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View Full Version : The Potential of Musa Basjoo


austinl01
07-05-2008, 10:02 AM
I thought I'd break into my picture vault and find some musa basjoo pictures from a few years ago to compare their growth rate. I found a few good pictures starting with the 3" tissue cultured plants. I hope these pics will give new growers of musa basjoo inspiration. Starting with tissue culture isn't all bad. :)

The beginning...
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/May2005.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/September2005029.jpg

The next year...
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/September2006GardenPics026.jpg

A couple rewards in 2007 for my hard work...
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/MidNovember009a.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/MidNovember003a.jpg

Here they are today...
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/DSCN0374_80.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/DSCN0385_75.jpg

I hope you enjoyed watching my musa basjoo grow over the years!

mskitty38583
07-05-2008, 11:10 AM
:nanerwizard:

dablo93
07-05-2008, 11:53 AM
amazing to see how they grow there, they really love the hot humid summers i see!
do you have also pictures of the ripened basjoo fruit, is that also yellow (like chiquita bananas) ?

thanks for posting those beautiful pictures:2223:

Raules
07-05-2008, 10:56 PM
Hi Austin! Very beautiful photos basjoo, very much! Thanks! I too dream to grow up same big, beautiful, blossoming basjoo. At me they still small. It was pleasant to observe of growth of your plants. At you it has not turned out to pollinate them to receive seeds?:nanadrink::2212::colorwoot::2718::nanadrink:

austinl01
07-05-2008, 11:15 PM
Thanks everyone so far. Arkansas has turned out to be a great place for growing all different kinds of bananas due to our long, hot, and humid summers and relatively mild winters. The plants bloomed in October and produced small immature fruits before frost. Then, it froze and the fruit never had a chance to ripen. It would have been really neat to get ripe musa basjoo bananas...maybe this year?

v1rtu0s1ty
07-06-2008, 01:53 PM
Awesome pics! I have a question though specifically from the first picture. Did you plant it like that? Did it experience heat stress during the first few months?

Thanks.

austinl01
07-06-2008, 02:20 PM
Awesome pics! I have a question though specifically from the first picture. Did you plant it like that? Did it experience heat stress during the first few months?

Thanks.

Yeah, I planted the basjoos directly in the ground even though they were very young tissue cultured plants. I kept them well watered and fertilized all season. I recall adjusting the plants to direct sunlight for a couple weeks and then planting them right in the ground. I added a pic of the plants at the end of the first year. It appears they grew to 6 feet overall height.

v1rtu0s1ty
07-06-2008, 03:56 PM
Yeah, I planted the basjoos directly in the ground even though they were very young tissue cultured plants. I kept them well watered and fertilized all season. I recall adjusting the plants to direct sunlight for a couple weeks and then planting them right in the ground. I added a pic of the plants at the end of the first year. It appears they grew to 6 feet overall height.

What fertilizer do I need to put? I haven't done any to my basjoo just watering every other day.

austinl01
07-06-2008, 04:50 PM
I used a mixture of fertilizer. When the plants are small, I'd recommend an all purpose liquid fertilizer especially one with micronutrients. I think Peters acid loving fertilizer has micros--I've used this quite a bit. As the plants grow, I'd use a slow release fertilizer like Osmocote.

v1rtu0s1ty
07-06-2008, 05:33 PM
I used a mixture of fertilizer. When the plants are small, I'd recommend an all purpose liquid fertilizer especially one with micronutrients. I think Peters acid loving fertilizer has micros--I've used this quite a bit. As the plants grow, I'd use a slow release fertilizer like Osmocote.

I should try my fish hydrolysate. Thanks.

austinl01
07-06-2008, 06:03 PM
I should try my fish hydrolysate. Thanks.

I think that would work well. Keep us posted! :0489:

Chironex
07-06-2008, 07:50 PM
Beautiful, but where did you move the elephant ears?

austinl01
07-06-2008, 07:58 PM
Scot, the elephant ears went into decline after that year. I couldn't pour on the water enough to make them happy in my climate. I have since decided to grow only the upright elephant ears; they don't need as much water and look a lot better, in my opinion.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/September2006GardenPics031.jpg

Larry815
07-07-2008, 04:27 PM
I hope I can get my plants to look that good!!! I have tryed and every year they die back... Id be so happy if i can get them to come back...
yours look GREAT

Bananaman88
07-07-2008, 05:47 PM
Nice looking plants, Austin. Isn't it funny how quickly we have to expand our beds?

