View Full Version : My sheltered Ae Ae
harveyc
08-20-2008, 04:50 PM
Having killed two Ae Ae (due either to under or over watering), I've been very protective of this one. I was tempted to plant it outside earlier this month in a shaded structure, but then figured I'd be digging it out in late October anyways when I would start to worry about it getting too cold. I do hope to eventually grow Ae Ae outdoors here in NorCal, but want to build up to a few plants before doing that. My greenhouse is 16' tall at the peak which I thought was tall enough, but I'm having doubts now. The Ae Ae had a lot of burned leaves back in June and early July until I installed some Aluminet shadecloth and got my misting system working. I did have problems with a couple of leaves not unfurling properly which required surgery. A friend from another forum commented to me that he had Ae Ae can use up a lot of water and it is hard to over-water them. I had been careful to avoid over-watering but then started soaking it almost daily in its 18" pot. Now I get a new perfectly-formed leaf every 5-7 days. I see some roots on the surface of the soil now and I plan to repot it into about two-thirds of a 50 gallon barrel. I will then dig a hole in the ground of my greenhouse (the soil is just covered with weed block fabric) and lower it down to give me a little more growing room. I will remove the heater hanging from the roof and either relocate it or replace it with another heater I have (if I can figure out how to wire its fan, etc.) At least that's my plan for now. I was hoping to get around to putting in a radiant heating system in the ground but don't think I'm going to find the time to do that.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=12590&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=12590)
Dean W.
08-20-2008, 04:55 PM
Looks good Harvey. Good luck with it.
mm4birds
08-20-2008, 08:00 PM
What medium are you growing the plant in? This appears to make the difference in watering. Regular potting soil like promix holds a lot of water and may rot the roots. My question is what would you add to keep the soil from remaining soaked other than perlite? I have tried adding peat moss but I am not sure this is the best additive,maybe shredded dried leaves?
:bananas_b
r
Chironex
08-20-2008, 10:46 PM
Harvey, it's gorgeous! I can only dream of a greenhouse at this point, but mine is holding its own in these desert conditions. Just to be safe, I bought 2 more though. (yeah, I have the sickness) Our soil and water here is quite alkaline, but I read that Aeae's like it on the alkaline side...we will see. Definitely keeping it in dappled sun during the heat of the day. The heat is not stalling its growth as others have said previously. Our avg highs have been around 100-105 daily and it is still putting out new leaves, although about one every 2 weeks now.
I use fast draining cactus mix 50% with 50% composted worm castings/bat guano/chicken poop and I forgot what other poop is in the mix, but all of my bananas like it a lot. I got it at Home Depot, so I will try to find the name of it. Oh, and I usually amend this mixture with about 20% perlite and some organic sulphur (about 1 - 1 1/2 teaspoons per container. Lately, I have also spread sphagnum peat in the mix and on top to hold moisture in the soil and reduce evaporation.
Best of luck with your baby. She looks happy!
harveyc
08-20-2008, 10:56 PM
mm4birds - I've used a Super Soil potting mix with a lot of perlite. Peat moss will retain a lot of water so not useful for aerating soil. Coarser forms of organic matter can also help but I believe perlite is probably about the best option. I haven't checked out the coconut products for a while, though, since they aren't readily available.
Thanks, Scot, that is promising that yours are holding out okay in the dry conditions. I was thinking I'd have to mist mine when it's planted outdoors based on reports I've heard. Many times we receive recommendations from people that are from humid conditions that base their comments on what they've experienced: humid conditions. It takes crazy folks like you and me to find out what else works! Some summers we have over 30 or so days over 100F so I've been lucky this year. I have a miracle fruit in my greenhouse which reportedly demands humid conditions so I do try to keep the humidity at 40% or above. I can feel like I'm visiting the hot humid tropics at times but quickly escape to a climate that is more comfortable to me. Thanks for the head's up on the HD cactus mix; I'll check it out when I get around to repotting.
Best wishes with yours, Scot!
Chironex
08-20-2008, 11:32 PM
"Kellogg's N'Rich" is the stuff I was trying to remember. I mix it at 50/50 with the "Supersoil Palm and Cactus Mix", a fast draining soil. Both are sold at HD.
