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Eric
05-07-2009, 03:14 PM
Hi,
I'm Michael James. I'm an avid tropical garden enthusiast. I have spent very little time on the internet apart from my botanical and scientific inquiries. This is the first time I have ever joined a forum - or held much discourse of any kind - on the internet. Me & David (a friend) winter bananas in the back room of my house and have successfully grown 16-20 foot banana trees in my back yard. I have a great interest in bamboos, banana trees, & other tropical plants. Our goal is to transform the back yard into a tropical paradise (as much as possible) and to learn as much as we can about the various species; We both spend a great deal of time researching the various plants. I hope to provide as much as I learn by joining this forum.

Michael_Andrew
05-07-2009, 03:19 PM
Welcome Michael. Sounds like your a well informed gardener. What bananas are you currently growing?

Michael

Tog Tan
05-07-2009, 03:23 PM
Hi Michael, welcome to the board from a fellow tropical plant and 'naner nut! You will find this a very friendly site and if have any questions, just shoot and some crazy critter will come along to help out. In the meantime, feel free to bum around the older threads in the various forums. Have fun! :ha:

Ps; I see Michael Andrew has posted a welcome but not vocal yet. Oi, Michael Andrew! Are you too shy to say hello to a Michael James? :ha:

Bob
05-07-2009, 03:23 PM
Welcome aboard. You share many gardening interests with a lot of us. Where are you growing these(warm/ cold climate). I'm interested in the types of bamboo you're growing since I just started a few(Moso) and don't really know much about the different varieties. Look forward to hearing more.Maybe even a few pictures.

Michael_Andrew
05-07-2009, 03:26 PM
Hi Michael, welcome to the board from a fellow tropical plant and 'naner nut! You will find this a very friendly site and if have any questions, just shoot and some crazy critter will come along to help out. In the meantime, feel free to bum around the older threads in the various forums. Have fun! :ha:

Ps; I see Michael Andrew has posted a welcome but not vocal yet. Oi, Michael Andrew! Are you too shy to say hello to a Michael James? :ha:


Ha ha beat you to it Tog!

Michael_Andrew
05-07-2009, 03:40 PM
I was thinking of putting in some Fargesia sp. 'Rufa' this year. Michael do you have any experience with it? The spot I picked is in dapple shade.

thanks
Michael

buzzwinder
05-07-2009, 04:23 PM
Welcome to the Org. Michael! There are plenty of people here that can help get your tropical inspiration rolling along. Enjoy :bananas_b

saltydad
05-07-2009, 05:07 PM
Hi Michael, and welcome. If you post your zone and general location in your profile it will help us understand your gardening needs and successes.

Eric
05-07-2009, 06:18 PM
Hi Bob,
I would be highly interested in learning how your Moso fares. I had intended to try it but inadvertently ordered phylostachys rubromarginata instead. My other timber bamboo is Robert Young; prized in Japan for fine-furniture design. I do, however, have a 300 foot containment section rated for Moso. I initially put up a north wind-barrier (for the 1st year) for both, 5 years ago. The 'Red Margin' (Rubromarginata) was somewhat disappointing but the Robert Young reached the power-line, last year, and will need to be topped. It is currently about 1 1/2 inches in diameter & has a golden culm with green stripes. Michael James, signing off. Keep in touch.
Ps. If you would like more details on either bamboo, don't be shy.

Eric
05-07-2009, 06:33 PM
Hi, other Michael,
Despite my name, I've always been called Jim. I've had good success with a blue banana, the species of which I have yet to discern. It reached a height of 16-20 feet last year. This year, I'm trying my hand at 2 Ruby Siam banana trees and a dwarf Gran Nain. I love banana trees as much as bamboo or elephant ears. The blue banana (blue fruited) has yet to bear fruit (here in zone 7) but required very little care other than a monthly feeding. As for the others, I'll let you know after I've gotten my feet wet. Michael James, signing off.
Ps. Was that you who was holding the clump of green bananas in my 1st introductory letter?