Dean W.
07-07-2008, 08:04 PM
Your bananas look great, Austin! :2691:

MagicKiwi
07-07-2008, 08:25 PM
Can I grow Musa Basjoo in USDA Zone 5 SW Michigan?
How about anyone growing them in zone 4 or 3?
How well are they doing in the ground over winter?

I have the chance to buy some but I don't know how well they will winter over in the ground.
Would love to hear from anyone who has been growing them in zone 5.
Thanks

cedardave
07-07-2008, 08:37 PM
Well ...Im growing them in zone 2b...all summer anyway. As for the winter , they all come indoors to live with the family.:goteam:

MagicKiwi
07-07-2008, 09:08 PM
Thanks - if I had room I would love to overwinter them inside ... but ... :( I already bring in brugmansias, hanging plants, store cannas and so forth inside - these things get big so I can't imagine a dozen of them inside!!!

The info from ads etc say that they are supposed to be hardy in zone 5. :confused:

mskitty38583
07-07-2008, 11:00 PM
ha ha ha! this is what my den looked like last winter and thats what it will look like this winter too:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9026 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9023)http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9023 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8588)http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=7509 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7162).

Raules
07-08-2008, 12:38 AM
mskitty it is very beautiful! At you the tropical house. My congratulations!:banana_ba

Bananaman88
07-08-2008, 06:22 AM
I think you can successfully grow them in Zone 5 with no problem. I realize that your main concern is about overwintering them. There are several threads on the board that discuss overwintering techinques for bananas. Do a search under the Cold Hardy section and you should find a plethora of information. Welcome to our community!

MagicKiwi
07-08-2008, 10:41 AM
Thanks very much - I will go round up that other place! :confused:

magicgreen
07-08-2008, 01:39 PM
ha ha ha! this is what my den looked like last winter and thats what it will look like this winter too:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9026 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=9023)http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=9023 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=8588)http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=7509 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=7162).

Welcome Magickiwi !!! :2129:
Mskitty is soooo right!! LOL!!! My place is gonna look the same too!!
But with moreeeeeeee plants than last:jumpingonbednaner: year!!!

MagicKiwi
07-08-2008, 01:48 PM
Thanks for the welcome!!!

BUT - isn't there anyone from Zonez 5, 4, or 3 out there who is growing the MBs in the ground over the winter??? Oh PUUULLLLLEASE someone!!!
Anyone???

Cheers - :nanadrink:
(these banana icons are a hoot!)

man with the yellow hat
07-08-2008, 04:42 PM
Can I grow Musa Basjoo in USDA Zone 5 SW Michigan?
How about anyone growing them in zone 4 or 3?
How well are they doing in the ground over winter?

I have the chance to buy some but I don't know how well they will winter over in the ground.
Would love to hear from anyone who has been growing them in zone 5.
Thanks

you can grow them in Michigan, no problem at all. I dug up some rather large basjoo last fall, left them in the garage all winter and they are monsters this year.

austinl01
07-08-2008, 05:29 PM
Basjoo is definitely THE banana for northern growers. Lots of people have had success with them in zones 4-6. Search through the forums for musa basjoo, and I'm sure you'll find lots of ways to protect them during the winter.

MagicKiwi
07-09-2008, 03:27 PM
Thanks Austin. This past week I have been told that Musa Basjoo will NOT survive the winters here in S Michigan - lots of cold, lots of snow as we get Lake Effect snow off Lake Michigan ... our last frost date average is 15 May - but this year we had freezing nights right up til the end of May! Not every night but often enough to scare the daylights out of everyone.
:coldbanana:

austinl01
07-09-2008, 05:49 PM
Thanks Austin. This past week I have been told that Musa Basjoo will NOT survive the winters here in S Michigan - lots of cold, lots of snow as we get Lake Effect snow off Lake Michigan ... our last frost date average is 15 May - but this year we had freezing nights right up til the end of May! Not every night but often enough to scare the daylights out of everyone.
:coldbanana:

I can't really give you much advice because my climate is a lot warmer, but I'm sure there are several members on the board that could help. I ran across this drawing on the internet about how to protect bananas from the cold. It may work for you. Basjoo is definitely worth a shot.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/Basjooprotection.jpg

mskitty38583
07-09-2008, 08:07 PM
sandy has a diagram of how she protected her nanas in her gallery... thats what im using this winter along with the cage method for my bigger nanas.

buzzybee
07-28-2008, 12:14 PM
Hey MagicKiwi.....HELLO from a fellow Michigander! I'm from Niles. Where are you? I am just a few days new to this site and just read your post about overwintering Musa Basjoo. People about a mile down the road have been raising their own little banana forest for the last 4 years and it looks pretty nice. The basjoos will grow here and very nicely I might add! I purchased my first in June on clearance and it is growing beautifully. I am SO excited! I did not know there was such thing as a cold hardy banana. I LOVE plants and gardening and tropical stuff. My pink plastic flamingos will prove that! They are guardians of my banana tree! Too much fun!

