JuniPerez
08-16-2009, 04:37 PM
Hello all! I'm a Puerto Rican man living in western NY state (zone 6).
I'm about a year new at growing bananas. I bought some M. basjoos and M. sikkimensis last year (don't know what str.) and am totally hooked. I also grow cold-hardy palm trees (T. fortunei, T. wagnerianus, T. takil, Butia capitata, and T. latisectus). This year I got a hold of some Musella lasiocarpa on eBay... a little different for me, but nice plants. I also bought some poncirus trifoliata seeds this year and out of 10 seeds, 7 trees sprouted. This is going to be great.
At first I got the typical "You're crazy & wasting your money" and "those are going to die!" comments from folks. That, however, was last year. This year, I have folks stopping (some skreetching their tires & reversing) asking me what they are (the musas), where I got them, etc. Some have been taking pictures lately, which was weird to me at first, but am getting used to it. My sister and mother (who live on the same block as me) are tired of answering questions when people ask around and still can't remember what they are called or where they come from. Now the same folks who called me bonkers last year want some, and the 11 pups that have sprouted aren't enough for everyone. Lol!
One mistake I made was to plant them all together (6 plants, 2 of each basjoos, sikkis, and lasiocarpas). I feel they're competing for soil nutrients big time. While I fertilize several times a week (and they have slow release banana fert.), their growth has been slow compared to other folks I've asked online. I think it might be our lack of sufficient sun & heat this year. Rochester has seen 4-5 days a week either cloudy or rainy. Temperatures haven't been that high either... just now we're getting 80's.
I'd love to grow more ornamental species and try a few plantains too while I'm at it - and that's what I'm hoping to learn here. = )
I'm about a year new at growing bananas. I bought some M. basjoos and M. sikkimensis last year (don't know what str.) and am totally hooked. I also grow cold-hardy palm trees (T. fortunei, T. wagnerianus, T. takil, Butia capitata, and T. latisectus). This year I got a hold of some Musella lasiocarpa on eBay... a little different for me, but nice plants. I also bought some poncirus trifoliata seeds this year and out of 10 seeds, 7 trees sprouted. This is going to be great.
At first I got the typical "You're crazy & wasting your money" and "those are going to die!" comments from folks. That, however, was last year. This year, I have folks stopping (some skreetching their tires & reversing) asking me what they are (the musas), where I got them, etc. Some have been taking pictures lately, which was weird to me at first, but am getting used to it. My sister and mother (who live on the same block as me) are tired of answering questions when people ask around and still can't remember what they are called or where they come from. Now the same folks who called me bonkers last year want some, and the 11 pups that have sprouted aren't enough for everyone. Lol!
One mistake I made was to plant them all together (6 plants, 2 of each basjoos, sikkis, and lasiocarpas). I feel they're competing for soil nutrients big time. While I fertilize several times a week (and they have slow release banana fert.), their growth has been slow compared to other folks I've asked online. I think it might be our lack of sufficient sun & heat this year. Rochester has seen 4-5 days a week either cloudy or rainy. Temperatures haven't been that high either... just now we're getting 80's.
I'd love to grow more ornamental species and try a few plantains too while I'm at it - and that's what I'm hoping to learn here. = )