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View Full Version : Fifth Birthday for the basjoo patch.


Longwoods Tropicals
04-20-2017, 07:36 AM
May 5th 2012 was the beginning of my banana odyssey, a friend at work convinced me to try my hand at growing one. He sold me a pup and I transformed a weedy spot behind my barn into a little tropical sanctuary.

This is what it looked like after year one.

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/q750/LongwoodsTropicals/Snapshot_20120815.jpg (http://s1357.photobucket.com/user/LongwoodsTropicals/media/Snapshot_20120815.jpg.html)

The patch kept expanding over the years and dozens of pups have been moved elsewhere on the property. This next one is from 2015.

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/q750/LongwoodsTropicals/DSCN1652_zps1je9ruih.jpg (http://s1357.photobucket.com/user/LongwoodsTropicals/media/DSCN1652_zps1je9ruih.jpg.html)

Finally, this is the patch from last week, well advanced, maybe a month ahead of 2014 and 2015.

http://i349.photobucket.com/albums/q393/carrlongwoods/20170416_113823_zpsz8t6yxtm.jpg (http://s349.photobucket.com/user/carrlongwoods/media/20170416_113823_zpsz8t6yxtm.jpg.html)

The main goal this year is to divide up some of the massive corms.

Utahguy
04-21-2017, 10:01 PM
They look great! Thanks for sharing.

Vette-kid
04-25-2017, 09:15 AM
looks awesome, did you cut them back just to separate the corms? Im new to bananas, whats the purpose of that?

Longwoods Tropicals
04-25-2017, 09:23 AM
looks awesome, did you cut them back just to separate the corms? Im new to bananas, whats the purpose of that?

In a mature patch there will be too many large P-Stems competing in a small area, so I thin them out by excavating around the corms and chopping them apart with a large machete.

They're cut back and protected with leaves and tarps every fall around November before winter arrives, probably not necessary in your climatic zone.

MBindy2000
05-04-2017, 09:13 AM
I really like how you place the other plants(elephant ears, Kanas, etc). really complements the scene for the bananas. I do the same with mine.