wxman

Last summer I planted 10 musa basjoo which got to be about 3-4 feet high before fall and had 3 to 4" diameter pseudostems. I cut them back to about 6" above the ground and mulched heavily. We had a cold winter and now it's finally starting to warm up this spring. Today was 60, tomorrow will be 70. I started unmulching them to see what they look like.

Well, the stumps are mush. I cut two down to see where the rotted material ends, and it ends about 1/2" under the ground. That's where I found white material. I'm assuming the ground froze down that 1/2" and that's why the whole top turned to mush. The pseudostem is only about 1/2" to 1" wide under there, so I assume that's the corm? I put a cut out milk jug over them with the top screwed off to induce solar warming during the day to help grow anything that might be alive.

Now I want to know if I should do this with the other eight, or should I just let the mush rot back on its own? If I'm doing something damaging, I don't want to do it to all 10, but if this is what I'm supposed to do, I don't want the other 8 to die either.

Thanks for the help.

Michael_Andrew

I found pretty much the same thing on my plants. I uncovered two and cut off all the soft tissue. Water was just oozing out of them. What I've done is to roll the cages off the corm during the warm part of the day to try and get some sun on it to dry it out and roll the cage of leaves back on at night. I would like suggestions too. This is my first year and have several other cages I've just left alone. Thanks for your post.

Michael

just j

hows it goig nice to see another banana grower in wisconsin i would cut all that mushy crap off and let the sun dry them out like what micheal said i tryed doing to a few dwarf cavendish i had a few left from last year that didnt sell so i thought i would give it a shot they where all mush the corms looked bad so i was unsuccessful but the basjoos probly look like yours and mine always seem to come back well at least 2-3 of them do lol

stumpy4700

Mine are the same in Tennessee...Post pics tommorrow

wxman

Here are pictures. I did more surgery today as its 70F outside.

This is what it looks like with the mulch removed:



This is what it looks like when I cut at ground level:



When I cut 1/2" below the ground some look like this:



And others look like this:





Some I couldn't even find any white matter, so they're probably toast.

I put plastic milk jugs over to help the sun warm the ground during the day. I then piled the mulch around the jugs a little to keep warmth in at night. We shouldn't get many more nights below 25 so I'm hoping these start to grow soon.

What do you guys think?

Bob

Same with mine, although my p-stem did survive about 1 1/2- 2" above the soil . I cut all the mush down to the hard part. I covered back up and am going to wait about 2 more weeks before permanently uncovering and then I'm thinking either a poly tunnel or wall o water with remay and a blanket at night.till constantly above 40 at night. Pics are in post "Anyone in the Northeast. Good luck ,let us know how they turn out good or bad. Between all of us something good will evolve.

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sandy0225

I think all of you are probably uncovering them too early. What other kinds of plants are starting to grow there where you live? Are any of them ones that need warm soil temps? Is it too early to plant cannas? If not, then you're uncovering too early.

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Bob

Sandy,my post might have been misleading. I uncovered mine took off all the mush and fully recovered and wrapped,. It was a warm day and couldn't resist. I'll probably uncover and use a wall o water or something in early April depending on the 10 day forecast when the time comes.

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Ueberwinden

I have not touched mine yet, this was their first winter outside. On average when should I start to see signs of life in a zone 6? We are now in the
40's-70's a during the day and the mid 30's-40's over night.

Michael

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Michael_Andrew

Rest easy Sandy none of my corms have went unprotected and its my understanding none of the other posters have either. We are just concerned with their welfare due to the bitter winter weather and am trying to do the best to aid their survival.

Several questions we've had or discussions we've had are:

1. Since we had a bad winter is it better to leave them alone or intercede and do damage control.

2. Is it an advantage to go in and remove the mushy soft tissue now?

3. If number 2 is yes. How much should we remove?

4. Is it an advantage to, on warm days, air the corm out?

5. Is placing an appratus such as a milk jug over the plant to provide solar heating to dry and heat the corm good for the corms survival?

I appreciate everyone input and the pictures are very helpful. Those pictures look exactly like what I'm finding. I had brought a basjoo corm into the basement about 3 weeks ago. I dug it out since linemen let tree limbs fall on the cage. Its been sitting in an open trashbag and I did treat it with fungicide. Anyway, I potted it up in a rubbermaid and put some heat on it this weekend and its sending out a small pup out to the side of the main corm.