Greenie
08-21-2008, 12:57 AM
very pretty!
CookieCows
08-21-2008, 09:11 AM
I does look like you're going to need a taller green house! What a beautiful plant!! You're a great pioneer. It's so exciting to see more and more of these.
Deb
mskitty38583
08-21-2008, 11:49 AM
awesome looking nana!!!!
Bananaman88
08-21-2008, 12:21 PM
Scot,
Are you sure you didn't mean acidic conditions for the Ae-Ae? Everything I've ever heard and read reports that they like acidic conditions- pH below 7.0- to do their best. I've been fertilizing with MirAcid (from the Miracle Grow Co.) but you should be able to use most any fertilizer for acid loving plants, such as azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, etc. You could also consider adding granulated sulfur to your soil/soil mix to aid in lowering the ph.
Dean W.
08-21-2008, 03:02 PM
Scot,
Are you sure you didn't mean acidic conditions for the Ae-Ae? Everything I've ever heard and read reports that they like acidic conditions- pH below 7.0- to do their best. I've been fertilizing with MirAcid (from the Miracle Grow Co.) but you should be able to use most any fertilizer for acid loving plants, such as azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, etc. You could also consider adding granulated sulfur to your soil/soil mix to aid in lowering the ph.
Yes, I've heard they like acidic conditions too.
harveyc
08-21-2008, 05:07 PM
Jordon who has been growing Ae Ae for 40+ years has reported several times that he believes Ae Ae enjoy alkaline conditions which are the conditions under which he grows them very successfully. I have also read several reports from other sources that say that Ae Ae prefer acidic conditions. This is something similar to the humidity conditions discussed by Scot above which I replied to earlier. People may grow plants well in a particular condition and use that as a basis for recommending that as the plant's preference. My take from all of this is that it may be slightly more tolerant of various conditions than many people realize. I don't believe anyone has carried out formal trials to evaluate what the Ae Ae's optimum conditions actually consist of. Maybe that's something that Gabe can do one day. Or maybe even me once I establish my Ae Ae plantation! LOL
Dean W.
08-21-2008, 07:07 PM
Jordon who has been growing Ae Ae for 40+ years has reported several times that he believes Ae Ae enjoy alkaline conditions which are the conditions under which he grows them very successfully. I have also read several reports from other sources that say that Ae Ae prefer acidic conditions. This is something similar to the humidity conditions discussed by Scot above which I replied to earlier. People may grow plants well in a particular condition and use that as a basis for recommending that as the plant's preference. My take from all of this is that it may be slightly more tolerant of various conditions than many people realize. I don't believe anyone has carried out formal trials to evaluate what the Ae Ae's optimum conditions actually consist of. Maybe that's something that Gabe can do one day. Or maybe even me once I establish my Ae Ae plantation! LOL
I guess I will find out if and when I get one. :ha: Good luck with your Ae Ae plantation, Harvey. You can verify it with your trials.
harveyc
04-04-2009, 06:50 PM
Today I finally moved the larger of my two Ae Ae out of the greenhouse! It has been touching the top of my 16' tall greenhouse for a few months now and the leaves have been getting burnt from the sun/heat and it's warm enough outside at night (mid 40s, mostly). The pot was a half 50-gallon barrel. The psuedosteem is about 8" in diameter and 10' tall and there are 5 pups of varying sizes (hoping to build up my population this year so I'll be keeping them all). It was a big job getting this plant out of a 6' x 3' door in my greenhouse and also a big job moving it to the planting location and also getting it into the hole and cutting up the pot to get it out. We used a hand truck and even my little Kubota loader, etc. I estimate it weighed 250-300 pounds!!!
I put 2" square stakes around the root mass to help stabilize it until roots get going. As you can see from the second photo, it was fairly root-bound so I hope it takes off and flowers this summer. I believe that would probably be a first for northern California! :)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=16446&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=16446&ppuser=775)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=16445&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=16445&ppuser=775)
Thanks for looking!
