View Full Version : New Guy
Dadmeister
11-21-2009, 07:34 PM
I found this site googling around. :goteam:
In 2008 I bought some small musa bajoo and lost them last winter. I was lazy. This spring I bought more mature plants, and when we got our first frost I made cages from chicken wire, cut the plants back to about 12" tall, and covered them with mulch. I'm hoping they live. :bed:
If it goes well I'm hoping to add different species and do my best to make a cold central New York a tropical paradise, even for only a couple months in the summer.:07:
LilRaverBoi
11-21-2009, 07:39 PM
Welcome to the site! I'm sure you'll enjoy it here and learn a lot. The community is pretty good at helping people get the information they desire. Don't be shy...we don't bite.
Dadmeister
11-21-2009, 07:48 PM
Thanks, I appreciate it. It will be interesting to see if I have any luck with musa bajoo in my snowy zone 6 compared to your zone 6.
LilRaverBoi
11-21-2009, 07:57 PM
Well, I bring all my plants inside during the winter....so I don't have to deal with overwintering outdoors. I know musa basjoo is hardy here, though if protected a bit.
Abnshrek
11-21-2009, 08:21 PM
Welcome & Good Luck:^)
Richard
11-21-2009, 08:32 PM
Welcome!
:woohoonaner:
cherokee_greg
11-22-2009, 01:37 AM
welcome from California
Seaner
11-22-2009, 02:34 AM
Hello and welcome! This will be my first time trying to keep a banana plant alive through the winter. Good luck!
Welcome from zone 6 NJ. I'd reccomend if your basjoo's p-stem ( the "trunk") is less than 6' tall overwintering indoors this year. You can simply lop the top off if it's not convenient to bring in the house at its present height. Next year it should develop enough of a corm ( the underground portion) to be succesfully overwintered outdoors in your area.
stumpy4700
11-23-2009, 08:21 AM
Welcome "New Guy"
Ezekiel
11-23-2009, 09:43 AM
Welcome!
Dadmeister
11-23-2009, 05:15 PM
Welcome from zone 6 NJ. I'd reccomend if your basjoo's p-stem ( the "trunk") is less than 6' tall overwintering indoors this year. You can simply lop the top off if it's not convenient to bring in the house at its present height. Next year it should develop enough of a corm ( the underground portion) to be succesfully overwintered outdoors in your area.
6 feet? My plants started out 2 feet and barely made it to 3 over the summer. I thought they'd be better off if I let them stay in the ground, so I've already chopped them down to about 1 1/2' and mulched them.
If I dig them up next year, do I leave the leaves on and shake off the dirt, or try and pot them?
saltydad
11-23-2009, 07:12 PM
If the basjoo makes it through the winter there will be no need to bring them in next year. Now for other varieties, some folks pot them up and bring em in, some bring em bare root. I do both!
Dadmeister
11-23-2009, 07:38 PM
If the basjoo makes it through the winter there will be no need to bring them in next year. Now for other varieties, some folks pot them up and bring em in, some bring em bare root. I do both!
I'm hoping if these work I can expand my horizons with another variety. Any idea off hand what other varieties are as hardy as the musa bajoo?
saltydad
11-23-2009, 07:48 PM
Nothing seems as hardy as basjoo that we know of. Musella lasiocarpa and sikkimensis are supposedly pretty hardy. I had a lasiocarpa come back after a winter of heavy straw mulch. However, it was a pup and only started growing midsummer, and never achieved more than 1 ft. in growth. Accordingly, I brought it inside this fall. Sikkimensis have died when left outside in my 7a zone. That's why I have a living room, family room and basement filled with bananas until spring!
Dadmeister
11-23-2009, 07:51 PM
Nothing seems as hardy as basjoo that we know of. Musella lasiocarpa and sikkimensis are supposedly pretty hardy. I had a lasiocarpa come back after a winter of heavy straw mulch. However, it was a pup and only started growing midsummer, and never achieved more than 1 ft. in growth. Accordingly, I brought it inside this fall. Sikkimensis have died when left outside in my 7a zone. That's why I have a living room, family room and basement filled with bananas until spring!
Did you start your sikkimensis from seed?
saltydad
11-23-2009, 08:01 PM
No, it was a nice plant, about 1 1/2 ft. tall when I put it in. The last one I have is a tissue cultured plant, grew to about 3 ft. this summer and is now in my basement going bare root.
Sikkimensis is Very slow-growing, thin stemmed, & Very particular about it's growing conditions when young. Unless you have lots of time & patience, I would strongly suggest getting a whole plant.
If you still would like to grow one from seed, I've read of one gardeners experience: It's best to put the seed's pot in a sunny window & leave it there. Temperature variation, day to night, seems to be vital to get the seeds to germinate.
I'm growing a young Sikkimensis, myself. When young, it is very affected by cold temps and needs to be kept fairly warm. I almost lost mine on a 42F night. Also, from my experience, it hates being dry for even a short time.
Hope this helps :) !
BananaLee
11-25-2009, 07:45 PM
Welcome! You're in my zone too!! Yes! You found it the some way I did!! God Bless!! BananaLee :)
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