Michael_Andrew
05-07-2009, 06:59 PM
Jim I grew up in Norman. Go Sooners! No I wasn't in any picture holding bananas. I'm trying a Siam Ruby this year too. Do you have pictures you can post of your blue banana? Maybe the experts here can id it.

Michael

lorax
05-07-2009, 07:09 PM
Welcome aboard from a certified Tropical Nut; I have the advantage of living in Ecuador (home of Dole and Chiquita) and thus I'll be no help overwintering. I do, however, grow several varieties of timber bamboo. I don't know from cultivars, but I have a clump with 30' culms, gold with green stripes, a 25' clump of solid greens, and a variety of native running bamboo that goes to about 30' but is so thin that it bends over; this is used for roofing slats, to hold tiles.

Eric
05-07-2009, 07:21 PM
Hi again, other Michael,
While I've managed to discern much about using an internet site, in this fashion, I've yet to delve into the gallery functions. Will post some of my many digital photos as soon as I figure out just how to send them. Thanx a bunch for the helpfull tip. Michael James, signing off for now.
Ps. I'm more a Sooner Rodeo fan than the traditional Sooner Football enthusiast. Keep in touch, fellow Sooner.
Please keep in touch. Might be a super idea to exchange notes on growing Ruby Siams.

Eric
05-07-2009, 07:34 PM
Hi, Iorax,
East of the Galapagos Islands! Never dreamed I'd talk to a South American!
You have my eternal envy. If I wasn't so pinned-down in Oklahoma, I'd be tempted to move to South America myself! Strange. I have friends in Thailand, China, Japan, England, & Germany yet I've never been to South America; it's so much closer. I would be very interested in learning more about curing bamboo; what's learned in books rarely even approaches what's learned in actual experience. Micheal James, signing off but wishing I was there.
Ps. Had the best of luck overwintering the bananas, indoors, by cutting off all the leaves and potting them (as in storage). Have replanted the stalks, this year, but results are yet to be seen. The bamboo simply survives our winters with little or no attention at all.

Eric
05-07-2009, 07:46 PM
Hi Saltydad,
I've never been involved in message or chat type internet site but I am starting to learn the ropes. Have updated my personal profile and put myself on the map. thanx for the advice. Michael James, signing off for now.

Eric
05-07-2009, 07:50 PM
Hi Buzzwinder,
Thanx for the hardy welcome! I see your an underground weather enthusiast, yourself. Love thier galleries. Michael James, signing off for now.

Eric
05-07-2009, 07:52 PM
Hi Tog Tan,
Thanx for the friendly welcome! I'm sure I have a heck of a lot to learn but I hope to be equally helpfull as well. Michael James, signing off for now.

lorax
05-07-2009, 07:56 PM
Jim, I have a purpose-made curing house for my bamboo; it's basically just a walled and roofed set of 35' trenches; the bamboo goes in every other trench, and the alternates are filled with charcoal or waste wood material, and set smoldering. If it's been a particularly damp season, I set bricks along the length of the culms to keep them straight and flat. It seems to cure nice and hard in about two weeks of this treatment. I use the curing hut to kiln-finish hardwoods as well, but that happens at a significantly higher temp than the bamboo requires.

It may encourage you to know that I'm an Ex-Canadian; I've abandoned the snow once and for all. Ecuador is a wonderful place to visit, and an even better place to stay; I'd encourage you to come down during your winter, because for most of the country that is the sunny season.

(Lorax; look it up and you'll find out what I do for a living.)

Caloosamusa
05-07-2009, 09:05 PM
Welcome to the organization Michael!

Your posts are interesting, I hope to see many more. Best wishes, :2239:

Eric
05-08-2009, 07:53 AM
Hi Caloosamusa,
Thanx for the warm welcome! Glad to be anywhere filled with tropical plant lovers. Despite my fairly 'hyperactive' lifestyle, I hope to log-on as much as possible. Michael James, signing off for now.

