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drobbins 05-09-2021 09:55 AM

explain this
 
Hi Folks,

I have several stands of Musa Bajoo around my house.
Usually, I cut them about a foot tall in winter, mulch them, and cover them with a tarp, and they do quite well. I'm in central NC so winters aren't too bad.
Last year, I was unable to get this done.
That, plus the fact I had quite a few plants flower, made me a little skeptical how well things would do this spring. Well, everything is leafing out quite nicely but i have a mystery.
I was under the impression, that after a plant flowered, it would die, but hopefully spawn some babies.
Well, one of the plants that flowered is pushing out a load of bananas🤷*♂️
See attached pic

sirdoofus 05-09-2021 10:49 AM

Re: explain this
 
Wow, that is awesome. Congratulations. :woohoonaner:

So you said you didn't cut down the plants last fall? So it looks like the P-stem and flower stalk survived, went into a state of dormancy, and just woke up to continue on when temps warmed up.

It will die at some point after producing the bananas, it just wasn't finished yet.

Do you know how cold it got in their particular microclimate this winter, and if so, for how long?

drobbins 05-09-2021 11:10 AM

Re: explain this
 
it was definitely below freezing numerous times last winter but I don't recall any long/sustained cold blasts
from past experience, I'm not really surprised the plants made it, but those bananas popping out like that has me stumped
I'm in central NC which is zone 8

sirdoofus 05-09-2021 11:17 AM

Re: explain this
 
Again, that is awesome to see, very inspiring. Thanks for sharing and keep us posted on how they progress.:goteam:

drobbins 05-09-2021 11:40 AM

Re: explain this
 
here's another bed where the parents flowered and didn't come back
check out all the babies

pjkfarm 05-09-2021 05:37 PM

Re: explain this
 
WOW! Those babies! Never seen a basjoo produce so many and with such small p stems. Ours produces pups rather like a normal banana - 6 or 7 would be a lot for us, but the p stem would be 4 or 5 times yours.
we are in zone 6b-7a N. Virginia and one of ours is in flower now, Had a number just about to flower, lost all but this one - sort of shocked me. we had lot of weather in the teens for prolonged periods, but only a few days when did not get above freezing, and no days in the single digits this year. (Other years always some in single digits, but basjoo sails through - though the p stems of those exposed to single digits do not make it, but the corms come back stronger than ever.

sirdoofus 05-09-2021 07:05 PM

Re: explain this
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by pjkfarm (Post 340778)
WOW! Those babies! Never seen a basjoo produce so many and with such small p stems. Ours produces pups rather like a normal banana - 6 or 7 would be a lot for us, but the p stem would be 4 or 5 times yours.
we are in zone 6b-7a N. Virginia and one of ours is in flower now, Had a number just about to flower, lost all but this one - sort of shocked me. we had lot of weather in the teens for prolonged periods, but only a few days when did not get above freezing, and no days in the single digits this year. (Other years always some in single digits, but basjoo sails through - though the p stems of those exposed to single digits do not make it, but the corms come back stronger than ever.

Maybe its just the pic, but the pattern of growth looks a bit unusual too.

Keep us posted on your flower as well:)

Dartolution 05-10-2021 12:28 PM

Re: explain this
 
Very Nice, ours is doing the same here in Alabama. I have never cut them down in the winter, and the mature pseudostems usually will flower mid spring. We saw 15F this winter in February during that terrible arctic blast, and 36 hrs below freezing.
I just leave the leaves and all on the stalk, and in the sprint, trim the top up and within a few weeks there are new leaves and a flower.

drobbins 05-10-2021 01:54 PM

Re: explain this
 
I cut a couple of the old p-stems off about 3-4 foot high yesterday thinking the old p-stem was in the way of the new growth starting to push out
a few have already pushed out 6 inches of new growth:08:

cincinnana 05-11-2021 06:25 AM

Re: explain this
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by drobbins (Post 340762)
Hi Folks,

I have several stands of Musa Bajoo around my house.
Usually, I cut them about a foot tall in winter, mulch them, and cover them with a tarp, and they do quite well. I'm in central NC so winters aren't too bad.
Last year, I was unable to get this done.
That, plus the fact I had quite a few plants flower, made me a little skeptical how well things would do this spring. Well, everything is leafing out quite nicely but i have a mystery.
I was under the impression, that after a plant flowered, it would die, but hopefully spawn some babies.
Well, one of the plants that flowered is pushing out a load of bananas🤷*♂️
See attached pic


Amazing the plant did that.
Those fellas are pretty sturdy.

cincinnana 05-11-2021 06:26 AM

Re: explain this
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by drobbins (Post 340762)
Hi Folks,

I have several stands of Musa Bajoo around my house.
Usually, I cut them about a foot tall in winter, mulch them, and cover them with a tarp, and they do quite well. I'm in central NC so winters aren't too bad.
Last year, I was unable to get this done.
That, plus the fact I had quite a few plants flower, made me a little skeptical how well things would do this spring. Well, everything is leafing out quite nicely but i have a mystery.
I was under the impression, that after a plant flowered, it would die, but hopefully spawn some babies.
Well, one of the plants that flowered is pushing out a load of bananas🤷*♂️
See attached pic


Amazing the plant did that.

drobbins 05-14-2021 11:25 AM

Re: explain this
 
here's the one I cutoff about 3 feet above the ground, after 3 days

pjkfarm 05-14-2021 04:25 PM

Re: explain this
 
looking good :-)

sirdoofus 05-14-2021 04:29 PM

Re: explain this
 
Impressive after 3 days

drobbins 05-25-2021 02:45 PM

Re: explain this
 
here's another one I didn't cut down
it struggled a bit to push out new growth
now it's pushing out a bloom

wstrickland1 05-25-2021 04:42 PM

Re: explain this
 
crazy stuff for sure. I'd be really happy to see such action!!

Robbertico18 06-08-2021 12:12 PM

Re: explain this
 
Spam is spam
Bacon eggs and spam


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