The people down the street said they mulch theirs with a thick layer of straw and then cover it to keep it dry. I am trying the straw but I am going to fill trash bags with leaves (about 4-5) and place them around the trunk after cutting it down a bit and weigh them down with bricks then fill in the space around the truck with more leaves then cover with a tarp. I found this info from someone who lives in Indy but sounds like it should work here. I hope so. I want to see my basjoo green and growing come spring. :woohoonaner:

buzzybee
07-28-2008, 12:26 PM
Hi Man with the yellow hat's!

I just looked over your picture gallery! Amazing! And you also live in Michigan?? :woohoonaner: I'm in Niles. I love the one with the pine trees in the background. What a fabulous contrast for a banana tree!

I can only imagine what potential my new little Musa Basjoo has in the years to come! :goteam: I can't wait to have my own little forest. The leaves on mine keep getting longer and bigger each time one sprouts. It's SO pretty! I am hooked. What kind of banana is pictured with the hand of fruit in your gallery of photos? Thanks for posting those. :)

Randy4ut
07-28-2008, 12:42 PM
I can't really give you much advice because my climate is a lot warmer, but I'm sure there are several members on the board that could help. I ran across this drawing on the internet about how to protect bananas from the cold. It may work for you. Basjoo is definitely worth a shot.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/Basjooprotection.jpg


Sorry to pipe in so late but, I have not been following this thread too well. Anyway, Austin, this is a great method for overwintering nanners in colder climates. One other, less hassle, method is to take dry leaves and fill large black trash bags. Then poke a hole in the side of the bag just large enough to place over the pstem that you are wanting to overwinter, slide it down over the pstem, and then poke another hole at the other side of the bag. Keep stacking bags on top of each other until you have the pstem covered. The last bag should not have a hole on the top side of the bag, obviously, and that is all you would have to do, besides applying a real good layer of mulch on top of the mat. For all you more northern growers than I, hope this helps and let us know how they fare for you in Michigan... Always good to see folks pushing the limits on our beloved bananas!!!!

MagicKiwi
07-28-2008, 02:33 PM
Hey MagicKiwi.....HELLO from a fellow Michigander! I'm from Niles. Where are you? I am just a few days new to this site and just read your post about overwintering Musa Basjoo. People about a mile down the road have been raising their own little banana forest for the last 4 years and it looks pretty nice. The basjoos will grow here and very nicely I might add! I purchased my first in June on clearance and it is growing beautifully. I am SO excited! I did not know there was such thing as a cold hardy banana. I LOVE plants and gardening and tropical stuff. My pink plastic flamingos will prove that! They are guardians of my banana tree! Too much fun!

The people down the street said they mulch theirs with a thick layer of straw and then cover it to keep it dry. I am trying the straw but I am going to fill trash bags with leaves (about 4-5) and place them around the trunk after cutting it down a bit and weigh them down with bricks then fill in the space around the truck with more leaves then cover with a tarp. I found this info from someone who lives in Indy but sounds like it should work here. I hope so. I want to see my basjoo green and growing come spring. :woohoonaner:
Kalamazoo here. Glad to find someone else in the area who is growing bananas. I knew of a gal up in the Gun Lake area who has lots of bananas but I can no longer find her! She has many varieties but I believe she brings them in for the winter and cold-stores them.
Com fall it will be interesting eh? Lowes here in Kzoo has quite a few Musa Basjoo left and I need to get over there - they are over three feet tall and in flower pots. Last I checked they were around $12 but I am hoping to offer half of that and that they will take it just to get them off their hands! Meijers also has "tropical" pots - some with bananas in the middle and others with an Elephant Ear in the middle. They are pretty cagey about dropping their prices and just about let them totally die before dropping prices. I can't find the manager of their garden department - it is a phantom I guess - but I will keep trying. Have fun down there in Niles.

buzzybee
07-28-2008, 03:03 PM
I will have to check out our Lowe's here and see what they might have. I don't think $12 is a bad price. Mine already has 3 pups and I just planted it in June. The first pup is almost as big as it's mom.

