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View Full Version : Musa Mekong Giant ???


shawndac1
03-13-2014, 03:39 PM
Says it cold tolerant to zone 6 is this true:woohoonaner:??????

bengal tiger nanas
03-14-2014, 11:03 AM
i planted one last summer in ohio. if it makes it this winter then it is.i only covered it with straw and tarp.i havent uncovered it yet. thanks don

shawndac1
03-14-2014, 03:32 PM
Lol well what r u waiting for???? Get them suckers uncovered lol and let us know ha ha

siege2050
03-14-2014, 03:40 PM
Not too sure about cold tolerance yet as I am growing mine in the greenhouse to get a little size before spring, but I have discovered so far that mine likes a bit of shade compared to other bananas, so I grow it in the shade of the other plants, and the growth rate is slow compared to other bananas. When I put it in full sun it seemed to be even slower. I hope it speeds up when spring gets here. If you get one, you might pick out a spot that gets a bit of dappled light during the hottest part of the day.

bengal tiger nanas
03-14-2014, 07:16 PM
Lol well what r u waiting for???? Get them suckers uncovered lol and let us know ha ha

hope to soon. the ground is still frozen, and more cold on the way.i will show pics of what -23f does.always hopefull.could be a week or two.last year mid june was last frost. thanks don

siege2050
03-14-2014, 07:22 PM
hope to soon. the ground is still frozen, and more cold on the way.i will show pics of what -23f does.always hopefull.could be a week or two.last year mid june was last frost. thanks don

Wow mid june for last frost!? I would go nuts! lol

bengal tiger nanas
03-14-2014, 07:33 PM
Wow mid june for last frost!? I would go nuts! lol

yes, i have never seen it like that the last 10 years here.this winter cold -23f is at or record temp.lows.if it can live thru this, then it is a tough plant

siege2050
03-14-2014, 07:38 PM
yes, i have never seen it like that the last 10 years here.this winter cold -23f is at or record temp.lows.if it can live thru this, then it is a tough plant

Our last frost is usually the 3rd week of April, but to be safe, we usually don't or shouldn't plant till the 10th of May. If we do, we keep something around to cover.

bengal tiger nanas
03-14-2014, 08:13 PM
Our last frost is usually the 3rd week of April, but to be safe, we usually don't or shouldn't plant till the 10th of May. If we do, we keep something around to cover.

yes the third week of april is normal here. last year mid june til mid october. i dont ever rember such a shorht growing season here. thanks don

bengal tiger nanas
03-14-2014, 08:18 PM
Lol well what r u waiting for???? Get them suckers uncovered lol and let us know ha ha

give me a week or two. i will show if they made it thru this -23f temps. it isnt just the low temps. it stayed below freezing for too long. thanks don

shawndac1
03-14-2014, 08:38 PM
Omgosh june??? Wow I usualy start about the 1st week of april or so an its starts getin cold around mid October here so I guess I have a long growing season compared to some an wow frozen ground it was 65º today here in West Tennessee!! Can't wait to see your poo ics :))

bengal tiger nanas
03-14-2014, 09:02 PM
Omgosh june??? Wow I usualy start about the 1st week of april or so an its starts getin cold around mid October here so I guess I have a long growing season compared to some an wow frozen ground it was 65º today here in West Tennessee!! Can't wait to see your poo ics :))

normaly we do here also. last year. winter stayed long and returned early.

shawndac1
03-14-2014, 09:06 PM
I hope they make it if so I am deffinetly going to get me a couple for sure fingers crossed for u :))

bigdog
03-15-2014, 12:23 AM
Hey Shawn, Musa 'Mekong Giant' is the same thing as Musa itinerans var. itinerans, and it is cold hardy to at least zone 7. I grew it in Knoxville for several years. Check my photo gallery for pictures of it.

shawndac1
03-15-2014, 09:03 PM
Thanks big dog I'm going to for sure :)) thanks !!!!

bigdog
03-16-2014, 11:01 AM
Here's a few pictures of my Musa itinerans var. itinerans when I lived in Knoxville.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=19715&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=19715&ppuser=49)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=19713&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=19713&ppuser=49)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=24002&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=24002&ppuser=49)

griphuz
03-18-2014, 04:05 AM
Hi Frank,

Did you buy/get your var. itinerans as Mekong, or before Mekong got on the market?

Kind regards,
Remko.

bigdog
03-18-2014, 10:47 AM
I got it a few years before 'Mekong' hit the market.

Hammocked Banana
03-18-2014, 12:33 PM
This is a variety I still need to get. Lots of members have mixed reviews on this on, seems like a lot of tissue culture starts can take a very long time to start growing.

No uncovering anything here for a while yet. Still hitting 0*F at nights sometimes. This is one of the coldest, snowiest, longest winters that I can remember in my lifetime.

bengal tiger nanas
03-18-2014, 07:26 PM
This is a variety I still need to get. Lots of members have mixed reviews on this on, seems like a lot of tissue culture starts can take a very long time to start growing.

