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fishman0422
07-09-2008, 10:52 AM
Here's a story. Last night I came home from work about 10:30. My wife was outside watering the front yard. She told me a little while earlier my son and his friend were swimming in the pool. We have a decorative rope lighted palm tree that was given to us by her parents. That tree was lit and so were our torches around the deck. The back gate was open and as my wife was walking from the back yard to the front when she heard an "OH MY GOD". A couple was walking along the street. The lady could see the lit palm tree, the torches, and the pool. She seemed excited to see what she was seeing. It turns out they were newlyweds and recently had gotten back from their honeymoon in the carribean. Even from the road she said it reminded her of her recent vacation. She asked my wife if it would be OK to take a look. My wife was like ........ooookaaay. She thought it was a little wierd but the lady seemed nice enough. When the couple first entered the back the lady had thought the musa basjoo were actually palm trees. My wife informed them that they were actually bananas, and that they were plants, not trees. The woman was pretty excited bombarding her husband with honey this and honey thats. She was grabbing her husbands arm, tapping her husband's arm saying that it looked like the villa they stayed in. It turns out they lived on another street in our little town and were near and knew a family that we knew as well. She said that she wanted her yard to look just like ours. My wife explained they are a bit of work and that I built chicken wire cages and cover them in the colder months. She informed them that although the bananas would come back they would have to protect them through the winter if they wanted them to keep getting larger. I think the husband liked the yard as well but was not nearly as thrilled as his wife. The special attention the bananas require did not seem to deter the wife. My wife never actually named them as Musa Basjoo, but did call them cold hardy bananas. I'm sure that that was enough. If the woman doesn't have any luck finding them at a local nursery (NOW they have been popping up here and there), she can EASILY find them on the world wide web. I wouldn't be surprised if she at some point ended up here! HA HA HA JOIN US! YOU ARE ONE OF US! IT IS YOUR DESTINY!.......oh um excuse me... but any way before she left she even took a picture of the yard with her cell phone!
-Bill

stumpy4700
07-09-2008, 10:59 AM
Sounds like there is a husband in NJ that will be in need of lots of TIME,ENERGY,PLANTING,AND READING on the ORG.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CookieCows
07-09-2008, 12:30 PM
What a great story!! Your yard does sound beautiful!

Deb

mskitty38583
07-09-2008, 12:56 PM
that is so awesome. i had almost the same experience. but it was two women and they ooed and awed all over the nanas in my yard. every sunday the elderly people drive by my yard on sundays going to church and im just worried they are gonna drive into the ditch from looking in the yard instead of the road. it makes you feel good knowing that they are not there just for our enjoyment but for eveyone elses.

sandy0225
07-09-2008, 01:08 PM
Should I send you a stack of my business cards? then when you do the tour, you can pass them out.....LOL.....
Sounds like here!

mskitty38583
07-09-2008, 01:10 PM
you have my address, send them on. i have friends who are now becoming nana nuts as well.

austinl01
07-09-2008, 01:14 PM
You should have directed the wife to this forum!!! Maybe we can get some business cards made for Bananas.org and pass them out to folks interested in hardy "banana palms"!

Bananaman88
07-09-2008, 02:49 PM
I've heard so many people (who obviously don't know much about plants) call bananas palms. I gave my mother-in-law some SDC plants to take back to KY with here when they came to visit a couple of months ago. She told me when she was going through the airport someone commented on her "palm" trees! I don't get it...they look nothing like a palm. Oh well....

austinl01
07-09-2008, 04:34 PM
I've heard so many people (who obviously don't know much about plants) call bananas palms. I gave my mother-in-law some SDC plants to take back to KY with here when they came to visit a couple of months ago. She told me when she was going through the airport someone commented on her "palm" trees! I don't get it...they look nothing like a palm. Oh well....

I know! I just don't get it either. Bananas look totally different than palms. The leaves have no resemblance and the pseudostems are different than palm trunks.

It's like: Let me introduce you to a palm. His name is Washingtonia Robusta.;)
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Washingtonia/September2006GardenPics023.jpg

Then, here is a banana. His name is Orinoco.;)
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c2/austinl01/Bananas/GardenPicsJuly142006041.jpg

Now, let's write a compare and contrast essay about the differences!
:woohoonaner:

Your homework: When you walk your dog, look around the neighborhood and identify which are bananas and which are palms! :bananadog:

:ha::ha::ha::ha::ha:

Taylor
07-09-2008, 04:41 PM
Next thing you know a few "palm" pups will have disappeared from your yard!!!

