Extreme Bananas
01-05-2009, 08:58 PM
After dabbling in daylily growing and hybridization, I decided that I needed something different. I had raised a hundred agaves, but they didn't like the humidity outside in the summer (except for Agave americana), or the dreary winters indoors. I am down to four small ones. And I grew bromeliads in Ketchikan, Alaska, where the sun was seldom seen. I made good use of high intensity grow lights.
You don't see many bananas in Kentucky. There are some big summertime clumps, either spring/summer transplants from winter storage, or hardy "Basjoo". And there are the single annual plantings. I read that tropicals are getting very popular, regardless of where you live. So maybe there will be a banana revival.
I have had a dozen Ebun musak's for 4 years but do not fertilize or water them enough. So they are still under 4 feet. I would dig them in the fall and store them in the basement, or grow them as houseplants. Then I searched the web about banana culture and got excited. A leaf a week seems to be the norm. I have the extremely small "Truly Tiny", and have ordered the extremely colorful "Siam Ruby" and the extremely hardy "Basjoo". So this could be another exciting adventure for me. After spending $200 to $300 on daylilies, it wouldn't bother me to get a pricey "Ae Ae". It is a cool-looking banana. But according to reports, it is a touchy plant. That is the trouble with some variegated plants. It would have to be a pot plant here. I don't think it would like getting dug up every fall. Does anyone in the colder climates have "Ae Ae"?
It looks like there are a lot of banana experts on this forum. Whenever I have any questions, I will know where to come.
Hello to all.
Ed
You don't see many bananas in Kentucky. There are some big summertime clumps, either spring/summer transplants from winter storage, or hardy "Basjoo". And there are the single annual plantings. I read that tropicals are getting very popular, regardless of where you live. So maybe there will be a banana revival.
I have had a dozen Ebun musak's for 4 years but do not fertilize or water them enough. So they are still under 4 feet. I would dig them in the fall and store them in the basement, or grow them as houseplants. Then I searched the web about banana culture and got excited. A leaf a week seems to be the norm. I have the extremely small "Truly Tiny", and have ordered the extremely colorful "Siam Ruby" and the extremely hardy "Basjoo". So this could be another exciting adventure for me. After spending $200 to $300 on daylilies, it wouldn't bother me to get a pricey "Ae Ae". It is a cool-looking banana. But according to reports, it is a touchy plant. That is the trouble with some variegated plants. It would have to be a pot plant here. I don't think it would like getting dug up every fall. Does anyone in the colder climates have "Ae Ae"?
It looks like there are a lot of banana experts on this forum. Whenever I have any questions, I will know where to come.
Hello to all.
Ed