Yeah, Walmart here and Meijer across the stateline do not take care of their plants. If you purchase something when it is new and still fresh they can be nice but I do not think you get much of a deal then. I saw the EE's at Meijer in the tropical pots but I did not even think to look for bananas! Thanks for the heads up! I would think those might not be basjoos but I would love to try one in the house for the winter of another variety anyway and summer it outdoors. I have a small green house new last fall and not sure yet how to heat it cost effectively.

I saw on your earlier post that you have brugmansia! They are so beautiful! Can you please tell me if they are easy to grow. I want one so much. We will be in Florida in Feb and I am hoping I can find one down there. Thanx!

man with the yellow hat
07-28-2008, 05:10 PM
Hi Man with the yellow hat's!

I just looked over your picture gallery! Amazing! And you also live in Michigan?? :woohoonaner: I'm in Niles. I love the one with the pine trees in the background. What a fabulous contrast for a banana tree!

I can only imagine what potential my new little Musa Basjoo has in the years to come! :goteam: I can't wait to have my own little forest. The leaves on mine keep getting longer and bigger each time one sprouts. It's SO pretty! I am hooked. What kind of banana is pictured with the hand of fruit in your gallery of photos? Thanks for posting those. :)

I'ts the fruit of a musa basjoo.
:bananas_b mike

Exotic Life
07-31-2008, 06:07 AM
Look very nice!

buzzybee
07-31-2008, 03:48 PM
Hey MagicKiwi,

The Lowe's in Niles does not have bananas but the one in Mishawaka IN does. They are labeled Musa Resistence and in small letters it says musa basjoo. Is this the same thing? The reason I am asking for advice is because the musa basjoo I purchased earlier in June was labeled as basjoo but I think it is something else. So beware. The leaves on the pups on my tree are speckled and splotched reddish and the mama plant is kinda chunky/beefier than the pictures of basjoo I have seen.

So now I am thinking of buying one at lowes also. :0519: I want a basjoo. I guess I may be wintering a small forest of banana trees in my basement for the winter :-/ Can anyone give me some info on the basjoo. Do the pups look this way? I read a discription of a cavendish and it sounds like my plant? Anybody? What you say??? Thanks for listening to me whine.

Oh My Gosh! I just found all the smilies!!! TOO FUN!!! :jumpingonbednaner: :ukkibannana:

man with the yellow hat
07-31-2008, 04:10 PM
Hey MagicKiwi,

The Lowe's in Niles does not have bananas but the one in Mishawaka IN does. They are labeled Musa Resistence and in small letters it says musa basjoo. Is this the same thing? The reason I am asking for advice is because the musa basjoo I purchased earlier in June was labeled as basjoo but I think it is something else. So beware. The leaves on the pups on my tree are speckled and splotched reddish and the mama plant is kinda chunky/beefier than the pictures of basjoo I have seen.

So now I am thinking of buying one at lowes also. :0519: I want a basjoo. I guess I may be wintering a small forest of banana trees in my basement for the winter :-/ Can anyone give me some info on the basjoo. Do the pups look this way? I read a discription of a cavendish and it sounds like my plant? Anybody? What you say??? Thanks for listening to me whine.

Oh My Gosh! I just found all the smilies!!! TOO FUN!!! :jumpingonbednaner: :ukkibannana:

do you have any pictures of your pups? Dont count on a superstore to label a plant properly, post your pictures here, I'm sure someone here can identify what you have.:bananas_bfrom the other side of the mitten.

austinl01
07-31-2008, 05:01 PM
Sorry to pipe in so late but, I have not been following this thread too well. Anyway, Austin, this is a great method for overwintering nanners in colder climates. One other, less hassle, method is to take dry leaves and fill large black trash bags. Then poke a hole in the side of the bag just large enough to place over the pstem that you are wanting to overwinter, slide it down over the pstem, and then poke another hole at the other side of the bag. Keep stacking bags on top of each other until you have the pstem covered. The last bag should not have a hole on the top side of the bag, obviously, and that is all you would have to do, besides applying a real good layer of mulch on top of the mat. For all you more northern growers than I, hope this helps and let us know how they fare for you in Michigan... Always good to see folks pushing the limits on our beloved bananas!!!!