Jarred has nice business cards that he sent to me with my Black Balbisiana.

Sandy, I would like a business card of yours.

mskitty38583
07-09-2008, 08:05 PM
i dont think to many people pay attention to leaf or stem structure...all they see is green! and i like the essay idea!

MediaHound
07-09-2008, 09:17 PM
Thats a wonderful story and its always great when strangers and visitors appreciate your garden. Bravo!

microfarmer
07-09-2008, 10:27 PM
I'd have to point down the block to show someone a palm. I have no room for palms. Palms have hurt me. I say good day! Pheh...:waving:

fishman0422
07-09-2008, 10:42 PM
Hey hey hey. Bananaman, you and Austin are being a little harsh. WE know the differences between bananas and palms but it's not too hard to understand why others may not. Give bananas a trunk rather than the psuedo stem and shred up the leaves a little and a banana can resemble a palm. And to be honest, a lot of palms look nothing like washingtonia Robusta. As a matter of fact the palm trees I saw in Florida had leaves closer to my bananas (if shreaded) than the Washingtonia Robusta. Let's try to go easy on the folks!

austinl01
07-09-2008, 11:25 PM
Hey hey hey. Bananaman, you and Austin are being a little harsh. WE know the differences between bananas and palms but it's not too hard to understand why others may not. Give bananas a trunk rather than the psuedo stem and shred up the leaves a little and a banana can resemble a palm. And to be honest, a lot of palms look nothing like washingtonia Robusta. As a matter of fact the palm trees I saw in Florida had leaves closer to my bananas (if shreaded) than the Washingtonia Robusta. Let's try to go easy on the folks!

Yeah, you're right. We're experienced gardeners. I was just making light of the situation. Not really trying to be harsh, just humorous. :) :bananas_b

fishman0422
07-09-2008, 11:27 PM
Check out what the newlyweds saw! Take a look at my photo gallery. I posted some Pics of my yard.

mskitty38583
07-09-2008, 11:32 PM
nice pics, thanks for posting them.:woohoonaner:

fishman0422
07-10-2008, 04:15 AM
Thanks MsKitty!

fishman0422
07-10-2008, 04:21 AM
Yeah, you're right. We're experienced gardeners. I was just making light of the situation. Not really trying to be harsh, just humorous. :) :bananas_b

Experienced gardeners? LOL speak for yourself. Hell, I don't know too much of what I'm doing. So far I've just been REALLY lucky.
Oh, and I also figured you weren't really tyring to be harsh. I was just looking for something to write.

Bananaman88
07-10-2008, 06:19 AM
Oh yeah, I wasn't intending to be mean. It would be like if someone asked me to tell them the difference in two engine parts...I likely wouldn't know the difference either. It was all in good fun!

proletariatcsp
07-10-2008, 08:34 AM
Before planting my own nanners,

I always had trouble telling the difference between White bird of paradise and Bananas. :waving:

jpfloors
07-10-2008, 04:57 PM
Great story! I usually get "man, you have a banana forest back here!" I say "thanks, it's suppose to be!" LOL

paula
07-10-2008, 06:17 PM
Fishman I am also in nj.
Do you keep your bananas
out all year round?

austinl01
07-10-2008, 06:21 PM
Experienced gardeners? LOL speak for yourself. Hell, I don't know too much of what I'm doing. So far I've just been REALLY lucky.
Oh, and I also figured you weren't really tyring to be harsh. I was just looking for something to write.

Fishman, no problem! You'll be an experienced banana grower in no time. Believe me, this hobby is very addictive! :goteam:

fishman0422
07-10-2008, 09:04 PM
Hi Paula, Yes I do leave them out all year, in the ground that is. I wrap them up for the winter. Last season was my first for bananas and I BELIEVE I wrapped them up in early November but it may have been late October. All I know is I waited for a frost or two and the leaves began to show damage. The plants stayed wrapped until the 2nd week in April. -Bill

fishman0422
07-10-2008, 09:08 PM
Fishman, no problem! You'll be an experienced banana grower in no time. Believe me, this hobby is very addictive! :goteam:
Oh you don't have to tell me! I've been an addict from the start! About the plants my wife tells her friends "Well you know Billy and his bananas."

john_ny
07-13-2008, 04:20 PM
You have to consider that, for some people, their only contact with a banana/palm etc. may have been while they were on vacation, a couple of years ago. Add to that the fact that they might not really be interested in bananas/palms (or any plant) and it's easy to see why they don't remember what they look like, and confuse one with the other. I think there are several plants like strelitzias, heliconias, gingers, cannas, etc., that at some point in their life cycle, look somewhat like a banana, if given only a casual glance. Even a coconut palm, when it's just germinating, and the leaf is 1 to 2 feet long, before the individual fronds separate, looks a little like a banana.