Harvey
Hawaiian Ae Ae King of NorCal! LOL
JoeReal
04-04-2009, 11:06 PM
Watch out for Ae ae rustlers! Now that it's outside the house.... There could be just 4 pups tomorrow! And I'm sure I didn't do it :)
harveyc
04-04-2009, 11:20 PM
They'll need experience in locating land mines! :p
harveyc
04-05-2009, 09:34 AM
Sheesh, what bad timing! I slept in until 7am this morning only to discover that we had frost!!! I just checked again and Wunderground.com still shows a low of 45F for this morning. Weather.com shows 46F, Qwikcast.com shows 38F. The rest of the week looks okay, but I'd like to grab Al Gore by the neck right now!!! Our official last frost date is something like March 20th and I don't every recall frost in April here before.
mm4birds
04-05-2009, 10:22 AM
Is the aeae planted that high up or is the plant situated to show the root system prior to being lowered into the hole? Nice plant and good luck!
JoeReal
04-05-2009, 10:39 AM
Sheesh, what bad timing! I slept in until 7am this morning only to discover that we had frost!!! I just checked again and Wunderground.com still shows a low of 45F for this morning. Weather.com shows 46F, Qwikcast.com shows 38F. The rest of the week looks okay, but I'd like to grab Al Gore by the neck right now!!! Our official last frost date is something like March 20th and I don't every recall frost in April here before.
Frost event can happen all year round, especially in the foothills, and Napa Valley. Frost can occur even if air temperature is in the upper 30's, well above freezing point. Clear, moonless, windless nights is what it takes for a mideterranean type climate to have frost, more often when min temperature is below 40 deg F.
In the Bay Area influenced by Delta Breezes, we have fewer frost events, and you're right Harvey, that on the average, last frost events happen around end of March. It is also the time when citrus starts their growth flush, and the frost damages after that is severe that even the cold hardy citruses such as kumquats will suffer some damage in case a wayward frost occurs after days of warmer nights.
I hope your Ae ae can shake that one off. Send the bail-out form to Al Gore. :)
Caloosamusa
04-05-2009, 12:37 PM
Harveyc,
In many of my Ecology classes we've studied and measured condition on plants in ecosystems, and what we find is that limiting condition not optimal conditions are the "limiting" factors. A banana study such as the Georgian (US) trial would be a better model to use. I'll find the information, but they did not include Ae Ae in their "study". Growth is a function of optimal conditions, but frost, rainfall, and disease presence, are some common limiting factors as you already know.
Better cold protection measures like they use in colder areas would be appropriate even there.
Best wishes:2239:
harveyc
04-05-2009, 07:49 PM
mmbirds, the photo was taken before I filled in the hole around the root ball but I did plant it about 6" above grade (basically on a mound) to help ensure good drainage to avoid root rot, etc.
Joe, in over 50 years of being around here, this is the latest frost even I can remember. Last year we had one on 3/31 and that was the first time we've had frost in late March for many years, so this was truly a rare event. I remember in the 70s and 80s when we had more days of frost in March but we got spoiled in the early 90s and first part of this decade.
Coolusamusa, I'd love to see the study!
Thanks,
Harvey
JoeReal
04-06-2009, 12:04 AM
Harvey, I can't access the UC Davis Agromet data right now to look up our archives. We talked to grape wine growers in Napa Valley and they told me that the danger of frost is year round in their area. I was surprised, but some of them are in that business for longer than anyone of us here, even longer than UC Davis. I was trying to research and cross reference a very late frost event that happened here in Davis and damaged the tips of my Calamondins and Kumquats that were having a growth flush.
harveyc
04-06-2009, 12:25 AM
Joe, Napa is much different than the climate here with mountains that drain cold air into valleys, etc., but even there I have never heard of frost in summer so I expect there is some exaggeration going on. Anyway, let's not get this thread off on some other subjects - we're talking about a banana growing at my location, not other areas.
I asked my dad about the frost history and he said that once about 40 years or so ago there was frost in April and it was enough to damage the young corn of someone who had planted earlier than everybody else.