No uncovering anything here for a while yet. Still hitting 0*F at nights sometimes. This is one of the coldest, snowiest, longest winters that I can remember in my lifetime.

ok so i am old.but this is the coldist, snowiest,way too long winter, ina very long time. thanks don

cannasrus
03-19-2014, 02:30 AM
When in doubt, dig them up and put them in tbe garage for the winter. I have not had good luck winterig outdoors here in 6b. I have a mekog giant......it went from 2 to 7 feet of
P STEM last summer. They do seem to be slow starters here, mine has spent two winters inside.....she is getting cut lose this fall to see how she does....way too big for the garage anymore. I cut two feet off the PStem so it could geg it leaves out in the garage this winter.

shawndac1
03-19-2014, 12:00 PM
Here's a few pictures of my Musa itinerans var. itinerans when I lived in Knoxville.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=19715&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=19715&ppuser=49)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=19713&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=19713&ppuser=49)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=24002&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=24002&ppuser=49)

These r beautiful :))

bengal tiger nanas
04-08-2014, 06:13 PM
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=55810&size=1 mekong giant uncoverd.the pstem is all gone, lots of mush around corm.the corm does feel solid but still some slimy stuf around the edges.do you think it has a chance?any advice is greatly appreciated. thanks don

drobbins
04-08-2014, 07:03 PM
I'm a rookie and don't want to play like I know what I'm talking about but I would think uncovering the corm and letting it dry out enough so the "slim" is gone would help prevent rot. My experience with tropical's makes me think rot is as big a problem as cold in getting marginal plants through the winter.
I just took my first basjoo through the winter(came out like champs) and some cali-golds and goldfingers that I'm worried about so I'm also worried about things that "might" make it.
I have 2 Mekong Giant supposed to show up tomorrow so we'll see how they do next year
Your environment is rougher than mine, best of luck with them

Dave

Hammocked Banana
04-09-2014, 02:55 PM
I dont think it would hurt at this point to dig down to the corm and get some air around it, but try not to damage any roots or pups too bad by going to deep. Let it dry out as much as possible and cover it if its going to rain. Try and remove as much serious rot as possible and be patient and hopefully it'll sprout some pups. Good luck

bengal tiger nanas
04-09-2014, 07:55 PM
I'm a rookie and don't want to play like I know what I'm talking about but I would think uncovering the corm and letting it dry out enough so the "slim" is gone would help prevent rot. My experience with tropical's makes me think rot is as big a problem as cold in getting marginal plants through the winter.
I just took my first basjoo through the winter(came out like champs) and some cali-golds and goldfingers that I'm worried about so I'm also worried about things that "might" make it.
I have 2 Mekong Giant supposed to show up tomorrow so we'll see how they do next year
Your environment is rougher than mine, best of luck with them

Dave

thanks,i will try to let it dry out,and cover it if to cold or rain is coming.i did try to remove as much wet stuff, slime, as i could.i know this year pushed this plant to its limets. and my lack of knowledge about them makes it worse.

bengal tiger nanas
04-09-2014, 08:00 PM
I dont think it would hurt at this point to dig down to the corm and get some air around it, but try not to damage any roots or pups too bad by going to deep. Let it dry out as much as possible and cover it if its going to rain. Try and remove as much serious rot as possible and be patient and hopefully it'll sprout some pups. Good luck
ok, i did that.so, pups is what i am looking for? thanks, don

Hammocked Banana
04-09-2014, 08:23 PM
Ya it doesn't look like the stem will regrow at this point. I think pups should come up if the corm is solid.

bengal tiger nanas
04-09-2014, 08:29 PM
Ya it doesn't look like the stem will regrow at this point. I think pups should come up if the corm is solid.

well the corm seams solid.i can only hope that life is still there.thank you very much,don

bengal tiger nanas
04-09-2014, 08:32 PM
will the pups be next to the corm? or, if not how far? just asking cause i heard they spread more than clumping.

Hammocked Banana
04-09-2014, 08:59 PM
Yes this variety usually sends out long rhizomes, but since its a little hurtin' at the moment, the pups will probably come up close to the momma corm. Just be patient and with some heat and some luck, hopefully something should shoot up.

drobbins
04-12-2014, 09:19 AM
Hi Folks,

Just for another bit of info on Mekong Giant here's a web page from a guy near me who specializes in cold hardy tropicals

Musa xishuangbannaensis 'Mekong Giant' PPAF, Banana, Musa Mekong Giant, buy Musa Mekong Giant for sale, buy Banana for sale (http://www.plantdelights.com/Musa-xishuangbannaensis-Mekong-Giant-for-sale/Buy-Mekong-Giant-Hardy-Banana/)

Dave