Welcome Myself

[Lard Greystoke]

Greetings. I am Lard Greystoke. I grow various things from seed. I grow indoors under fluorescent lights. I have 16 banana-type plants. I also grow palms, cacti, etc etc, all indoors. My largest specimen is a 5-foot Ravenala.

[JoeReal]

I welcome yourself too,

So where do you live? You can indicate that in your member profile. It is important to know where you live so that if you ask question or respond to some posts, we can contextualize your questions or answers.

[MediaHound]

Welcome LG!

[the flying dutchman]

Welcome Lard, what banana-type plants do you grow?







Ron

[Lard Greystoke]

I live in the soon-to-be-frozen Midwest, USA. I grow entirely indoors under fluorescent lights, with minimal window area. Space can be a problem.

Currently I have seedlings of M. ornata, E. superbum, Heliconia aemygdiana, H. psittacorum, H. rostrata, Ravenala madagascariensis, Strelitzia nicolai. I consider these all to be banana-similar, at least as regards foliage and general cussedness of germination. My first H. rostrata just came up 10 months after being planted. I think Strelitzia can stand underwatering and low humidity better than the others, and gives a similar tropical effect.

Banana types are definitely non-ideal for someone in my situation. Growing seedlings gives me considerable incentive to save my pennies and find more space before they push the ceiling out.

[douglas gray]

Hi Lard,

dont suppose you can get a picture of your Ravenela on this site for us to see ? also, how have you managed to germinate this (ie; temperature/medium/lights e.t.c).. I have failed so far...

thanks

Doug

[jason]

Originally Posted by Lard Greystoke

I live in the soon-to-be-frozen Midwest, USA. I grow entirely indoors under fluorescent lights, with minimal window area. Space can be a problem.

Currently I have seedlings of M. ornata, E. superbum, Heliconia aemygdiana, H. psittacorum, H. rostrata, Ravenala madagascariensis, Strelitzia nicolai. I consider these all to be banana-similar, at least as regards foliage and general cussedness of germination. My first H. rostrata just came up 10 months after being planted. I think Strelitzia can stand underwatering and low humidity better than the others, and gives a similar tropical effect.

Banana types are definitely non-ideal for someone in my situation. Growing seedlings gives me considerable incentive to save my pennies and find more space before they push the ceiling out.

Hi first off I would like to say welcome to bananas.org,,2nd How long did it take the E. superbum seeds to sprout for ya and what temp did you have the seeds at and in what media did you use_jason.

[Lard Greystoke]

Originally Posted by douglas gray

Hi Lard,

dont suppose you can get a picture of your Ravenela on this site for us to see ? also, how have you managed to germinate this (ie; temperature/medium/lights e.t.c).. I have failed so far...

thanks

Doug

I am not digital at this time, so no photos yet. Medium is a mix of sand and whatever potting soil is at hand, more or less 50/50. Temperature is hot in summer, coolish in winter. They germinate better at high temperatures. No light. Germination is sporadic, they trickle in one at a time over a period of months. I've had my latest batch about six months, with about 10-15% germination so far, and will hold it probably till the end of next summer. I have also failed several times, and succeeded some times. So just keep at it.

[Lard Greystoke]

Originally Posted by jason

Hi first off I would like to say welcome to bananas.org,,2nd How long did it take the E. superbum seeds to sprout for ya and what temp did you have the seeds at and in what media did you use_jason.

I use a mix of sand and commercial potting soil, no preference. Had about 30% germination in two weeks in early September, so temp probably about 80-90F. After the initial burst, nothing. I am holding the rest till summer in hopes of a second wind when it warms up.