Bananaman88
04-06-2009, 06:25 AM
Best of luck with you Ae-Ae, Harvey. I feel your pain on the cold weather. I'm pretty distressed right now as the local weather folks are forecasting 34 for the Houston area tonight! Not only are my bananas growing well already but I have tomatoes plants that are 3' tall with fruit, peppers, squash, eggplant, etc growing already. I have lived here for 6 years now and if we get frost this will be the latest I've seen it. I think they said the record for cold on tonight's date was set back in 1971. I'm bummed.
harveyc
04-06-2009, 09:03 AM
Brent, maybe we need to install misters to go off when it gets too cold!
Steve L
04-06-2009, 09:27 AM
Brent, I don't think you or I will get frost tonight but it is going to be cold. Too much wind during the night. The NWS is calling for a low of 33 here in Lake Charles, but all of the other forecast sites are more in line with 36 to 38, which could still be a record low for Lake Charles on this date. I'm bummed also. I spent yesterday moving all container tropicals into more sheltered locations. I might even have to put some in the greenhouse for the night.
Harvey, good luck to you. I think you will be ok though.
Steve
Bananaman88
04-06-2009, 11:20 AM
Steve,
I certainly hope we don't get any frost. I'm hoping it will stay windy; that will help. Regardless, I plan to move some things in and cover others. We'll talk later in the week. Good luck to you.
JoeReal
04-06-2009, 12:26 PM
Brent, maybe we need to install misters to go off when it gets too cold!
I think another trick is what I learned from grape growers. In marginal frosts like the one happened at Harvey's place, a simple electric fan should do the trick. You can install the fan by the outside wall of the house and let it blow down to the top of the Ae ae. During marginal frosts, a few feet higher is really warmer air, often many degrees F above freezing compared to the ground air temperature. When you blow the relatively warmer air to your Ae ae, it will not have frost at these marginal frost conditions. Remember that frosts readily form in windless conditions even if the air is warmer. With slight breeze, and as long as air temperature is above freezing, then frost don't form. Besides, the fan is easier to control than the misters. The misters is also an invitation to fungal diseases if too much water soaks your plants.
In Napa, they have giant wind machines to stir the air, and the slight breeze that they make helps keep out the frost.
harveyc
04-06-2009, 06:58 PM
Sprinklers are still more widely used for frost control than wind, Joe. Most fan towers have been taken down.
My Ae Ae leaves are already 10-16' above ground but I still see frost as a risk since I saw frost on the roof of my house. I think we are beyond any frost at this point now, though, as the forecast looks very good.
I think I'll go back out and stare at my Ae Ae some more.... :P
JoeReal
04-06-2009, 07:30 PM
Sprinklers are still more widely used for frost control than wind, Joe. Most fan towers have been taken down.
That's not what the vineyard growers who produces $40-$200/bottle wine told me.
My Ae Ae leaves are already 10-16' above ground but I still see frost as a risk since I saw frost on the roof of my house. I think we are beyond any frost at this point now, though, as the forecast looks very good.
I think I'll go back out and stare at my Ae Ae some more.... :P
And your Ae ae is a super-high valued item, it should get the best protection you can give, just like the high valued wine grape growers!
Anyway, the advantage of misting setup which I plan to use is not for frost protection, but for misting the bananas during the hot summer days, and also for fertigating with AZ41 during the humid morning hours. Hot summer days, those exceeding 95 deg F will often stress out the banana plants so that they don't grow at all. I'll try to see if the misting setup will get better results during the very hot dry days of summer. Are you going to pamper your Ae ae with such a setup as well?
harveyc
04-06-2009, 09:39 PM
I had a misting system in my greenhouse for the Ae Ae but will wait to see how it performs without outdoors before setting something outside. One problem I have to contend with is iron in my water and I and the Ae Ae will be history if my wife discovers I've stained the side of our house by misting the Ae Ae!
Patty in Wisc
04-07-2009, 10:05 PM
Harvey, good luck. What a beautiful plant! I wish to have one some day/year.
harveyc
04-07-2009, 10:18 PM
Today we've had mild temperatures and it's pouring rain right now, so I think my Ae Ae might be fooled to believe it's right at home! LOL
enigma99a
04-07-2009, 11:36 PM
Sprinklers are still more widely used for frost control than wind, Joe. Most fan towers have been taken down.
