View Full Version : Greetings from Iraq!
TomWin
02-23-2016, 06:34 AM
Hello everyone,
My name is Tom (Brit) and this past year I have currently been working in Erbil, Kurdistan, North Iraq for an NGO.
It's wet and windy now but we had temperatures brushing the 50C mark during July and August last year. Just to stay fresh I was going through 2 pairs of underpants a day, but luckily, after washing they took approximately 5 minutes to dry in the sun (just to reassure members I did have more than 2 pairs of undies and was not running some extreme challenge).
Anyway - I have inherited an office with 3 fantastic banana trees in it, but in this climate of extremes they are looking very dishevelled. I'm here to pick some brains!
Cheers
Tom
HMelendez
02-23-2016, 04:09 PM
Tom,
Welcome to the banana gang!....
I was there too, in Operation Enduring/Iraqi Freedom, from February 2003 to August 2004 (1 1/2 year)....I was stationed in Tikrit, Mosul, not far from Erbil.....I finally retired!, in 2005 after 22 years of service and three conflicts/wars under my belt.....I know the feeling of the extreme temperatures that you mentioned.....
Are the three bananas plants are in pots or in the ground?.....
Be careful and be safe overthere,
Hector
Hi. Welcome. I'd say, at 50C, water, water, and water... It probably needs it. But before doing so, most of us will ask you pics of the plants and of it's emplacement, type of soil, etc... The more info, the better we can help.
Keep safe.
Mark Dragt
02-23-2016, 09:15 PM
Welcome to the org. I hope you feel at home here.
:nanadrink:
Red Sky
02-24-2016, 12:52 AM
Welcome Tom!
I live in a similar climate. Are your bananas indoors in pots? The difficult thing is going to be your humidity which is probably single digits indoors and out most of the year.
TomWin
02-24-2016, 01:06 PM
Hello all and thanks for your warm welcome!
Well the three trees are planted directly in the garden, not in pots. I spoke with a friend back in the UK who has a landscape gardening business and he has advised me to cut back the dead brown outer leaves but leave a few to protect the new foliage, and to remove any fresh shoots from around the existing trees as theres will be too much competition for water.
Does this sound right? Photos to follow soon...
Thanks again
Tom
I'll wait for the pics, just to be sure.
cincinnana
02-24-2016, 09:04 PM
Welcome to the Jungle....:woohoonaner:
TomWin
02-25-2016, 03:12 PM
Hi Hector, thanks for your reply - glad you got out safe and sound. Its reasonably safe in Erbil - we had a scare in August last year when the US consulate got targeted with an IED but other than that its hunky-dory. We even have booze shops here in Erbil (phew).
Snarkie
03-09-2016, 12:43 PM
I was going through 2 pairs of underpants a dayThat scary, huh?
Welcome to the Banana Express. :nanerwaveytrain:
TomWin
03-10-2016, 07:10 AM
Pics are on the members gallery.....I think.
Pics are on the members gallery.....I think.
Yes they are.
vBulletin® v3.6.8, Copyright ©2000-2020, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.