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View Full Version : Potting up for winter - problem?


deruo
09-19-2008, 02:47 PM
Sorry if this has been discussed elsewhere. I tried looking but the site seems really slow and I keep getting error messages.

We were warned about frost last night and as I know I can't leave my new plant (with 3 baby pups) outside over the winter (not enough ground cover) I dug it up and put it all in a pot. Fair bit of roots, good sized pot, but not too big. Put a little bit of blood meal in there, and watered it a little last night. Not too much because I think thats what happened to this ones momma - too much water.

I'm hoping to keep this one indoors over the winter.

Looked fine this am - a little wilted. It's about 2.5 feet tall with 6 leaves and a new one that has unfurled.

This afternoon they are all wilting badly. Almost worse by the minute. I didn't put it in the sun but it's had plenty of indirect light today.

Is this normal? Should I be fertilizing it?

I've read that you shouldn't water them too much when they're indoors, but I do know it's probably suffered some stress from it's removal from the front yard.

I'm just worried because the last naner that looked like this is sitting out front with a 2 inch growth where there used to be a 4 foot p-stem. (I just covered him last night in the event of frost)

Turns out there was no frost afterall.

Any suggestions on what to do with my potted basjoo? Will the leaves perk up in a few days? Or will they all wilt and die off, and then a new leaf eventually grow from the top like this one did when I planted it outside?

Sorry for all the questions. I've seen pix of others potted basjoos that they've overwintered indoors and they all look fairly healthy - just wondering what I may have done wrong and how to correct it.

PT DUffy
09-21-2008, 12:07 PM
I think it's pretty normal. All of mine that I'm keeping Containerized their 1st yr wilt a bit after being Potted up. I keep them in the Shade and moist(but not wet) and within a couple of days they perk right up!
Cheers,
Pat

JCDerrick
09-21-2008, 01:48 PM
Tom it's normal for Basjoo to do that. I potted up several pups for the winter Thurs/Fri and they all wilted pretty bad despite good roots. Some lost several leaves in the breeze that day too, so I just cut them off. They seem to be doing better now, just took them a day or so to adjust.

Randy4ut
09-21-2008, 02:01 PM
Tom,
This tends to be normal, but due to transpiration issues, you may want to consider cutting the bottom 3 leaves off and the other 3 cut in half. This will help reduce the loss of water through transpiration. Be careful with watering as that is the biggest problem I have faced in the past with potted bananas. I now lean more toward the dry side than the wet. Always better to let them dry out completely before watering, lightly...
Best of luck...

Njoynit
10-03-2008, 07:06 AM
I wintered some new trades one year& a store bought.I didn't water them very much,but did have the leaves trimmed off save for one(accept on lil prince-I left him as-is) Last year I dug my current bloomer and shoved him in a 30 gallon trash bag.I plan to shove him in a plastic tub this time.He was basically pried out of ground rolled into the bag& hauled across yard,but was smart when takeing him back out.He got carried out GH door and rode to planting spot in wheel barrel.I didn't water him in the GH either which was from Dec-March.He had one leaf& chopped it back some due to how he sat.

Good luck!

mskitty38583
10-03-2008, 06:58 PM
when you pot any plant up and bring it in the hse it goes through shock. i have 24 in the house already.( not including the ones i got today....thank you sandy!) the leaves on the newly potted ones are starting to turn yellow, but not wilty, so just give it a few days and all should be ok. lean towards the dry side when you water them. you dont want them to rot.