magicgreen
07-14-2008, 12:37 PM
Hi Paula, Yes I do leave them out all year, in the ground that is. I wrap them up for the winter. Last season was my first for bananas and I BELIEVE I wrapped them up in early November but it may have been late October. All I know is I waited for a frost or two and the leaves began to show damage. The plants stayed wrapped until the 2nd week in April. -Bill
Fishman Welcome to the Org!:goteam:
Now I wanna know how you wrap up your bananas for the winter! My basjoo didnt make it!
I have a new baby I nursed all winter and its growing well! I don't wanna lose this one too!
I thought I would do Sandy's method this year.
But I like to read all other methods too.
Thanks for the info in advance.
Lynn

fishman0422
07-14-2008, 11:05 PM
Paula,
First I made round chicken wire enclosures. about 2 1/2 - 3 ft in diameter. The height of the wire I think 4 feet. Mine didn't have tops but should have. They will this year.
After cutting the leaves I put the wire cages over the plant.
I drove stakes into the ground, just a few, right up next to the cages.
Using twine I tied the wire of the cages to the wooden stakes.
I'm not sure what it's called, I bought a thin foam insulation intented for installation under laminate flooring. Other than being adhered to a thin layer of clear plastic It's exactly like that felt like foam stuff wrapped around electronics like a VCR when you pull it out of the package. Rolls of it are sold at home depot.
I Wrapped the thin foam around the wire cages and secured it with duct tape.
You can use hay or mulch, and you can even add the cut off leaves. I used mulch. I Dumped the mulch into the cages. The more the merrier, go ahead fill it up, you can use the mulch in the spring anyway so who cares. I should have used more.
If you made a top add it now. I then went ahead and covered them all with plastic drop cloths and large black plastic bags. A few layers in all. The black plastic bags were added because i thought it wasn't such a hot idea to allow sun light to get through the clear plastic of the drop cloth. This year I have black contractor trash bags from home depot. They're very thick, very tough. They should be fine alone without the drop cloth. I will still probably use 2 or 3 layers. Now going around the black plastic tie it down onto the wire cage with twine. This is important! do it at least at three levels, at the top, middle, and bottom. Even 4 or 5 times around- make it nice and snug!!!
While my plants made it through the winter I was hoping for better height results. The stem does get mushy so you will probably lose some height. If I used more mulch they MAY have faired better. Without tops rain water collected in the plastic. I had to carefully pull up the plastic every now and again to let the water out. Collected water can weigh down and onto the stem in the enclosure. I actually had a problem due to collected water on my favorite plant during a rain storm when only my wife was home. The excess weight made it sag in, the twine didn't hold the stem poked through......bottom line make a top! I plan to make a dome shape top using hanger wire. Before adding the mulch I may even be wrapping the stem with bubble wrap for more insulation this year. Over all they did the job and BELIEVE IT OR NOT when I unwrapped the plants in April I think it was two of them that had green growth and leaves starting - I SWEAR, even under black plastic. That did surprise me. I'm sorry I don't have pictures for you.
-Bill

magicgreen
07-15-2008, 02:13 AM
Thankyou Bill, :waving:
I did practically what you did, but I wrapped the stem in a blanket before adding mulch. To keep it warm ya' know.:ha:
I also had an extra garbage lid (clean) for the top to keep out water.
Maybe I didnt wrap it in enough plastic.
I think it might of gotten wet feet though.
Thats why I think Sandy's idea with the leaves (5 bags if I remember right) in black plastic bags placed tightly around p-stem, another bag of leaves on top to keep out rain , and hold in heat, and then a tarp over that which you tie down over all the bags might just be the ticket!
Only thing.....the basjoo is in the front yard, and I don't think I want to look at a great big hump all winter. Plus I like to decorate for Christmmmmas!
I just got finished looking at this all winter and part of spring and late fall in my front yard, and not happy about looking at it again!
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd141/LYNNSGARDEN2007/127-1.jpg
Or this............................................................ ................
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd141/LYNNSGARDEN2007/IMG_0134.jpg
So I gotta figure out something before end of summer!:woohoonaner:
Thankyou for responding!
Lynn

proletariatcsp
07-15-2008, 07:43 AM
I miss Jersey:( sometimes. But Florida is so much more beautiful.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3232/2617563331_a798d903c5.jpg

Kenzie_POM
07-15-2008, 09:07 AM
Great story.

microfarmer
07-15-2008, 02:49 PM
Only thing.....the basjoo is in the front yard, and I don't think I want to look at a great big hump all winter. Plus I like to decorate for Christmmmmas!
I just got finished looking at this all winter and part of spring and late fall in my front yard, and not happy about looking at it again!


