Dying basjoo — is it going to recover or should I cut it down?
 

Hi banana friends —

This is my first post here, but I have often read posts via Google over the last year since I started playing around with growing banana plants in the Boston area.

I have a current crisis, though. Earlier this year, I bought a basjoo, hoping to eventually plant it in the ground in my parents' house. It arrived healthy and happy from Logees, about a foot tall with four or five leaves, and for February, I kept it in its original pot in a sunny windowsill.

In March, I got cocky, and when I moved my snow peas outside in a 5 gallon bucket, I moved the basjoo outside in one too, reasoning that it was cold hardy, and I would only bring it inside for a frost, like the peas. I also planted it in a conventional potting mix, not the succulent/cactus mix that my first plant (a blue java) has been so happy in.

Within a week or two, it began showing brown around the leaves, and started to wilt. I moved it back inside, originally in the potting mix and, a week or two later, into the succulent mix. I kept it in a sunny window. The brown/wilt continued, however. I tried to trim off the damaged parts of the leaves, hoping it would arrest the damage (rot?), but to no avail.

Now, all I have is one mostly rotted/brown/crinkled leaf, and even the rising leaf has browned all the way down, with no sign of another one behind it (though I might be able to feel it if I squeeze the rising leaf).

Here is my question: is there any hope of this banana recovering as-is? Or, is my best shot to cut it down to the bottom of the stalk, and hope the corm generates an entirely new pseudostem? Alternatively, is this just so sick/dead that there's really nothing more of worth I'm putting into it at this point?

Appreciate any advice you all can provide. p.s., the small thing that looks like a clover near the base of the stalk is a jade leaf that fell off a nearby plant and I was leaving it there to see if it sprouted roots.

Re: Dying basjoo — is it going to recover or should I cut it down?
 

As long as not too much water, p stem looks good - I would cut the dead stuff off down to good green. (if corm rotted forget it, if a little rot, clean out and let dry, DO NOT OVER WATER

Re: Dying basjoo — is it going to recover or should I cut it down?
 

Thank you. I cut it down about one inch from the soil. The next leaf was already partially brown. Not sure if that means rotted or not.

Re: Dying basjoo — is it going to recover or should I cut it down?
 

Hi Petey ! Marco here...from Florence in Italy . I think you should have a look on the corm if you haven't already done an inspection . So remove the upper soil . Obviously slowly you can be absolutely fine and sure not damaging nothing , you are doing a recovery for your plant ! I think that now is unpleasant for the spirit -let's say so- but in the future new life stronger is going to push up (pardon eventually errors)

Re: Dying basjoo — is it going to recover or should I cut it down?
 

Plants get like that indoors.
Do check out some youtube videos on how to grow your plant indoors.
Each video has some great takeaways to keep your plant healthy.

Are you able to put your outdoors for the summer?

Re: Dying basjoo — is it going to recover or should I cut it down?
 

Thank you Marco!

Re: Dying basjoo — is it going to recover or should I cut it down?
 

Yes, I can. This is a lot worse. My "probably not a blue java but sold to me as a blue java" indoors is very happy. http://www.bananas.org/f12/another-b...-no-52138.html

Re: Dying basjoo — is it going to recover or should I cut it down?
 

Yes...Read that one.

Are you able to move your plants outdoors /or on a balcony to achieve some good growth.

Are you confined to grow your jungle indoors a couple of floors up?