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View Full Version : Things have officially became ridiculous!!!!


Bob
10-09-2010, 12:04 PM
I can't stand it anymore..... should I be jumping for joy or ... as I feel like doing at the moment putting my head in my lap and crying....?
My Giant E. Glaucum I grew from a seed last year was putting out these spectacular surf board sized 8 ft leaves all summer .... it looked like the last leaves as seen from the ground were a bit small so I decided to go up on the roof and take a peek...
http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss149/bob_075/DSCN0637.jpg

Nothing to be seen though the newest leaves were certainly shorter... was it from the cooler weather ?
I decided to get a ladder out and do some investigation, especially since I was planning on digging this up to store dormant in the next several weeks.
http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss149/bob_075/DSCN0640.jpg

.
After carefully balancing and peeling back the last few short leaves.... yup.
http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss149/bob_075/DSCN0638.jpg

ANOTHER #@%& ing flower bud!!!!!
http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss149/bob_075/DSCN0639.jpg

I'm completely flummoxed at this point... it's about too big to really bring in and I doubt I could store it dormant at this point anyway... do I just leave it out and enjoy it? Should I erect a plastic tent to try and keep it going for a few months?......ugh.
Four flowers in only my second full year of trying in New Jersey..... when I started growing them I said I'd give myself four to get to this point.... next goal... a ripe bunch.


What would you do? For me I guess I'll just toast my success and....( you can't prove I've been crying:ha:)

The Hollyberry Lady
10-09-2010, 12:11 PM
Still an amazing acomplishment and congrats, Bob. :03:


Interested to see what the suggestions will be...


: )

CookieCows
10-09-2010, 12:16 PM
oooooh Bob. What can I say? I'll have to update my fruiting D.O. thread and share my misery with you.

CookieCows
10-09-2010, 12:18 PM
You have an amazing plant though!! That pstem is huge at the base!

Bob
10-09-2010, 12:18 PM
Thanks Sherr and Deb... yeah please do update the D. O. thread..... misery loves company:ha:
Everyone who's seen this in person including myself has commented on the huge base... I guess typical of all Ensetes...
I didnt want to bring it in anayway... probably weighs about 300 lbs.

Bananaman88
10-09-2010, 01:15 PM
I feel for you buddy. I'm not sure what I'd do if I were you. How much longer until a killing frost? It's gotta be soon.

Bob
10-09-2010, 01:20 PM
Maybe a month or so till frost though the long range forecast is for a warm dry fall. I think I'll just leave it out and see how it goes since it's so unmanageable. I was hoping ideally to collect abunch of seed to share with members but... we'll see.

Dalmatiansoap
10-09-2010, 01:51 PM
Just leave it Bob, anything else isnt worth it, unfortunally, I must ad.
On the other side your example will show to many members from colder zones that in a fact, IT CAN BE DONE!!! Too bad it cant get to develop seed in so short time, that would be something, wow, E. Glaucum var. Hill:ha:
Worth respect Bob, one way or another.
Keep on toast!
ŽIVIO!
:nanadrink:

hammer
10-09-2010, 01:57 PM
Maybe a month or so till frost though the long range forecast is for a warm dry fall. I think I'll just leave it out and see how it goes since it's so unmanageable. I was hoping ideally to collect abunch of seed to share with members but... we'll see.That is a amazing plant maybe the frost will hold off. it feels more like june here today 91f.

Jananas Bananas
10-09-2010, 02:59 PM
:woohoonaner:I think I would try to do the plastic tent idea. That is gorgeous!!!! The ruffling on that flower and the color of green, WOWZA! Is it close enough to an outlet that you could run a heavy duty extension cord to it and put a light inside the plastic tent for heat? I would really like to see pictures of this flower as it progresses also. You know how spectacular Zoloff's big girl has been. I know it sounds like a lot of extra work, but I for one would really like to watch it blossom!

Just my opinion!

~JaNan

Magilla Gorilla
10-09-2010, 03:32 PM
Sorry to hear and see your pain. As you know I left the East coast because the weather sucks (said like a true New Yorker)! Build a structure around it is what I would do. The plant looks amazing!

saltydad
10-09-2010, 04:08 PM
My glauca is not in bud and is half the size of yours, and I'm not looking forward to the dig. I planned on doing it bare root, but with the ensete bloom success you and Randy have been having, maybe I should pot up the glauca and Maurelli. Where in G-d's name I'll put them I really don't know yet, but crisis can be a stimulus to creativity.....maybe for both of us.

kaczercat
10-09-2010, 04:15 PM
Wow another !!!!! congrats Bob but sorry about the timing hope No frost till November !