You could always disguise the plastic hump as a snowman or Santa Claus...:lurk:

Dean W.
07-15-2008, 03:51 PM
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/dd141/LYNNSGARDEN2007/IMG_0134.jpg



Now that's a snow banana!:ha:

fishman0422
07-15-2008, 05:18 PM
I miss Jersey:( sometimes. But Florida is so much more beautiful.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3232/2617563331_a798d903c5.jpg

Let me tell you Florida is pretty. I was there once. I loved the driving, that may seem strange, but I thought everything was simple to navigate, uturns at lights, & no jug handles that I can remember. HOWEVER, the week or so that I was there was in May during Mother's day week. It was HOT. I was standing in line at Disney dripping. Repeatedly saying "It's hot". The summer (THE SUMMER? Heck it was still spring!) is just like Jersey with the heat and the humidity but worse, MUCH WORSE. I'm glad you like it because you should, you live there, but no offense you can keep it.:0491:

fishman0422
07-15-2008, 05:38 PM
Lynn,
Wow I'm getting confused, sorry I called you Paula. I think Paula Asked the original question and YOU asked for the details. I'm really surprised that your basjoo didn't make it. And sorry to hear it too. I'm sure you were dissappointed. Other than the plastic color yours looks JUST like mine did. I guess it may have been a tiny detail, I don't know. I use black mulch plus the black bags maybe that attracted the sun and supplied warmth? It also scares me because I thought I made it no problem and I may have been very close to failure. Who knows what'll happen next time.All of my bananas are in the back yard. We had tossed the idea around of adding them to the front but decided against it due the plants' "winter coats". I would consider Micro farmers snow man idea.
-Bill

magicgreen
07-15-2008, 08:04 PM
Dean & Bill you both brought out a chuckle from me!:ha::ha::ha::ha::ha::ha:
Thanks for that!!
I may have to dig it up next summer for the backyard. Its nice and rooted now! This new basjoo has been out front since April! And Iam bound and determined that it will ~SURVIVE~. I want a mat!!!!!!!!!:02:
I'll just have to go through one more winter and the snow banana will be seen from the backyard only!!:woohoonaner:

thebes11
07-16-2008, 07:02 PM
That is one great looking backyard!




Now, let's write a compare and contrast essay about the differences!
:woohoonaner:




Wow, college flashback. I was computer science major, but was one of the few with language skills. In one class, the professor asked us to write an essay comparing two different programming languages (sound's like a real page turner huh?).

I got a "C". When I asked why, the professor said I only listed how they were alike, and he wanted discussion of the differences also.

Letter of the law and such.

He never did change my grade, but I got an A in the class anyway. I tried to explain a little about the English language to him, but he was not interested. I knew what he wanted, but I couldn't help myself. I just loved (hmmm, past tense, perhaps not the best choice) being a PITA.

austinl01
07-16-2008, 10:17 PM
Wow, college flashback. I was computer science major, but was one of the few with language skills. In one class, the professor asked us to write an essay comparing two different programming languages (sound's like a real page turner huh?).

I got a "C". When I asked why, the professor said I only listed how they were alike, and he wanted discussion of the differences also.

Letter of the law and such.

He never did change my grade, but I got an A in the class anyway. I tried to explain a little about the English language to him, but he was not interested. I knew what he wanted, but I couldn't help myself. I just loved (hmmm, past tense, perhaps not the best choice) being a PITA.

Nice! I'm a math instructor and my wife teaches English at a local college. :2738: I guess she gave me inspiration for the post since I listen to her talk about essays! :lurk:

thebes11
07-17-2008, 06:00 AM
HOWEVER, the week or so that I was there was in May during Mother's day week. It was HOT. I was standing in line at Disney dripping. Repeatedly saying "It's hot". The summer (THE SUMMER? Heck it was still spring!) is just like Jersey with the heat and the humidity but worse, MUCH WORSE.

Well that explains it....Orlando. The hottest, most humid place on earth. I really think it's a circle of hell that Dante missed. I could never live there.

Besides, I hate the rat.

Next time try the east coast. Ocean breezes, boats, beaches, bars, ballads...but I digress.