Harvey, what temps is the watering method good down to?
harveyc
04-08-2009, 12:06 AM
Harvey, what temps is the watering method good down to?
From page 3 at http://cemendocino.ucdavis.edu/files/62512.pdf, protection down to the mid-20s has been obtained using sprinklers applying .11 inches of water per hour.
harveyc
05-24-2009, 01:28 AM
Since I planted this Ae Ae in the ground on 4/4/2009, it didn't seem to be hurt but the frost the following day (the leaves were burnt in my greenhouse and then got broke some from moving). It has put out two new leaves in the past few weeks and seems to be getting established okay.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=17641&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=17641&ppuser=775)
Taylor
05-24-2009, 01:49 AM
That new leaf on the very far side of the pic looks good, so it seems to be happy!
Your Wunderground sticker says it's 53ºF there right now, chilly for an AeAe!
enigma99a
05-24-2009, 04:50 AM
Yep, gotta love the 53 degrees though. Marine layer is VERY strong this weekend and it's really a nice break from the heat
MediaHound
05-24-2009, 09:12 AM
Hang in there Harvey, it's looking good, considering. Here's to your fruit stripes.
harveyc
05-24-2009, 10:33 AM
Thanks, guys. Yeah, Taylor, we get cool most evenings even in summer but will gradually warm up. I joked one year on July 4th how we could actually watch fireworks without wearing a jacket! lol Since it took about 2 weeks for this second new leaf to fully emerge I'm fairly satisfied that it's doing okay with the weather. I'm more concerned about what it'll think about the many days of 95F and higher with 20% humidity! We got to 100F a week ago but that was just one day and we quickly cooled down. And that was a day that felt muggy, the humidity must have been something like 25%-30%!! LOL
The leaf with its underside facing the camera was the first new leaf to emerge and got burnt in the white areas (not as much or as quickly as I expected) and has been beat up a little by some dry north winds, but it's still in decent shape. I figured I'd prefer to plant this where it gets some full sun and put up with the sunburn but at least get as much growth as possible.
I just measured it and the psuedostem is 10'6" now, it sure seems taller. I think I'll get an orchard ladder out and trim off he dead leaves that broke in the move. I've been fertilizing it with potassium nitrate (got another 100 pounds last week) and have some liquid forms of nitrogen I can also use, but am taking it slowly. My native soil has lots of phosphorus (almost too much) so I am not going to give any of that.
Thanks,
Harvey
Steve L
05-26-2009, 07:18 AM
Harvey, it should be getting close to fruiting. Mine fruited a 9.5 ft last June. Good luck.
Steve
harveyc
05-26-2009, 10:18 AM
Wow, I hope I get more leaves first! I only have 2 full leaves and 3 partial leaves right now. I've seen photos of some that have flowered at 16' so I figured I had quite a ways to go,but I imagine that those taller plants are in conditions with less stress.
Thanks, Steve.
Harvey
Steve L
05-26-2009, 10:41 AM
You're probably right about less than ideal conditions we both experience during our winters. I know I'll never get my bananas to produce as much fruit as those in south Florida. I'm happy with 5 or 6 hands and 50 to 75 fingers. I think my Ae Ae last year had 5 hands and about 50 or more fingers. I'd expect the same or better for you judging the size of yours. I hope so.
Steve
harveyc
05-26-2009, 02:09 PM
I know that last photo I posted doesn't look great, but moving it out of the greenhouse was a big challenge (leaves were mixed in with mister lines and my door is only 6' tall!!!) and then we had frost the next morning after moving outside. I trimmed off the dead portions yesterday and it looked much better (I'll soon need a taller ladder than my 16' orchard ladders). While I was up there around 4pm I was looking to see if there was another new leaf on the way but I didn't see any. Now it's noon the next day and I just looked and I see one that's emerged about 16". The quick growth of bananas is the thing that thrills me the most. This momma appears happy! :D
harveyc
06-15-2009, 12:24 AM
Today the third new leaf since transplating about 9-10 weeks ago unfurled on my large Ae Ae. We've had a cooler spring than normal other than a few very hot days in early May, so growth has been going a bit slow. I trimmed off the dead leaves since the prior photo in late May so it looks nicer now. I believe some of the five Ae Ae pups that existed when I transplanted the plant have grown a tiny bit. I'm hoping some of these will be large enough for removal by the end of the summer so that I can pot them up and grow out in my greenhouse (I hope to have 4-5 mother plants in the ground eventually).