Michael

wilson1963

mine was mush like you described last spring, 6 pups came up after I covered the mush with a clear plastic tub (greenhouse effect). They are hardy, give them a chance....Don

Musa Basjoo pictures by wilson1963 - Photobucket

parkeey

i dont understand, cos i thought these were hardy esp in london?? Anyway mine is also mushh and not much left at all? im worried now cos i bought a gaint skimmi around 6 ft and wonder if this will turn to mush also next winter and will i loose the height?

helpp

daryl

Musa basjoos just don't look pretty come spring. I would suggest only removing as little as possible if any. You may/will... end up damaging that particular puesodstem. Chances are you'll still end up with several other pups though. Patiences is the key word here. The only thing I would do is to perhaps uncover them on nice days(its still March btw..)just to help dry out the "mush". As it dries out you can very very slowly & carefully remove the old crusty stuff over the course of days...I realize the couriosity, but unless the "crust", is impeding the new growth, be careful here. If you are insulating with leaves and/or pine needles, this uncovering will also help warm up the ground, as soon, if left in place, it will be keeping the ground cold...A cool trick that was already mentioned is to cover the area with clear plastic to help heat up the mat. This works! You just "arc" a piece of metal fencing over the mat and cover/stake with plastic - a hoop. At least in Ohio 6a, its still too early though. Around here Mid April with a string of sunny days in the 60's with no freezing nights should work with musa bajoo's. You can always cover with blankets...Patience

wilson1963

well, I didn't post anything last year, the winter knocked them clear to the ground, the musa basjoo grew to 8' and no flowers and died at first frost, however....I did cover them differently this past winter as I have been experimenting. I uncovered them 2 weeks ago and have a solid stem in ALL of last years plants at least 18: or more high and as soon as I uncovered them they started growing. I have them now under clear plastic for the "green house effect". My skimeneskises (sp?) has also survived with a solid stem, but my black thai is mush....I have however ordered a replacement if it don't come back....and if it does, ill make room for a 2nd. Pics will be coming this week.

saltydad

I no longer cover my basjoos with anything but the fried leaves and pstems from the early winter. I removed this by cutting it away about 3 weeks ago, and cut the mush pstems to around 6". I did this last year and had a bigger and taller mat, as I do each year. This is one tough cookie!

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stevelau1911

I'm sure you've all seen my over-wintering pictures if you were around in the fall, but it was a success, and the P-stems are still green despite having one of the coldest winters we've ever had. Banana leaves are not really frost tolerant so I plan on keeping everything well protected until June 1st which is should be safe enough. It still snowed today, and we're getting into the 20s tonight so spring hasn't arrived here yet.

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wilson1963

Musa 2011 pictures by wilson1963 - Photobucket

I fenced them off last fall with 1x 1" mesh about 18" deep with shredded mulched dry leaves. We added 7-8 strands of icicle christmas lights on and around them and 2 60W lights and covered with a tarp. I added a "thermo cube" purchased at a farm store (google it), it turns the power on at 35 degrees and off at 40 degrees, it worked great. My stems were solid at top of leaves and very soon after uncovering them they started growing. My "greenhouse" in the pics was added with rebar and cheap swimming noodles, I left the 2 60 W bulbs for now. take a look:

Musa 2011 pictures by wilson1963 - Photobucket

wilson1963

I do know a lady here locally who does nothing with hers in the fall except let them die down,, they come back every spring with avengence and they are way nicer than mine. I guess I just try to get the best start and my goal is to get one to flower. I already have next fall planned with a heavier tarp, mulched taller with leaves and lights monitored by my thermo cube.

wilson1963

Love the pics, especially the bamboo, I too have started a bamboo garden, planted root balls, rhizomes and full mature plants, they survived from last August to February then turned brown but have roots taking off. I will have to post this project we started last summer, 25'x25' square 3' wide planted with bamboo for 4 future privacy walls around a patio area. Used really heavy hypalon for barrier (hope it works) and alot of hope and sweat was put in it.

wilson1963

adding 69 pics of bamboo project, will post them later.