Eric
05-08-2009, 08:00 AM
Hi Iorax,
Land of Cary's maple syrup & voortman cookies! (YUM!). Don't blame you, though. Even Oklahoma gets a little frigid for my taste. Which province? By the way, I've seen quite a few weather forecasts for southern summer, especially in South America. The weather sounds like heaven! Curious; how far apart do you space your trenches when curing the culms? Sure appreciate the info! Michael James, signing off for now.

Bob
05-08-2009, 08:08 AM
Hey Michael, I'm absolutely interested in hearing more about your bamboos. I only just became interested in them especially the timber types which are only marginally hardy here in zone 6. (what I wouldn't give for 10 degrees or so !) I started the Moso's from seed this winter so there's not much to them. I'm under the impression that they are kind of slow growing for about 5 years and the magically send up their giant shoots. My initial plan is to grow them in pots for about 3 years and then set them out with winter protection and hope for the best. I'm new to this so would like to hear what you think.
Definitely post some pics of your plants when you get time. Maybe even start a new thread in the "other plants" section. I'm sure there's lots of us here who are interested.

Eric
05-08-2009, 08:21 AM
Hi again Bob,
I was more than a bit rushed, yesterday, so I thought I'd append my last message. The Rubromarginata & Robert Young bamboos are both hardy down to 5 or 10 below zero F.
While I'm not real crazy about the Rubro, the Robert Young has been pure Joy! The old-gold green-striped culms are fantastic & it's fairly drought-hardy. However, it does have an unfortunate tendency not to send out runners as frequently as other bamboos thus making it a more difficult bamboo to find in-stock. I planted it in spring 2004 and, despite minimal attention, it has thrived (a lot of my back yard resembles a forest). For color, the 'Mountain' bamboos are fabulous and can endure much lower temps. Conversely, they can suffer heat. If this is your 1st venture with bamboo, don't be upset if the culms drop yellowed leaves in the spring; they're simply replacing the worn-out & older leaves. Best of luck. Michael James, signing off for now.

lorax
05-08-2009, 08:25 AM
Hi Iorax,
Land of Cary's maple syrup & voortman cookies! (YUM!). Don't blame you, though. Even Oklahoma gets a little frigid for my taste. Which province? By the way, I've seen quite a few weather forecasts for southern summer, especially in South America. The weather sounds like heaven! Curious; how far apart do you space your trenches when curing the culms? Sure appreciate the info! Michael James, signing off for now.

I do miss maple syrup... I was originally from Northern Alberta, just a tad south of the town of Fort McMurray. When it wintered, it went to -60C. Here, if it goes to +10C everybody puts on sweaters and boots and whatnot, and I still wander around in shorts and sandals. I consider it to be cold near the peaks of the glaciers, but nowhere else, really. There are some places that are chilly, though, and others where I wouldn't want to be caught out without a jacket and shoes.

My curing trenches are 4' wide with 2' of space between each, and the fire trenches are 2' wide; both are poured cement (which discourages moisture and holds the heat well.) If I'm curing for scaffolding, I generally go about a week less in the hut than if I'm curing for finishing wood.

Oh, and it's Lorax, as in "I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees."

Tog Tan
05-08-2009, 08:27 AM
Bob- Goodness! Growing buluh (bamboo) from sds! Ask any M'sian, and they are not aware buluh has sds. Ok, when you guys go into Other Plants Forum and talk buluh, I will show you all the ones here and how scary they get even in the city. Buluh from sds! This I gotta tell the guys here. Btw, Orang Puteh, I am not making fun of you(as if I need to), I am just so amazed by the trouble you guys go through to do something at your end. :ha::ha::ha:

Jim aka Michael - do start something in the Other Plants Forum and I promise I will jump in. Then Lorax will try to cave us in. It's gonna be fun.

