you are, I'm gonna get one & just leave it out year round with heavy mulching!
Thanx again for the great compliments!
Btw, you are NOT a bozo, just a newbie! It probably won't be long before you'll be giving Me advice!
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