thewebgal
07-16-2011, 08:18 AM
Hi everybody!
Been reading on and off for a while, but thought it was time to join yesterday, so here I am.
Here is Fairfax, VA - just a bit outside Washington, DC - Zone 7A.
We have a small place here, an older home with 18 very tall oaks on the lot and lots of shady places and a pond out back.
So, the ONLY sunny spot to grow a banana is out front ... a nice compliment to the giant elephant ears by the front door
We got our plant, a Musa Blue Java, last June. I grew it in a pot last summer and wintered it inside.
Almost thought we lost it at one point, but it recovered nicely once I brought it outside in May.
It really took off a few weeks back when we hit hot weather, and started to look "tippy" in wind,
so I repotted Wednesday in this large fiberglass "Oak Barrel" planter.
Anyway, I'm pretty much a home body - into photography, hifi, our backyard pond
(about a dozen goldfish - comets and shebunkens), and enjoying gardening in general.
That means relaxing and enjoying the songbirds and animals it draws.
Anyway, thanks for all the info you've shared here - I may not be a frequent poster, but glad to be a part of this.
Oh, here is a picture from yesterday after work - showing our plant at 13 months ...
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=44329&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=44329&ppuser=10558)
Here's one of the songbirds I was talking about, a young Bluejay taking a bath in the creek ...
http://www.thewebgal.com/webpix/bluejay_450.jpg
Here is a picture of a water hyacinth in the pond in bloom a few weeks back - they only bloom for a day!
http://www.thewebgal.com/webpix/hyacinthbloom2011.jpg
Been reading on and off for a while, but thought it was time to join yesterday, so here I am.
Here is Fairfax, VA - just a bit outside Washington, DC - Zone 7A.
We have a small place here, an older home with 18 very tall oaks on the lot and lots of shady places and a pond out back.
So, the ONLY sunny spot to grow a banana is out front ... a nice compliment to the giant elephant ears by the front door
We got our plant, a Musa Blue Java, last June. I grew it in a pot last summer and wintered it inside.
Almost thought we lost it at one point, but it recovered nicely once I brought it outside in May.
It really took off a few weeks back when we hit hot weather, and started to look "tippy" in wind,
so I repotted Wednesday in this large fiberglass "Oak Barrel" planter.
Anyway, I'm pretty much a home body - into photography, hifi, our backyard pond
(about a dozen goldfish - comets and shebunkens), and enjoying gardening in general.
That means relaxing and enjoying the songbirds and animals it draws.
Anyway, thanks for all the info you've shared here - I may not be a frequent poster, but glad to be a part of this.
Oh, here is a picture from yesterday after work - showing our plant at 13 months ...
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=44329&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=44329&ppuser=10558)
Here's one of the songbirds I was talking about, a young Bluejay taking a bath in the creek ...
http://www.thewebgal.com/webpix/bluejay_450.jpg
Here is a picture of a water hyacinth in the pond in bloom a few weeks back - they only bloom for a day!
http://www.thewebgal.com/webpix/hyacinthbloom2011.jpg