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Lodewijkp
11-18-2007, 05:19 AM
HI

how hardy is the ensete maurelli in when planten in full ground, what is it leaf hardiness, trunk hardiness and root hardiness ?

I want to keep it outdoors heavily mulched and out of the wind, is that possible with this species here in the netherlands ?

:camelnaner:

Mustang
11-18-2007, 06:02 AM
Good luck! Over in the UK, we bring them in to keep them alive. Even mulching and heavy wrapping is not a guarantee of survival. They are quite tender.

Mark, can you post the picture of your Maurelli that you left out this year?

musa_monkey
11-18-2007, 09:36 AM
I have read of varied success in the UK over the 2006/7 winter which was fairly mild. Personally i wouldnt take a chance with my maurelli, i would rather cut them down and store them in the greenhouse than take a chance in loosing them altogether outside. Interestingly we have seen -3°c locally so far this year already in my area of the UK (South East.)

southlatropical
11-18-2007, 02:57 PM
My maurelli was slightly burned by a very light frost which killed the leaves on my other bananas. The outer leaves had splotches of burn, and the inner leaves were hardly touched. I think they are supposed to be hardy to zone 9.

Las Palmas Norte
01-09-2008, 02:22 AM
I cut my Ensete ventricosum 'Maurellii' back quite hard in late autumn. I then constructed a plywood box type shelter with one inch polystyrene insulation lining the interior walls. I have two tops for it, one that matches the same construction techniques (plywood and insulation) and another that is a double layer of 6 mil poly. Each can be used depending on needs, with the poly one being the main cover. The insulated plywood cover can be used during a cold snap if and when that happens.
I did run a string of old type incandescent Xmas bulbs on a timer for supplimental heat, on as as required basis. Be carefull if you decide to try the same as I've found 3 or 4 bulbs is enough to keep the temperature in the 40 - 50 degree range.
This has worked so well infact, I've had to add an additional 2 feet of new height to the enclosure since the Ensete has managed to continue to grow slowly.

Cheers, Barrie.

Mark Hall
01-09-2008, 05:00 AM
First pis is Maurelii second is Montbeliardii and thirs is good old Basjoo.

I have got small Maureliis thru the winters before with no protection at all. They were slow to come back the next spring and never really made an impressive plant.

I am leaving the two Ensetes alone to see if there is still any life in them come this spring. Basjoos will come back no probs.

Steve L
01-09-2008, 08:07 AM
Mine has survived the past two winters in the ground. Lows of 24F the last two winters. Major leaf burn but the pseudostem has remained alive.

Steve

tophersmith
01-09-2008, 11:02 AM
Mine has survived the past two winters in the ground. Lows of 24F the last two winters. Major leaf burn but the pseudostem has remained alive.

Steve


Steve,

How big was it and did it reover nicely or was it stunted?

Steve L
01-09-2008, 11:26 AM
I bought it as a 1 footer 2 years ago. It has not grown as fast as I thought it would but it's my fault in the selection of the location. It was 6 feet tall before the first frost this year. It is already pushing out a new leaf since the 24 degree night of Jan 3. My accross the street neighbor has 3 very large ones in her yard and they are doing the same for her, pushing out new leaves.

Steve

Mark Hall
01-09-2008, 11:40 AM
This was them before the frost -7. And just after.

Las Palmas Norte
01-09-2008, 02:39 PM
I believe that temperature rebound is critical. 24f will kill the Enstete outright if it happens repeatedly or can't warm up sufficently the following day.

Cheers, Barrie.

Steve L
01-09-2008, 02:54 PM
Barrie,

You might be right. Fortunately here on the Louisiana Gulf Coast, almost always the temps climb the day following the cold spell, which occured due to radiational cooling; hence the sun is out in full force the next day. There are hundreds of Maureliis all over town as several local nurseries carry them and the landscapers like them as well. Haven't seen one croak from cold yet but we never have prolonged freezing temps.

Steve

tophersmith
01-09-2008, 02:56 PM
I believe that temperature rebound is critical. 24f will kill the Enstete outright if it happens repeatedly or can't warm up sufficently the following day.

Cheers, Barrie.

Unfortunately I have to agrre with you.Last fall my Maurelli weighed about 200 pounds bare rood with one leaf. (seen in my album) I am not sure how many more years I will want to try to dig this monster up, even though it's my favorite.

tophersmith
01-09-2008, 03:00 PM
Unfortunately I have to agrre with you.Last fall my Maurelli weighed about 200 pounds bare rood with one leaf. (seen in my album) I am not sure how many more years I will want to try to dig this monster up, even though it's my favorite.