Cheers! :0517:

Bob
05-08-2009, 09:01 AM
Ok , allow me to officially derail Michael James up to now very cool intro.
Tog , I'm sure at your end you think we must be crazy doing some of these things. It's kind of like when a parent tells a kid no cookies or candy before dinner, you know what happens as soon as their backs are turned. How could someone from SEA NOT know about seeds?(I actually do get it) , I may have to throw down the gloves and challenge you to get a Colorado blue spruce going on that peninsula of yours!
MJ, definitely start something so we can talk some bamboo, it will be fun.

signed, buluh Bob

Eric
05-08-2009, 09:40 AM
Hi again Bob,
Impressions can be misleading. Moso (Phyllostachys Pubescens), under good conditions, will reach a height of 4-5 feet - with a 1/4-3/8 inch diameter culm - in just under 2 years. It's new shoots are highly edible & the uses, for it's culms, are virtually endless including medicine, fuel, & bridge construction. Native to China & Japan, it is only hardy down to 10 degrees F. but does fare well in South Carolina. It's rated for zone-10, requires full-sun or light shade, and the ideal growing temp is 72 degrees F. However, if you're as determined as me, you won't let that stop you!
Just the same, you might want to consider Phyllostachys Dulcis (Sweetshoot), Phyllostachys Vivax, or the sought-after Phyllostachys Vivax Aureocaulis, all of which are Timbers with a 4-5 inch culm. While Moso is a bit larger, Dulcis is hardy to 0 degrees and the other 2 are hardy to -5 degrees. Dulcis is a tad thinner-walled but has the best tasting shoots of any bamboo. It grows to 40 feet with a 4 inch culm. The -5 F Vivax species have a 5 inch culm, grow to 70 feet, and are rated zones 6-10. The second Vivax (Aureocaulis) - while a bit pricey at $85 - has a beautifull golden culm with occassional green-stripes and somewhat striped leaves. It's very popular in Europe.
I noticed that the lowest temp, in Morris Plains, was -16 degrees F in 1982 and the highest was 102 degrees F in 1953. Moso will be quite marginal while the others would have a great chance of making a stand. Must be nice! We've been as high as 112 degrees F with short winters that rarely even reach the single digits.
Available sources, for the aforementioned bamboos, are Tradewinds Bamboo in Gold Beach Oregon & Burt Associates Bamboo in Westford MA.
By the way, never let 'marginal' get you down. My bamboos were said to be quite 'marginal' in Oklahoma but have been thriving for 5 years now! The only winter-protection I ever provided was a north-wind barrier and I never even knocked the ice off of them after an ice-storm, even the 2007 disaster.
Good luck with the Moso! Keep in touch! I'd love to keep up with how that's faring up there. Michael James, signing off for now.

Eric
05-08-2009, 10:41 AM
Hi Bob,
Impressions can be misleading. 'Cool' is a highly relative social term to which I do not subscribe. 'Derailed' implies a set course from which I have not swayed. Challenge? I am challenged by video & parlor games, not a simple exchange of information. Yes, it is true. Bamboo can seed. Some species require nearly a hundred years to do so. I know little of growing bamboo from seed. However, the information I obtained was from a reliable source. If anything I've offered is usefull, I consider I have done my part. Michael James, signing off for now.
Ps. The AKA is 'Michael James' (my pen-name as a writer). My big brother's name is Michael. My name is James - Jim, for short.

