New Portland OR member
 

Hi all,

I've gone bananas too. It happened gradually, on a whim, then took over my front yard.

I've been bubblewrapping the basjoo for our first 3 winters here in Portland, but it seems like overkill for the kind of cold we have and it's incredibly time consuming and expensive now that I have so many stems. I may just hay or leaf over the corms this year and see how it goes. Looking for advice on whether to try to keep the mulch dry or not.

Also, some advice I've read for southern climes is to let the leaves die down and protect the tops of the stems for winter. Anyone do that here?

Anyway, it's good to find you, and maybe you can see the picture I uploaded.

Thanks.

Re: New Portland OR member
 

Welcome! Thank you for the pretty picture of your plants. If you didn't say that you're in Portland OR, I'd swear your were in FL. The color combination and style of your house is more common over there than here in the NW. (I'm from Seattle, WA.)

Congratulations on blooming and fruiting your bananas, too!

Chong

Re: New Portland OR member
 

Hi and Welcome! It looks like a great yard you've got there! Congrats on the flowers and fruit, I'm holding out for a flower before I go to college.
Glad to hear you've gone bananas!:woohoonaner:

Re: New Portland OR member
 

welcome to the org!

Re: New Portland OR member
 

Welcome - I would like to find out the same thing - excellent question.

Re: New Portland OR member
 

Thanks y'all.

I was amazed and chagrined when the bananas bloomed and fruited. I had just finished telling every single person I know that NO they won't do that in this climate!

Waiting to see if it will happen again this year. It's been a much cooler summer. I'll feed them one more time tomorrow and we'll see what happens between now and Thanksgiving.

I'm hoping that if I don't wrap them this winter they'll get a faster start in the spring. Sometimes it's spring-like in February here.

Maybe I'll try the Christmas light tip though for the cold snaps ... should be entertaining for the neighbors. Speaking of which, I have three other banana lovers in my square mile, so I guess we're a trend, locally.

Re: New Portland OR member
 

send them over here to the nana org. we like new members.

Re: New Portland OR member
 

Welcome p-nana! We lived in Troutdale for afew years back in the mid 80's. I remember some wild wind coming off the gorge! Portland's a beautiful city. Hubby used to commute to downtown for work.

I bet your nanas stand out beautifully in the neighborhood!

Deb

Re: New Portland OR member
 

Hey !! Welcome.. That is a nice bunch of Banana's they look great!!! You have found a wonderful place with just loads of info and great folks!!! I look forward to seeing you around!
Kylie:waving: