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View Full Version : Do basjoos sometimes pup the first year?


TrailGaiter
05-28-2011, 07:02 AM
I ordered mine in March, and the weather has been colder than normal this May...I definitely planned to have my basjoos in the ground by now! Anyway...after a brief trip to Iowa today, I plan to plant them tomorrow or Monday after I get back. I had seen an ad on Craigslist, for (surprisingly) a local guy (same town!!) who grows and sells basjoo, and have had two Emails into him with no reply. I was hoping to get another one, maybe two, I can find a place for them, but to be honest, it's for my own sanity...I have been so fond of these guys, I just want an insurance. First, I bought two in case anything happens to one, now I'm of the crazy mindset to buy a couple more just so my odds are better I'll always have at least one! LOL. I know...but hey, I'm in love! If I were to get pups, I'd be keeping some in the house, and wintering some, protected, outside. In southern WI here...

They've been getting used to going outside, so I do hope they're ready to take it full time....they should be fine. But I can't wait to see them grow! At least a little...

musa_monkey
05-28-2011, 08:28 AM
Yes, many of mine have over the years. Just feed and water well when the weather is warm and they will most likely pup.

cherokee_greg
05-28-2011, 09:37 AM
Sounds like the addiction is kicking in go ahead buy another one LOL My plants breed like rabits LOL I have so many pups. Im always having to find homes.

TrailGaiter
05-29-2011, 04:36 PM
Thanks for the replies! So those pups would then need to be stored as house plants over the winter, correct? Not left in the ground with the corm, if I go that route? Looks like a lot of peoples' mature trees show pups in the spring...

ArchAngeL01
05-30-2011, 12:44 AM
If you fertilize and keep them moist they will most likely pup the first year.
I recommend that you separate and pot up any pups that you get and keep them inside for the first winter.

To ensure that your mother basjoo survives i would cut it down to about a foot and cover it with an upside down clay pot until spring.

RayS
05-30-2011, 08:18 AM
Up here in the Boston area, I've had first year basjoos pup the last four years in a row. Good luck and enjoy!

stevelau1911
05-30-2011, 11:42 PM
I ordered basjoos last year and 2 of them made pups while the weakest one didn't.

After digging it out of the ground and potting it up, the main stem died while 5 new pups formed.
These pictures are 6 days apart so there's a little bit of difference in the size of the pups.
They also grow super fast since they are feeding off the energy stored up in the corm, and I tried to make each division about the same size.
Before separation.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SqU4GYyFeqY/TdwprQv3MWI/AAAAAAAAAiE/bxv08bi1nug/s1600/DSC04894.JPG

After
http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/stevelau1911/DSC05055.jpg?t=1306816829

TrailGaiter
05-31-2011, 07:44 AM
WOW!! 6 days difference betwee those two pics? Amazing!! I just planted my basjoos outside yesterday. I'm not sure I'd have any luck with pups with them getting such a late start, but our weather has been so chilly here lately...yet then Mother Nature would throw in an 80 degree day, then cold again. Yesterday we were at about 90...and looks like our chilly days may finally be over!

Hmmm...cold hardy bamboos...may have to look into that!

stevelau1911
05-31-2011, 01:51 PM
Yea, bananas are extremely reactive to heat, and since they are still feeding off the corm energy from last year, they are growing so fast that they don't even get a chance to green up, despite being in full sun. Today, those guys have completely completed their cigar leaves, and started on new ones so they will become 3-4ft tall banana plants in no time as long as we keep getting 80F + days in the forecast.