Eric
05-08-2009, 11:07 AM
Hi Lorax,
Thanx for correcting me & thanx for the great info on curing bamboo! I'm unfamiliar with "I am the Lorax, I speak for the trees." Sounds beautifull. What literary work is that from?
-60 degrees C!? I can't even imagine life existing at those temps! I can see now why you wanted to migrate south! I have a special interest, myself. I'm severely opposed to lumberjacks & strip-miners invading South America (or most anywhere else, for that matter).
Curious. I intially joined this forum to find more information concerning the dwarf Gran Nain banana tree I recently recieved as a gift yet 2 messages have been posted - obviously directed at me - which seem somehow challenging & apparently have little to do with growing tropical plants. If I had the time or felt compelled, I might try and figure it out... no matter. I heard that the Gran Nain has a bad habit of dropping it's leaves. Have you tried growing one?
Thanx again for all your help. Michael James, signing off for now.

lorax
05-08-2009, 03:04 PM
It is from the great literary work "The Lorax" by the esteemed Dr. Theodore Seuss Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss) To give you a bit of backgroud, the Lorax is the protector of rare trees (Truffula trees), and wages a fight of reason against the Onceler, who wants to cut them all down. The term "Lorax" is now commonly applied to forest conservationists, of whom I am one. I currently speak for Mahogany and Tropical Cedar; in the South I spoke for Podocarps of the sections Capitulatis and Nemorales, and in the North for Mangroves.

The full quote is "I am the Lorax, I speak for the Trees. They have no voice of their own, you see."

Bananaman88
05-08-2009, 03:20 PM
Welcome aboard, Michael!

lorax
05-08-2009, 03:38 PM
Oh, on the Gran Nain thing; I've never had any trouble with leaf-drop, but then again I live in an intensely banana-friendly climate. Chiquita (whose cultivar the Gran Nain is) actively detrashes theirs about once a month, so I would expect that they don't drop too badly; certainly the Chiquita plantations always look spiffy. Dole looks much more ragged, but then again they're growing Cavendishes which tend to retain their dead leaves.

Eric
05-09-2009, 12:34 AM
Hi Lorax,
Thanx for the info! I, too, am a conservationist. When I was a kid, I read Dr. Seuss' Cat In The Hat and another (I can't remember) but never ran across The Lorax. Theodore Seuss is, obviously, more intelligent than I had imagined! After much research, this afternoon, I did manage to obtain sufficient info for growing a Gran Nain. The proof, of course, is in the pudding but the info came from various sources & sites to include actual experiences. Mine's standing 14 inches right now (without lifting the leaves) and looking very healthy. I'll be keeping it indoors, for the next 1 1/2 months, and using a split potato method for checking on possible gnats. also, my Ruby Siam (In part-shade in the back yard) is beginning to redden! Thanx again! Michael James, signing off for now.

saltydad
05-09-2009, 03:30 PM
Jim- My reading of the posts of Tog and Bob show no challenge to you. These two are challenging each other, as they are wont to do frequently with great verve and humor. So please, nothing negative is being directed at you. We're always overjoyed when new members join. You'll learn we are a lovable and boisterous bunch, as well as banana focused.

Eric
05-10-2009, 07:49 AM
Hi Lorax,
For starts : My apologies, Bob & Ton Tan. When it comes to the Net & Forum sites, I'm totally green around the gills; have a little trouble with slang, too. For now, off for some fun in the sun. Back in about 3 weeks. Will post tons of photos when I return. Michael James, signing off for now.

Bob
05-10-2009, 07:54 AM
No apologies necessary and thanks again for the web sites for the bamboo. I now have them on my "favorites" list. Never take anything between me and Tog too seriously. We seem to share many of the same interests and are about the same age so often give each other "the business". Looking forward to your photos upon return. Enjoy wherever it is you're off to.

Tog Tan
05-10-2009, 10:27 AM
No apologies necessary and thanks again for the web sites for the bamboo. I now have them on my "favorites" list. Never take anything between me and Tog too seriously. We seem to share many of the same interests and are about the same age so often give each other "the business". Looking forward to your photos upon return. Enjoy wherever it is you're off to.

Bob, share many of the same interests and about the same age? You mean eccentricities.... and trying to be matured like me? :ha:

Hi Lorax,
For starts : My apologies, Bob & Ton Tan. When it comes to the Net & Forum sites, I'm totally green around the gills; have a little trouble with slang, too. For now, off for some fun in the sun. Back in about 3 weeks. Will post tons of photos when I return. Michael James, signing off for now.