My smaller plant was a pup bought on eBay around last September. It's still in a pot and it's growth rate is pretty good. It will probably go in the ground soon, though I've been waiting for some signs that the pups on the larger plant will be getting larger. If I don't get pups to survive from my larger plant this smaller one will spend next winter in my greenhouse.
I'm also hoping for my large plant to fruit for me this summer. The psuedostem is now about 11 feet tall.
Thanks for looking,
Harvey
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=18369&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=18369&ppuser=775)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=18370&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=18370&ppuser=775)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=18368&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=18368&ppuser=775)
harveyc
06-15-2009, 11:03 AM
If it's not obvious in the photo above with the red circles, those are areas with small pups. You can click on the photo a couple of times to get a larger resolution, but they're not much to look at.
There were some comments made to my photos in the gallery which I'll also respond to here for the benefit of others.
I don't plan on sharing any pups for 2-3 years. My primary goal at this point is to get 4-5 mother plants established in the ground and always keeping a couple of back-ups protected in the greenhoue over the winter. After that, my focus will be sharing pups with friends, especially those on the west coast, and also forum members that have shown generosity here on the forum. If I get as many pups as I hope, I may give a few away, sell some at discounted prices, and then sell some on eBay in an effort to recoup some of my cost.
Regarding the older leaves being shredded, I don't know that I'll be able to avoid leaves getting shredded as we have quite a bit of winds in my area year-round. Our Delta breezes during the summer pick up in the late afternoons on all but the hottest 5-10 days. These so-called breezes often get up to 15mph or more. The house and the lemon tree should help protect the Ae Ae to an extent from those prevailing winds in the months ahead. In April and May we get quite a few days with gusty winds from the north (this year wasn't as bad as most years) and the location I planted the Ae Ae only has protection from my small shop (8 feet tall), so that's what did most of the leaf shredding. I've learned to live with it and have read somewhere that the shredding actually makes the leaves more efficient at photosynthesis.
Bananaman88
06-15-2009, 11:11 AM
I'm not one to argue, Harvey, but I don't see how the shredding of the leaves could possibly aid in photosynthesis. I realize you're only saying that's what you read somewhere, but it makes no sense to me. Just my two cents worth. Probably only worth a penny though!
harveyc
06-15-2009, 11:49 AM
I believe I heard it here on the forum and I believe it was based on a report done at the University of Hawaii or some professor in Hawaii. I remember thinking about how it might be possible at the time. My best guess is that it allows the breezes to move the leaves around and occasionally exposing all surfaces in he direction of the sun.
Bananaman88
06-15-2009, 03:26 PM
Hmmm...interesting.
harveyc
06-15-2009, 04:06 PM
One other thought came to mind, Brent. In researching grow tubes for seedling trees I once found information that photosynthesis was reduced when wind speeds increased to over 8mph. I don't know why this is, but I have since observed that plants in wind sheltered areas do grow more (not just taller due to shading) than plants in windy areas. This is especially noticeable in one of my alfalfa fields located about 100 feet away from a row of very tall eucalyptus trees. I'm now wondering if a torn banana leaf is able to reduce the effects of wind.
I've sent e-mails to a couple of people that I thought may have posted the information or seen it. This is bugging me now.
enigma99a
06-16-2009, 03:31 AM
For your sake and your wallet too, I hope all the pups are variegated! :) Any bargains for your neighbor?? lol I'll drive to you and pick up!
