View Full Version : Red Abyssiaian left out in the cold-can it be saved?
lcweber69
10-28-2011, 09:31 AM
I posted this as a reply in a thread in Ornamental bananas because I didn't think to start it as a new thread. :( The thread was about a red aby too big to bring from the cold. Rather than rewrite my post, please please to that thread and find my post. Since I wrote it, about an hour ago, I did go out and make an attempt to bring them all off the deck and into my basement. Now I have them all out of thier pots, and I cut off the leaves and the trunk to about 2ft. I want to overwinter them out of the pots, bare root, but they're full of soil, and that will rot them I think. HELP!!
revensen
10-28-2011, 01:31 PM
If the temperature is cool and the soil is wet the corm might rot. Can you remove the soil from the rootball?
saltydad
10-28-2011, 04:15 PM
Always try to remove as much soil as possible. With that said, however, I have had a large corm with roots in soil that dried. So it was stored almost bare root, without any problem (Orinoco).
Olafhenny
10-28-2011, 05:53 PM
I have never attempted any bare root storage. So I cannot comment on that, but if removing the
remaining soil, which might cause root rot is the solution, I would just take the stalks outside in above
freezing weather (that should not be too hart to come by in this time of the year) and hose all the dirt
off.
Once all the dirt is gone, the root ball should dry off in a day or two once back in your garage or
basement.
As far as the frost damage is concerned, if the pseudo stem is still sound, the Basjoo is still alive and will
recover, providing you do nothing during the winter storage to kill it. Mine was frozen to mush down to
8" above the ground last winter and grew into a stately plant during the summer.
Next year just dig the Basjoo just one foot down (from previous soil level), mulch it aplenty and relax until
spring.
I know nothing about the Red Abyssinian.
Best,
Olaf
lcweber69
10-29-2011, 08:04 AM
So what I'm reading is that these plants can be kept in the basement, without anything done to them, like wrapping the roots, or misting, or anything. I'll try to get the soil off in a few days, as I work both Sat and Sun. Monday will have to do. When I have time, I'll take some pics with my phone, send them to my online album, and eventually get them posted here. Whew! :drum:
natej740
10-30-2011, 07:05 PM
I stored my ensete just fine last winter in the basement....I left a little dirt on mine and it caused no problems I just dug mine out yesterday and put it down there with dirt on it also. Last year I didn't water or mist at all but I plan on misting once a month this year cuz they looked a little dry when I pulled them out this spring.
Here's a pic of mine...
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49188869@N06/6296728377/" title="Ensete by natej740, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6038/6296728377_587d7b7b9e.jpg" width="500" height="281" alt="Ensete"></a>
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