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View Full Version : Siam Ruby in the cold!


JoeS475
09-15-2007, 05:39 PM
Well tonight will be the coldest temperature since I've had my SR, its supposed to go down to 40 degrees. It is potted.

My gut says the plant will be OK since all my other bananas have been fine with temps in the low 30's (not freezing), however I know there are some out there which may not tolerate 40 degrees.

I'd hate to lose the plant and find out that I was the guinea pig who discovered it was ultra sensitive. On the other hand I don't want to have to bring it indoors and out all the time.

Has anyone had theirs in any cold weather yet?

Thoughts or opinions appreciated!

~Joe

frankthetank
09-15-2007, 10:08 PM
My Musa Basjoo took 32.3F last night! They were covered with sheets. Good luck.

natedogg1026
09-15-2007, 10:42 PM
Joe,
It got to 45 in SE Kansas last night, I brought mine in the garage. I don't think the weather will hurt them until a freeze but mine has only been potted for about three weeks so I am giving it a little help. 55 in the garage lastnight and it was fine. It's still kickin out a new leaf, just a little slower. :coldbanana:

STEELVIPER
09-16-2007, 01:36 AM
The truth is that we do not know how cold sensitive the SR is. But if i were you guys out there in the East coast or Midwest. I would not chance it. Anything below 45 and i would bring it in the house etc.. But i think a few of us are going to find out the hard way.

AnnaJW
09-16-2007, 03:04 AM
Ouch!!! This cold for you guys already?

My Siam is still potted, but semi-protected from a patio umbrella. I guess I'll see what you experience with your plants. :coldbanana:

BGreen
09-16-2007, 09:24 PM
The Siam Ruby is going to be very cold sensitive.
We had a low of 46, then spotted showers and a high of 65, then another night of 47, and the dark red sections on the edges of the leaves are now a purplish tint and thin. I will try and take pics tomorrow.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=5623 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=5622)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=5622 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=5262)

JoeS475
09-17-2007, 11:15 PM
Ouch, Ben! I'm surprised 46 would do that! Mine I brought indoors for the coldest night, around 40, but left it out last night with a low of about 45 here. No visible damage. Right now its about 47 and shouldn't get much colder, so I'm gonna leave it out again. The rest of the week is going to warm up with highs in the 80s and lows in the 50s and 60s, so hopefully the bananas will start growing again!

~Joe

BGreen
09-19-2007, 05:16 PM
I'm thinking it was a combination of the cold and rain. We didn't have any sun that day, but the leaves still looked ok. It was the second night with the water on the leaves. I also have the "Green" type and it came through with no problems.

frankthetank
09-19-2007, 08:05 PM
Suppose to be 90F here on Friday. Last Saturday morning it was 32F. My bananas don't know what to think!

The Basjoo's did just fine with the cold weather last weekend.

AnnaJW
09-19-2007, 08:21 PM
Suppose to be 90F here on Friday. Last Saturday morning it was 32F. My bananas don't know what to think!

The Basjoo's did just fine with the cold weather last weekend.

Interesting! You get the heat, and we are supposed to get a freak storm!
How did your bananas fair with the 32? :coldbanana:

frankthetank
09-19-2007, 09:31 PM
Nothing that i noticed yet. Actually, the taller of my Basjoos is opening a new leaf, but i do notice a brown streaking on it... My repotted Super Dwarf Cavendish is also spitting out a new leaf! which is suprising considering a chopped off a bunch of its leaves (i repotted it about a week ago).

natedogg1026
10-10-2007, 10:07 PM
It's gonna get to 42 in SE Kansas tonight, better bring the Ruby inside. Curious how others are doing in the cold. Any feedback on it's cold tolerance?

Zac in NC
10-25-2007, 02:53 PM
Ouch. I guess I'll bring my potted one in when our temps hit the 40s. AT least it is more cold hardy than my Amorphophallus titanum, which I have already brought in. I doubt small ones can take the 50s.

Zac

BGreen
10-25-2007, 05:11 PM
I will add the green form is more hardy.
It has taken 2 weeks of temps down to the low 40's and been fine, along with +4" of rain over 2 days.
The low of 34 the other night started to turn the leaves a little yellow.
It's that time here for me I guess. Everything is in the house, basement looks like a forest, wife just shakes her head....
If I move south 15 miles I could have a chance of a natural gas well... hmmmm free green house heating.....:2190:

Lagniappe
10-25-2007, 09:04 PM
I was bringing mine (Siam Ruby ) in every night and back out during the day .I think those days are about over . Tonights low is 40 and the highs only last for a short while during the day . Definitely gumbo weather .

harveyc
10-26-2007, 04:18 PM
How tall have any of these got? I have a 50/50 (Stokes calls "Splash") which I have indoors much of the time but I've brought it outside on some days and it seems to be putting out a new leaf pretty frequently. I'm wondering if it will grow too much indoors over the winter. It has a little pup already but it looks like the pup may be solid green.

STEELVIPER
01-04-2008, 06:53 PM
So how are people's siam rubys doing? How are they handling the cold, indoor conditions etc....?

mark:coldbanana:

harveyc
01-04-2008, 07:17 PM
My 50/50 is doing very well indoors except for some caterpillar that has eaten some leaves. I found and squished one but now I think it has a replacement.

Lagniappe
01-04-2008, 08:07 PM
Mine had reverted to all green and puts out one leaf per week .
I started using suplemental lighting a few weeks ago and it started getting light red in the new leaves and two of the older leaves .
I don't mind if it stays green all winter as long as it grows (or lives ).

harveyc
01-04-2008, 08:23 PM
I have had about 2 new leaves in the last month and both are still 50/50. I did have 1 leaf that was 80% green, but it's still looking good. It also has one small all-green pup, but it's staying put for now.

AnnaJW
01-04-2008, 08:45 PM
Mine is still outside; potted. I have her under a glass patio table. I've been draping a cotton sheet around her and one of my Novak's at night. She is a bit pale, but is pushing a new leaf right now.

Bananaman88
01-04-2008, 11:34 PM
Mine is inside at the moment and doing OK. It has been potted since I got it in late August. It got a little exposure to some cool weather around Thanksgiving and it's leaves looked a lot like the one at the beginning of this thread. I agree that it isn't going to be one of the most cool tolerant bananas. I may leave one in the ground next year to test it since mine has produced four pups so far.

Eric-Orlando,FL
01-07-2008, 11:37 AM
Last Wed. we had a high of only 48F and it got down to 31F. It was also very windy with very low dewpoints, around 5 F!!!. Most bananas I see around in yards look tattered and desicated but the cold didn't seem to bother them. We have a 'Siam Ruby' and a 'Siam Peridot'. Both are about 2ft tall and in a sheltered place. I just checked on them and they have some browning on the edges of the leaves but for the most part are alright.

southlatropical
03-25-2008, 08:36 AM
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=8870&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8870)

I planted this one yesterday and had no idea it was going to get so chilly last night. It got down to 37F last night and we had frost on the roof of the car this morning but none on the plants. The Siam Ruby did not flinch. I don't want this post to be misleading though. It is planted in the warmest part of the south facing bed. Any updates on everyone elses SR's?

Bananaman88
03-25-2008, 11:58 AM
I just put mine in the ground on Friday. It had been in a pot since last Aug. Seems OK so far.

AnnaJW
03-25-2008, 02:59 PM
Mine is not looking well at all... :(