Thanks for posting, Randy. That's another great way to protect bananas.

:bananas_b

buzzybee
07-31-2008, 09:26 PM
I wish I could post pics but I have not come into the light of things with learning how to do that...... It's on my to do list! :) I will work on it and see if I can post something soon so y'all can help me identify my naner. Thanks!

austinl01
07-31-2008, 11:00 PM
Hey y'all. I wanted to update you with a fresh picture of my musa basjoo mat. We got a little rain today (0.12 inches) so this really revived them. It's been near 100 degrees for the last week. I've been watering regularly, but it's hard to keep up.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/DSCN0483_07312008_083.jpg\

Dean W.
08-01-2008, 01:07 PM
Looks great, Austin.

deruo
08-16-2008, 11:50 PM
I would kill for a garden like that!

Hi everyone, new member here in Southern Ontario and big fan of Musa Basjoo.
I bought a 3 inch shoot last July, and never got around to planting it outside due to a couple of moves since then.

I've cut one pup off and planted it outside and though I thought I'd killed it in the separation process, it's come back and doing very well. I was thinking about mulching it over the winter but think I'd best put it in my storage space in the parking garage over winter. Unfortunately, the dirt in my "garden" is only about a foot or so deep because it's over the parking garage. I'd think it'd be fairly easy for a foot of soil to freeze here sufficiently to kill it. Unless I get a heating cable and wrap it around the rootball somehow - but thats too much work for this year

The main plant isn't looking too healthy. For months it's grown on a slant, leaves withered with brown spots, but its working on two more pups. I've repotted it and it was pretty rootbound, but I'm going to try using some 20-20-20 fertilizer on it and see what happens. After that its spending the winter inside and will go into the garden with this years bamboo next spring.

I do have what may seem like a silly question. For those of you who overwinter your plants in the garage - do you water them at all or just let 'em dry out and then replant them in the spring?

austinl01
08-19-2008, 09:05 PM
Tom, when people overwinter their bananas in a garage they water very sparingly or just let them dry out completely. I would water just a few times during the winter because the banana won't grow much at all. Let the soil completely dry out and then just water a very small amount. It's better to underwater than overwater in the winter.

raggedyredhead
08-19-2008, 11:35 PM
you can grow them in Michigan, no problem at all. I dug up some rather large basjoo last fall, left them in the garage all winter and they are monsters this year.

I'm in NJ and after speaking to a number of people, I am leaving mine in the ground. I'll probably wrap Pstems in paperbacked housing insulation. They already are mulched but, I will probably add more. Doing pretty well so far though temp is still 80's. Looks like I will have the other non cold tolerant ones
growing under lights.
My house is a jungle! I need to live in a glass house.
:woohoonaner:

Chironex
08-19-2008, 11:46 PM
It's never too early to think about where and how to best protect our investments. I don't have too much to worry about here in Las Vegas, except for a chance for frost a few times and perhaps a few cold days. Fortunately, I have access to a southeast-facing garage that keeps everything above freezing. Already cleared out a spot for all of my bananas to keep toasty this winter. I almost laugh when I say winter as it is nothing like the winters near Chicago.

Jimzone7
08-20-2008, 05:22 AM
raggedy
I'd be very careful using house insulation, if that stuff gets wet it wont dry out and that's about one of the easiest ways to kill a mat in our zone 7. I'm in Staten Island and wintered over basjoo last winter. (I've got some pictures of their "winter home" in my picture gallary) Good luck

Austin
Your lasiocarpa are doing great, I think you were right all lasiocarpa's are not created equally, ours are beauties. I'll try to get some pics up soon, There's one in my gallary but that's not even the big one. Thanks for a great addition.
Jim

raggedyredhead
08-20-2008, 08:34 PM
raggedy
I'd be very careful using house insulation, if that stuff gets wet it wont dry out and that's about one of the easiest ways to kill a mat in our zone 7. I'm in Staten Island and wintered over basjoo last winter. (I've got some pictures of their "winter home" in my picture gallary) Good luck

Austin
Your lasiocarpa are doing great, I think you were right all lasiocarpa's are not created equally, ours are beauties. I'll try to get some pics up soon, There's one in my gallary but that's not even the big one. Thanks for a great addition.
Jim

Thanks very much for the warning Jim. Only reason I considered this was because I saw a video on Utube. I will check out youe pics on winterizing.
You made an excellent point!

