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View Full Version : Basjoo Never Took Off


E Kern
09-02-2013, 09:12 AM
I Have two basjoo in the ground in two seperate parts of my yard. I watered regularly and fertilized moderately. One basjoo never really grew still only about 8 inches and the other only recently began to grow like a basjoo but is still only about 2 1/2 feet. They were both purchased from the same grower and planted in mid to late May. I was considering digging up both and bringing them inside for the winter. Any suggestions or advice would be great. Thanks

scottu
09-02-2013, 06:48 PM
Good idea!

Olafhenny
09-02-2013, 11:22 PM
How long have they been at that spot? Bananas are quite temperamental, when it comes to a
change of environment. Sometimes they continue on without even blinking, other times they sit
there up to two months, before showing new growth. I would hold back with the fertilizer, though, until
they show positive growth.

I live in HZ6 and leave all Basjoos with a PS higher than 18 inches outside. I find, that they
can take the freezing back better, than the disruption of two trans-plantings, or worse
yet, the dry root storage in basement or garage. This year I fully intent to leave my young
E. Maurelii outside. I doubt, that the PS will be much higher than 12 inches, when it will be
time to pack them up, but the PS will be rather thick.

Gordonf
09-03-2013, 01:06 AM
I have a Basjoo that I bought from a big-box store as an end-of-season mark-down for $10. It's still in a big pot, and I'm wondering if I can just bury the pot in the soil for the winter. I'm on the West Coast in zone 7A. Can I do that or would it be better to take it out of the pot first?

Also, I have a red-leafed Abysinnian that I know is not hardy here, but its stem is a good 8 or 9 inches across, It's also in a pot. I'm planning to store it on its side beneath my mobile home for the winter. Do you think that would work or should I bring it into an unheated shed and wrap it with burlap? Oh - should I remove it from the pot?

Olafhenny
09-03-2013, 02:47 AM
I have a Basjoo that I bought from a big-box store as an end-of-season mark-down for $10. It's still in a big pot, and I'm wondering if I can just bury the pot in the soil for the winter. I'm on the West Coast in zone 7A. Can I do that or would it be better to take it out of the pot first?

I would take it out of the pot. That way it will have better access to the warmer ambient
temperature of the ground. That will not travel as well through the walls of the pot.

Also, I have a red-leafed Abysinnian that I know is not hardy here, but its stem is a good 8 or 9 inches across, It's also in a pot. I'm planning to store it on its side beneath my mobile home for the winter. Do you think that would work or should I bring it into an unheated shed and wrap it with burlap? Oh - should I remove it from the pot?

That depends on whether it is warm enough and not too warm and providing, that it does not
come in direct contact with concrete. An unheated shed would definitely not work in HZ7

E Kern
09-03-2013, 05:26 PM
How long have they been at that spot? Bananas are quite temperamental, when it comes to a
change of environment. Sometimes they continue on without even blinking, other times they sit
there up to two months, before showing new growth. I would hold back with the fertilizer, though, until
they show positive growth.

I live in HZ6 and leave all Basjoos with a PS higher than 18 inches outside. I find, that they
can take the freezing back better, than the disruption of two trans-plantings, or worse
yet, the dry root storage in basement or garage. This year I fully intent to leave my young
E. Maurelii outside. I doubt, that the PS will be much higher than 12 inches, when it will be
time to pack them up, but the PS will be rather thick.






I bought them online from wellsprings nursery. They were both put in the ground in mid May. They do sprout new leaves but they have not grown in size or PS thickness literally 1/8 inch increments with each new leaf sprout. As I previously mentioned the one is approx 18 inches and the other 8. They get regular watering and have had two rounds of fertilizer. If i leave them out I feel that they will not survive the winter. Im kinda at a loss as to what to do because the season is unfortunately winding down.

Olafhenny
09-03-2013, 10:31 PM
Hi E. Kern,

In previous years I have always built a plastic fence around my pads or single basjoos and filled
it up with leaves, never losing any plant. This year I am positive, that I will do a lot better with
my cheap http://www.bananas.org/f2/permanent-banana-shelter-winter-spring-17855.html, assembled out of Styrofoam (polystyrene)
and fiberglass insulation, which costs only less than $60 for 3 shelters. They are open to the warm
ground, will be re-useable for years to come as well as easily re-applied in spring, when a late
frost threatens. I will have some more to report about that, when I know more about the result
of my experiment on non-destructive propagation of the E. Maurelii.

orinoko
09-18-2013, 02:33 AM
There is some polystyrene that literally melts when wet here, Not sure what would happen to yours, maybe nothing as they are painted.

Great Idea though.