Here is is last fall

Las Palmas Norte
01-09-2008, 09:59 PM
200 lbs ! and that's small. Over time they're emmense and need to be left in the ground. That's what prompted me to come up with the enclosure rather that dig the thing up.

Steve L ... your rebounding temps make it a survivor on the Gulf coast. Temps rebound here (mostly) but never enough to be of any benefit so protection is required for Ensete. Musa basjoo however is another story and waits until spring then expodes which produces some nice big groves.

Cheers, Barrie.

tophersmith
01-09-2008, 11:36 PM
200 lbs ! and that's small. Over time they're emmense and need to be left in the ground. That's what prompted me to come up with the enclosure rather that dig the thing up.

Steve L ... your rebounding temps make it a survivor on the Gulf coast. Temps rebound here (mostly) but never enough to be of any benefit so protection is required for Ensete. Musa basjoo however is another story and waits until spring then expodes which produces some nice big groves.

Cheers, Barrie.

Barrie,

Do you have any pictures of the enclosure you built?

Las Palmas Norte
01-10-2008, 03:13 PM
Chris ... the design is simple. A 1/2" plywood box with 1 inch styrofoam insulation. I have two tops for it, one constructed the same as the sides (for a nasty cold snap) and the second, a 2x2 frame with a spaced double covering of 6 mil poly. I ran a string (25 lights) of old incandecent xmas bulbs for heat when needed. So far only 3 are used to keep the temp in the 40f - 50f range. (The temperature went to 80f in 15 minutes when all 25 where lit.)
I've cut the banana back once already and felt I couldn't keep doing that so I added another 2' of height to the enclosure.

Cheers, Barrie.

tophersmith
01-10-2008, 03:16 PM
Chris ... the design is simple. A 1/2" plywood box with 1 inch styrofoam insulation. I have two tops for it, one constructed the same as the sides (for a nasty cold snap) and the second, a 2x2 frame with a spaced double covering of 6 mil poly. I ran a string (25 lights) of old incandecent xmas bulbs for heat when needed. So far only 3 are used to keep the temp in the 40f - 50f range. (The temperature went to 80f in 15 minutes when all 25 where lit.)
I've cut the banana back once already and felt I couldn't keep doing that so I added another 2' of height to the enclosure.

Cheers, Barrie.

Barrie,

Wow you really love your nanners

magicgreen
01-10-2008, 08:24 PM
Don't YOU?:2719:

mskitty38583
01-10-2008, 08:29 PM
mg...how are your seeds doing?????? im excited to know!!!!

magicgreen
01-10-2008, 08:43 PM
Iam just about scared to plant the ponderosa lemon, seeing as how iam sucking with the velutina seeds!

Ive never been this poor with germinating seeds!

Iam getting a heat mat this weekend for sure. Maybe thats the ticket! I have a 55gallon tank to put the heat mat in. Maybe thats what i need!

I also have a 132gal high tank that ive grown angel fish and other aquatics in.
I think i'll try cichlids next.

Maybe the secret to growing these banana seeds is forgetting everything ive read so far, and to go on my own instincts!!!!!!!!!;)

mskitty38583
01-10-2008, 10:25 PM
my ponderosas havent come up yet so dont feel too bad...but any day now and well have sprouts!!! its about time for them to make an appearence. i planted 2 ruby red gf seeds, that we got off a tree( there was only 2 seeds in the whole ruby red i was suprised), one of them is 2 and 1/2 inches tall, the other is 1 inch tall. it could be that i dried out the lemon seeds( so they could be shipped) and the gf seeds were fresh. i didnt dry them. i put those babies in the ground wet. i have 2 bala sharke(6-8 inches long) and one silver dollar fish. my anglefish i had for 7 yrs, went to the big fishpond in the sky. so i have 3 fish in a 75 gallon aquar. it needs to be cleaned out. ill probably do that tomorrow. ill keep my fingers crossed about your nana seeds. and you should get a heating mat. it seems to do well for everyone else. just let me know when they sprout. im excited for you.

Lagniappe
01-10-2008, 10:45 PM
I know where you guys can get an amazing deal on some Red Texas cichlids !

magicgreen
01-10-2008, 11:21 PM
You mean to tell me they ship fish like plants Lagniappe?:hiddenbanana:

Lagniappe
01-11-2008, 12:06 AM
Of course ! In fact ,I ship my plants like fish , in plastic bags and styrofoam boxes . (sans the heat packs and oxygen)

The real difference is that they MUST be shipped overnight to prevent oxygen depletion and toxin build up .