Raggedy

austinl01
08-20-2008, 09:08 PM
Jim, I'm excited to hear the musella are growing great. I had no doubt that they would! This banana is easy to grow and very rewarding with lots of pups. I truly believe my musella is of an excellent source because the leaves are so bluish green that they are amazing to see. Here mine are behind my dwarf cavendish that I picked up at Home Depot last month! I wish I had a better picture of them but this will have to do for now. :)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/DSCN0498_07312008_098.jpg

Chironex
08-20-2008, 10:02 PM
Austin, Wow - those are great looking plants. It is starting to get a little cooler here now - almost....Today was over 100 degrees but it's cooling off more at night.

austinl01
08-20-2008, 10:07 PM
Thanks, Scot. It's been cool here with 3.13 inches of rain in 24 hours! The high was only 77 too! Very untypical for late August, but I'll take it rather than the typical 100 degree days. All this rain makes the bananas shoot for the stars!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/DSCN0564_08182008_54.jpg

arthurb3
08-23-2008, 12:34 PM
WOW!! They look great and so do they palms!
Home (http://www.arthurinthegarden.com)

arthurb3
08-23-2008, 12:38 PM
I thought I'd break into my picture vault and find some musa basjoo pictures from a few years ago to compare their growth rate. I found a few good pictures starting with the 3" tissue cultured plants. I hope these pics will give new growers of musa basjoo inspiration. Starting with tissue culture isn't all bad. :)

The beginning...
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/May2005.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/September2005029.jpg

The next year...
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/September2006GardenPics026.jpg

A couple rewards in 2007 for my hard work...
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/MidNovember009a.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/MidNovember003a.jpg

Here they are today...
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/DSCN0374_80.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/DSCN0385_75.jpg

I hope you enjoyed watching my musa basjoo grow over the years!

WOW! They look great!
www.arthurinthegardenc.om

austinl01
08-24-2008, 08:51 PM
The basjoos keep growing and growing. This year has been super for bananas with regular rainfalls all summer. In just a couple days, I got over 3.10 inches of rain at my house. Yesterday brought another 0.40 inches! The bananas are loving it. I'm 6 feet tall to give the plants some scale. And, we've still got a few good months until frost with is usually in early November.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/DSCN0591_08242008_26.jpg

Jimzone7
08-27-2008, 04:16 PM
Hi Austin
Everything looks great, it's nice to see the progression over time.
In one of your earlier photos you showed the replacement for the EE, (the ones with the upright leaves.) It's one of my favorites and I'm thinking about planting them next season. Any info on them would be appreciated.
Jim

austinl01
08-30-2008, 04:26 PM
Hi Austin
Everything looks great, it's nice to see the progression over time.
In one of your earlier photos you showed the replacement for the EE, (the ones with the upright leaves.) It's one of my favorites and I'm thinking about planting them next season. Any info on them would be appreciated.
Jim

Jim, the upright EEs are hardy in my zone. Some people dig them up for the winter and store the corms in a crawl space or garage. I just mulch them and they reliably come back each year. They don't require as much water as the regular EEs which is a great attribute. I got rid of my regular EEs because they would always wilt even if I watered them often. Treat the upright EEs like you would bananas. They like compost, cow manure, and regular fertilizer.

deruo
09-14-2008, 11:32 AM
Wow, your garden looks great!

I just love this plant. The pup that I divided this year looked like it was a goner after I planted it. Several weeks later it's come back and has been going great guns even with the cooler weather coming.

The momma plant, from which the pup came from, wilted, and then the neighborhood terror-squirrel got into it. Looked deader than dead. Stem broken right off. It was in a pot, and against my better judgement and thinking it'd been lost anyway, I planted it outside at the end of August. It's now pushing up two pups, and a new stem-like thing is forming.

Even the replanted pup is putting out two pups! The neighbors have all been asking what I've got growing there.

I'm hoping for a southern plantation look next year on my postage stamp-sized yard in downtown Toronto!:2791:

I'll be digging them both up in a couple of weeks for overwintering. I'm hoping the ground will dry out some before then. We're getting the after-effects of Ike today.

I'm thinking I'll overwinter the healthy pup indoors and the original plant and it's pups perhaps in the underground garage. Apparently its heated and doesn't drop below freezing. I'm thinking because it's been sickly recently, that it could use the rest for the next 7 (wow, is winter here really that long?) months.

I'm finding Musa basjoo is almost as easy to grow as cactus!