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Longwoods Tropicals
11-29-2012, 07:00 PM
Earlier this year an I was purchased a Basjoo from a friend at my work.
It was about 18" and I was told to expect it to grow about 6 feet of growth. I was advised to plant late May, I decided however to roll the dice and planted on May 5th. Now I am in Zone 6b and early May frosts are not unheard of but the 14 day trend looked good so why not. And by the end of the month it was fully acclimatized and had produced three new leaves. But by June we were in the midst of one of the warmest summers in many years, one stretch in July had a week straight of 90 degree days and plenty of humidity and wow did the Musa take off. New leaves every five days for almost two months. By the end of the summer it's new leaf was 12 feet at the tip of the big cigar. And the pseudostem was nearly seven. No way of bringing this girl in, so right before the remnants of Hurricane Sandy arrived I cut the plant back to five feet added two feet of mulched leaves and grass and then set a small length of page wire fence around it about 14 inches from the centre. Then I filled with dry grass clippings and mulched leaves, leaving about 10 inches of insulation over the top of the stem. I also tried this protection on a smaller and obviously misnamed Musa Ensete bought at alocal garden certre in July, the two that I planted went from one foot to six by the end of the season. I really don't know what they are other than they had wine colour blotches under the leaves when younger, but they puped like mad as did the Basjoo, all in all I have six healthy pups, the store bought plant was cleaved at 2 feet in early September and is now thriving indoors it might get to big only time will tell.

It was certainly a wonderful learning experience watching the Bananas and the other tropicals I planted just madly overgrow the little gardens envisioned proportions. Oh well next year I will just go big lots of sheltered land, protected by a large barn to the Northwest.

I also have ordered quite a few Banana and Palm seeds from various mail order outfits. The first package just arrived today so wish me luck.

My plans also include a suitable overwintering greenhouse, but that will need to wait until the spring.

I would like to thank everyone who has posted out here as the information I was able to gleam was invaluable

Pictures soon.

Harold

Abnshrek
11-29-2012, 07:05 PM
Hello, Welcome & Happy Germinating.. :^)

caliboy1994
11-29-2012, 07:14 PM
Bananas are a very potent, yet very healthy addiction. I wish you luck in your adventure growing bananas and palms in a less-than-favorable climate.

Illia
12-03-2012, 03:33 AM
Welcome! Watch it, the addiction will spread, even in a place with winters as cold as yours. I'm not that cold up here, but it still isn't banana-friendly out here without protection. And yet, I'm getting myself deeper into many varieties and many plants each year. I don't have space right now to overwinter bananas or keep them growing frost-free outside, so, they're growing in pots in my house, ha ha!

Worst part of the banana addiction is planning ahead all the varieties you'll add to your collection. . . I'm not brave enough to do seeds, plus most seeded bananas are not the best tasting (but I do love Velutinas!) so I always get TC pups or naturally grown pups shipped.