CookieCows
01-11-2008, 12:52 AM
Cichlids are fun magicgreen. They have such personality. I think ours were the So. African species.

tophersmith
01-11-2008, 09:00 AM
Don't YOU?:2719:

Yes that's why mine are under the house but I have to draw the line when building large seprerate structures for differnt bannanas. One day I will have a greenhouse and solve this dilemma,:nanawhopp:

magicgreen
01-11-2008, 09:39 AM
I do have a green house, and this spring n' summer i'll winterize it. I'll want to bring a few plants in the house to look pretty for me, and of coarse the baby nanners; but the rest inside that cozy Greenhouse!!!.:golfingbanana:

how many cichlids do you think i could put in my big tank? I have everything they need. Welllllll iam not sure about their gravel. I know they can tear up stuff in the tank. But they are so beautiful. Been curious about them for awhile.

Pete, do you have any pictures?
Magicgreen

tophersmith
01-11-2008, 09:53 AM
I do have a green house, and this spring n' summer i'll winterize it. I'll want to bring a few plants in the house to look pretty for me, and of coarse the baby nanners; but the rest inside that cozy Greenhouse!!!.:golfingbanana:

how many cichlids do you think i could put in my big tank? I have everything they need. Welllllll iam not sure about their gravel. I know they can tear up stuff in the tank. But they are so beautiful. Been curious about them for awhile.

Pete, do you have any pictures?
Magicgreen

I have had Cichlids in the past, both South American and African I now have Salt water. I think you'll find if you go with a larger pebble size gravel bed the cichlids wont bother it as much.

mskitty38583
01-11-2008, 09:56 AM
magicgreen it is better if you have no gravel in the tank, they will root everything up. if you want to have something in the botton of the tank for your new fishies, use aqua. sand. they will root that up but the sand looks better and you dont have to keep moving it around like gravel. im a fish nut too.lol

magicgreen
01-11-2008, 10:11 AM
So many of us on this site have the same interest. I wonder what other things we all like , that are the same interest? Might be a topic for a thread. :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: Magicgreen

mskitty38583
01-11-2008, 10:15 AM
lol!!!:2788:

the flying dutchman
01-11-2008, 12:15 PM
So many of us on this site have the same interest. I wonder what other things we all like , that are the same interest? Might be a topic for a thread. :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: Magicgreen

I have also an aquarium, I joined Jarreds aquarium forum, it is not so active
at the moment but if members from here would join the forum it could be
a nice place to talk about fishes.

Here is the link

http://www.aquariumforum.com/index.php

And indeed, it is a good topic for a new thread, you are free to start it:)

Ron

mskitty38583
01-11-2008, 01:02 PM
i just did.

Lagniappe
01-11-2008, 01:56 PM
HI

how hardy is the ensete maurelli in when planten in full ground, what is it leaf hardiness, trunk hardiness and root hardiness ?

I want to keep it outdoors heavily mulched and out of the wind, is that possible with this species here in the netherlands ?

:camelnaner:


Sorry we hijacked your thread like that !:o

I am in Norhtern Louisiana and it is considered to be zone 8 and very close to zone 7 .
I keep all of my Maurellii in the ground overwinter with very little mulch and they have performed well .

tophersmith
01-11-2008, 01:59 PM
Sorry we hijacked your thread like that !:o

I am in Norhtern Louisiana and it is considered to be zone 8 and very close to zone 7 .
I keep all of my Maurellii in the ground overwinter with very little mulch and they have performed well .

How cold has it got there this winter, it got down to 18 here

Lagniappe
01-11-2008, 02:23 PM
I am trying to find out . I did have some diet cokes to freeze (or get icy at least) in the back of my truck .

Bananaman88
01-12-2008, 07:39 AM
So many of us on this site have the same interest. I wonder what other things we all like , that are the same interest? Might be a topic for a thread. :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: Magicgreen

It is cool how so many of us share the same interests! I've kept cichlids for over 15 years now. They are definitely fish with their own personalities!

To keep this in the nanner-vein, though, I had Maurelii for a few years, always left it in the ground with no special protection. It did great the first year, however, never really did great after that. After it's first winter outside it came back OK but never really grew well. It barely survived it's second witer and it died in the spring. I probably should have done more to protect it but I live on the Gulf Coast as well with conditions very similar to SteveL's.