Welcome to the fun zone Jim! Look forward to more of your posts! Me being grown up in the land of hot sun seems to have thickened my skin to a hide. No apologies please, you are doing fine. :ha:

lorax
05-10-2009, 10:31 AM
You should probably also be warned that I play the same game as Tog and Bob, so unless I'm including botanical names in the post you shouldn't take me at all seriously. I'm much younger than they are, but I'm just as warped vis a vis sense of humour. You don't have to apologize to any of us three.

Tog Tan
05-10-2009, 10:39 AM
You should probably also be warned that I play the same game as Tog and Bob, so unless I'm including botanical names in the post you shouldn't take me at all seriously. I'm much younger than they are, but I'm just as warped vis a vis sense of humour. You don't have to apologize to any of us three.

Beth, you forgot the other leg which is MIA in China now. Jim, wait till that critter gets back! :ha:

saltydad
05-10-2009, 01:15 PM
:bananas_bBoy, what am I, chopped liver?

lorax
05-10-2009, 01:24 PM
Jeez, I did forget about Scot. Hope he's well.

Tog Tan
05-10-2009, 01:26 PM
:bananas_bBoy, what am I, chopped liver?

Ooops....Howard, the 5th leg? :ha::ha: At this rate, this thread's gonna go. I think maybe, we should sticky another thread for the tally of the wrecked ones. In this way, we will have solid proof as to how many we wrecked and who are actual culprits and the folks can't nail us for more. Whadaya think? :ha:

Sorry Jim, this happens all the time. :ha:

lorax
05-10-2009, 01:27 PM
Ah well. Back to bamboo - you're growing timber-types Jim. Why?

Eric
05-10-2009, 10:07 PM
Hi Bob,
Thanx! I just need to learn to lighten up. Binx! The business!? Haven't heard that since I watched a Cagney flik! Anyhows, Vacation temporarily dumped due to a cracked jaw. Came out of a tree (the Hard way). Least I can still type. Nevada & LA will just have to wait. Glad my info helped. If you're really serious about trying Moso (or something similar) that far north, you might consider what Florida orange growers do; For harsh winters, they burn oil near the trees (might want to go with something safer, though). Mike (my brother) thought I was bonked to try Rubro & RYoung in OK, but it's working! You'll see it in my pix. Gotta go. Soup (yuch) is calling. Michael James, signing off for now.

Eric
05-10-2009, 10:22 PM
Hi Lorax,
As you might've seen (message to Bob), I cracked my jaw coming out of a tree so I won't be off for any summer kicks just yet. Back to bamboo : 2 reasons. 1, I'm a rock-head. If it can't be done, I want to try. 2, got some bamboo lawn furniture and it looks awesome! Decided I wanted to try building bamboo stuff myself. Made a list of all the species I could find and got Woody to order the best 2 candidates (I didn't have a credit card back then). I just like the looks of it; like something out of a tarzan flik! Oh well, back to (yuch) soup. All I can eat with my jaw all screwed up. Michael James, signing off for now.

Eric
05-10-2009, 10:39 PM
Hi Bananaman88,
Sorry about the delayed response; Bob & Ton Tan keep talking & a lot of it's flying right over my head! It's okay. My friends nextdoor talk about the same way - I'll figure it out. Bananaculturist? You mean making trees from cultures? That's what they did with the Ruby Siam! Sure like more info on that! Michael James, signing off for now.

Eric
05-10-2009, 10:53 PM
Hi Tog Tan,
To a hide!? Sounds like my jaw just now! Never climb trees without a safety net, gotta remember. Would luv to stay up & figure out 'sticky', 'chopped liver', '5th leg' etc, but the pain-killer's sending me to zzz-land. Write more tomorrow. Michael James, passing out for now.