CookieCows
10-09-2010, 04:28 PM
All this end of summer excitment this year!!! :woohoonaner: :ha::ha:

Bob
10-10-2010, 12:34 AM
Howard , the Ensetes store really well dormant . The trick with them best I can tell is to keep them upright to prevent rot. My Maurellii's did excetionally well that way and even grew a bit with no light or heat last winter in the root cellar.

pitangadiego
10-10-2010, 10:44 AM
Tent it, add some heat when necessary to keep it above freezing, as a minimum, and most likely you will have bananas in April or May.

sandy0225
10-10-2010, 11:47 AM
You have a heated garage or basement you could drag it into and put a light over it? If you kept it just alive, then you might see some kind of development into seeds, or if you just dug it up chopped it off, potted up the stump and destroyed the growing point, maybe it would mega-pup like my e.maurelii did. Then you'd have lots of baby ones for spring. Congrats anyway!

Kostas
10-10-2010, 04:55 PM
That's a really beutyfull Ensete Bob! I feel you...
I think that after growing it for this long,it's worth tenting it and keeping it well enough to give you some seeds to start over...you know,just for the accomplishment and because this is YOUR plant!!!! I mean seeds are cheap but getting seeds from your own plant is priceless!!! :woohoonaner:

Congratulations for the bloom!!!

CoryS
10-10-2010, 05:07 PM
Howard , the Ensetes store really well dormant . The trick with them best I can tell is to keep them upright to prevent rot. My Maurellii's did excetionally well that way and even grew a bit with no light or heat last winter in the root cellar.

For starts: WTF! :eek: Do you have that luck with cards too?! Wanna go to Vegas, lol?! :D
TOTAL CONGRATS! :0519:

Now that I'm finished falling off my chair [fainting], Maurellis? I have 2 three foot Maurellis I got by accident that are really healthy! Did you feed or water yours during the winter? How cold is your cellar? Any info def appreciated! :)

Bob
10-21-2010, 03:20 PM
As it seems now the "Snow Banana" seems to be a perfect moniker for the E. Glaucum! While all the other plants still outside seem to be dormant during the cool weather here the E. Glaucum is still growing out it's flower at a rapid pace and has emerged from the top and now can be seen from the ground. This shot was taken from a ladder today. The bud is big enough ( huge really) to put my hand in under the opening petals. Unlike other true bananas this one didn't have anything under the first several petals to open but I can feel though not see some things that seem to be like small bananas in the last petal to open today. I think I'll try to give this one some protection after all.
http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss149/bob_075/DSCN0657.jpg

Magilla Gorilla
10-21-2010, 03:37 PM
Protect it! Your plant is beautiful. We have had no sun for about a week with the temps in the 50's and my flowers are still progressing. It's nature dude!

Jananas Bananas
10-21-2010, 04:46 PM
That is soooooo beautiful Bob. Please keep taking pictures for us so we can live vicariously through you (for those of us that it hasn't become ridiculous yet!!!!). :waving:

~JaNan

Bananaman88
10-22-2010, 11:44 AM
Pretty cool Bob!!

island cassie
10-22-2010, 06:35 PM
Haha Bob!!! that is the thing about plants - they continue to confound you!! Congratulations!!

Patty in Wisc
10-22-2010, 07:26 PM
I didn't see this till now....congrats Bob..... I think! And to think I saw that in person -- very cool!

Kevin
10-23-2010, 12:42 AM
Wow! That is so cool! How cold does it get where you are? Could you really cover it and have it continue to grow through the winter? Or would you just halt the progression now, and continue in the spring? I thought it got pretty cold in New Jersey.

Bob
10-23-2010, 07:43 AM
It does get very cold here during January in particular. Last year we got down to about 4*F and -4 below F the year before. Some years a bit warmer or colder. The best I can possibly hope for would be to keep it alive with a plastic cover and if I get ambitious ( which I'm making some plans to do at this point) give it some sort of artificial heat maybe with Christmas lights or possibly an electric pipe wrap for some extra insurance.

Kevin
10-23-2010, 10:43 AM
You would need to keep it above freezing, though, right? That would take a a lot of heat if you're just using plastic. You would need to insulate it pretty good. Maybe have the sides thick insulation, and just the top clear, so it can get some light?

Bob
10-23-2010, 11:06 AM
Thanks Kevin , I'm running a lot of ideas around in my head about just how to do it. I have some extra pink foam insulation I was using as well as planning on mulcking the base heavily and maybe some tar paper to add addtional warmth like I'd do with figs or palms that overwinter here.