Bananaman88
06-16-2009, 06:25 AM
I would hypothesize that as wind speed increases, photosynthesis may go down due to the fact that the leaf is moving around more; thus the suns rays are not hitting it as directly or for as long. That was sort of my line of thinking on the torn leaves as well. If the leaves are torn, there is slightly less leaf area held together for the sun to shine on as they are all tattered and not one big surface. That could be flawed thinking, though!
harveyc
06-16-2009, 08:54 AM
Hey, Brent, when I finish irrigating alfalfa in 3-4 days I might just kick back in a chair, get drunk on a beer, and stare at my banana leaves for a while and come up with some more ideas! LOL
Bananaman88
06-16-2009, 11:44 AM
Well, depending upon how much beer you consume, you should come up with some doozies!
harveyc
06-16-2009, 12:41 PM
One beer should do it for me, Brent. I may have two and get wild. A six pack lasts about six months around here!
microfarmer
06-16-2009, 01:54 PM
Good to see the new growth, Harvey! It's looking good!! I should bring up a growler of some homebrew for you to sample...
:nanadrink:
Keep up the good work!
Jeff:lurk:
Lagniappe
06-16-2009, 02:32 PM
I read somewhere that bananas and banana relatives had leaves that would seperate at the segments to prevent their p-stems from snapping in high winds. Kind of like vent holes in banners. Such a wide leaf would otherwise act as a sail and be a serious liability for the plant. At the same time,they need those large panels to fuel their insane growth.
Bananaman88
06-16-2009, 03:16 PM
Very wise, young grasshopper.
Lagniappe
06-16-2009, 04:04 PM
If only it were relevant. :P I just heard free beer and decided to get on board.
Patty in Wisc
06-16-2009, 04:32 PM
Harvey, can I be on your list of friends to buy a pup from you if I don't have one by then? :)
harveyc
06-16-2009, 06:42 PM
Harvey, can I be on your list of friends to buy a pup from you if I don't have one by then? :)
NO! Not unless you knock off some other members and move to the west coast! ;) I've got five others ahead of you on my informal list (nothing formal until I actually see I'll have any pups even for myself).
I am not formally committing to anyone at this point as I fear it would spell certain death to my Ae Ae!!!
microfarmer
06-16-2009, 10:13 PM
Take your time Harvey. It'll make for bigger/stronger pups when the time does come to share.
Patty in Wisc
06-16-2009, 10:32 PM
NO! Not unless you knock off some other members and move to the west coast! ;) I've got five others ahead of you on my informal list (nothing formal until I actually see I'll have any pups even for myself).
I am not formally committing to anyone at this point as I fear it would spell certain death to my Ae Ae!!!
PM me who these other members are :ha::ha::ha::ha::ha:
harveyc
06-16-2009, 11:11 PM
Patty, I saw you behind that skid steer and you're a rough looking gal. I couldn't dare do that to my other friends!
My latest leaf tore just a little today. It was pretty windy (west winds of 20mph or so) but the Ae Ae is well-protected in this location. I think the white portions will eventually get burnt and tear there anyways. My priority at this point is getting as much photosynthesis as possible to grow strong pups and for a possible flower, so I'm willing to put up with the sunburn on this large plant. I think the smaller plant is going to get planted where it gets a little more shade (full sun for just a couple of hours).
conejov
07-24-2009, 03:53 PM
How is you AE AE Doing Harvey? Since every is salivating for your AE AE.
harveyc
07-24-2009, 04:19 PM
It's doing pretty well, though the pups have barely grown since the plant was moved in early April. The plant puts out a new leaf every 7-10 days.
conejov
07-24-2009, 04:33 PM
Thats great! are the leaves still getting torn by the wind?
harveyc
07-24-2009, 04:46 PM
Mostly, but we haven't had strong winds for the past couple of weeks so the last full leaf to emerge is in pretty good shape (helps that it is toward the house). I sure wish the thing would flower! :P
conejov
07-24-2009, 05:02 PM
An Ae AE is the one that the fruits Variagated right? Have you ever tasted them?
harveyc
07-24-2009, 05:40 PM
Yes,the fruits are also variegated though it's not very apparent after they turn yellow. I've had dried Ae Ae only, so far, from a friend in Puerto Rico.
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