TrailGaiter

My maurelii is now potted, so that's not a big deal, but I'm wondering about my basjoos, and my cannas. I'm in s. WI, zone 5, and we have a frost advisory for tonight. Do I just cover them up for tonight? Or is it getting to the end of my cannas and basjoos for the year? When do others in my zone say goodbye for the last time and winterize? I do plan on digging up the canna tubers for next year....I've still got flowers on my cannas...

and I have 2 basjoos with 8 pups. Winterize or cover for the night? We're going to start seeing nights in the 40's here now....but tonight they're saying 34, lower in some areas.

RayS

I live in 6 MA, so I have the luxury of usually making it 'til the end of Oct.. Yes, I see a massive cold front is heading east, but is only supposed to last about 3-4 days. When we do get a frost warning I throw tarps over my nanas, EE's, cannas and plumerias, because usually it's only for 1-2 nites and then we get several more great days. However, if there is a threat of freezing I wouldn't chance it. Luckily we are only forecast for low 40's night time temps during this snap.

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Ray

palmtree

I would cover your basjoos and cannas up with a frost cloth and hope for the best. Not sure how early you get up, but if your really concerned, you can get up at about 5 am and place a large fan next to your plants (that will keep light frost from accumulating). Never leave a large fan unattended though.

Hopefully you get lucky, its still very early, way too early for a frost, even in a zone 5 (usually you can get to about October before a frost, but a frost this early in the midwest isnt something thats too rare).

If your basjoos and cannas get hit by a bad frost, cut them and dig them up. If its a light frost, cut all the damaged parts and if it gets warm again, you might get a little more growth before they truly go indoors.

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Location: New York City, zone 7b

kaczercat

wow gettin cool. and people think canada is sooo cold haha, out nights are in the mid 40's's going back up to 50's next week.alex is right cover with burlap or tarp, I dig the cannas up and cut down the basjoos mid oct. and other edible bananas i will dig up and pot some up towards the end of sept. prob in oct whenever we get the first or second frost.

my cannas are late bloomer and just started flowering which is fine.

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Matt

TrailGaiter

Yeah, I'm one of those who couldn't quite figure out how Canada could be warmer than here....lol

Well, I have my maurelii inside, my cannas have blankets over them, and my basjoos have plastic barrels over them. I actually ruined a couple of the larger leaves on top by placing them over...but....better to be safe than sorry I guess.

RayS

They're already predicting 80 for this time next week.

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Ray

palmtree

Thats why I definitely think its worth it for the people in the midwest to save their plants from frost. If it was later in the year, then it wouldnt really matter since the warm growing days would be gone, but its still early and there is still a few weeks of banana growing weather left across most of the northern states!
Temperatures will be in the upper 70s to low 80s with sun next week over here and this cold front will bring us down to 49F on the coldest night (I wish it was 50F because 50F looks much better than 49F!)

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Location: New York City, zone 7b

RayS

So true!!!

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Ray

sashaeffer

Weathermen predicted 35 for last night here in Omaha, so brought a bunch of Tropicals into garage, and covered the ones in the ground still.


Woke up to temp of 47! Glad weathermen were wrong....this time. Still have a lot of nice days left and the cold was only for one night.

Maybe a blessing in disguise though plants getting a little dose of cold to slow them down for winter.

Scott/Omaha

TrailGaiter

There was frost on the ground, and my roof was white this morning, so I'm glad I covered everything up! But, we aren't expecting temps in the 30's in the recent forecast now....so hopefully they can recover from my covering...

sandy0225

I know this is too late, but next time cover your plants with some old sheets or fleece blankets instead of anything plastic. Plastic radiates the cold right through unless it's infared plastic. Which a tarp isn't. Also it is light weight and cheap and you probably already have some around the house. Less leaf damage. You can pin around on them to secure them with clothespins if you're worried that they might blow off.
Second, cannas do store better if you dig them after they've been frosted a few times, but before the ground freezes. That way they know to be dormant, and send all their remaining energy to the roots. So don't worry about a little frost on your cannas unless they say it's going to go from regular temps to like 20 overnight. Hopefully that won't happen, but who knows with the crazy weather this year!!!

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Sandy Burrell



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