It's snowing, must be time for bed.

Longwoods Tropicals · 11-07-2014, 09:58 AM

Another year has passed, year 3 for the patch. 2014 wasn't a banner year for nanners in the lower Great Lakes by anyones standards, only 20 days or so in the 80s and many cool wet stretches, most notably in July, held back all my musas, the DCs had a poor year overall, the basjoos slightly better, only the ensetes were show stoppers.

The pseudostem on the largest one maxed out at 6 feet, less than the previous year. The patch has now tripled in size and will fill the entire area by next fall.

Here they are on Nov 1 the final day before the big freeze.

The next morning 26 degrees.

A couple of days later.

Finally this fine snowy morning.

I left 4 feet of pseudostem in the one closest to the barn wall, and the other ones had somewhat less than that left.

I have to gather another few more loads of leaves in the next week or so and then all I do is throw a big tarp over it all. I have considered erecting scaffolds on either side and enclosing it all in 6 mil clear poly in early March to give them an early start, you never know, now that I have the scaffolding I just might give it a go.

Regards Harold

JCA433 · 11-08-2014, 12:13 AM

According to my thermometer the high today was 84.7 F! I Love warm weather even indoors. If my family would visit the AC would be on and much cooler. The bananas ripen too fast in such warm conditions so I must lower indoor temperatures with AC.

drobbins · 11-08-2014, 09:56 AM

Hi Longwood,

Am I understanding you correctly and you're overwintering DC and ensete outside with only heavy mulch and a tarp?
I would think only the basjoo could handle that in your location
I just brought some ensete inside in zone 7/8, wondering if maybe they could have handled it outside

Dave

Longwoods Tropicals · 11-08-2014, 10:07 AM

Sorry for being less than clear.

Only the basjoos are being overwintered outside. I have attempted to protect DCs in the past, only thing I found in the spring was mush.

drobbins · 11-08-2014, 10:32 AM

I stumbled across another post of yours and see now what you're up to
I have some basjoo in the ground that will be fine but I also have a couple of ensete glaucom and a couple of alocasia in pots I want to try to overwinter.

Here are pics of the past week

Index of /ensete

I'm debating putting the ensete in pots like I saw you do in another post
They're in a basement where it stays in the low 60's, not much natural light but I have a grow light I can put on a timer.
Debating between that and drying them out like this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW9U0iEaupc

Longwoods Tropicals · 11-08-2014, 12:40 PM

I've seen posts where people put them into dormancy and store them in crawlspaces, basements, etc. My worry is that they would dehydrate and be consumed by spider mites. I had no problems keeping my Maureliis growing all last winter, the Glaucum stopped growing and died back a bit mid winter, they recovered fully by spring though. This year I've bought a few extra lights to help maintain vigor, the main thing that anyone considering having large bananas or ensetes in their house over the winter is mist them often, if not daily. My ensete maureliis are growing great right now, I wish I didn't chop off the top half of my Glaucum as it is very slow to recover, also no signs of growth yet on the one Glaucum that I tried to divide up and reproduce that way, I did this knowing full well it is likely not to work, but what the heck nothing ventured nothing gained.

11-07-2014, 09:58 AM	#1 (permalink)
Longwoods Tropicals Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 104 BananaBucks : 34,885 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 53 Times Was Thanked 244 Times in 73 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	It's snowing, must be time for bed. Another year has passed, year 3 for the patch. 2014 wasn't a banner year for nanners in the lower Great Lakes by anyones standards, only 20 days or so in the 80s and many cool wet stretches, most notably in July, held back all my musas, the DCs had a poor year overall, the basjoos slightly better, only the ensetes were show stoppers. The pseudostem on the largest one maxed out at 6 feet, less than the previous year. The patch has now tripled in size and will fill the entire area by next fall. Here they are on Nov 1 the final day before the big freeze. The next morning 26 degrees. A couple of days later. Finally this fine snowy morning. I left 4 feet of pseudostem in the one closest to the barn wall, and the other ones had somewhat less than that left. I have to gather another few more loads of leaves in the next week or so and then all I do is throw a big tarp over it all. I have considered erecting scaffolds on either side and enclosing it all in 6 mil clear poly in early March to give them an early start, you never know, now that I have the scaffolding I just might give it a go. Regards Harold

11-08-2014, 12:13 AM	#2 (permalink)
JCA433 Location: Homestead, Florida Zone: Zone 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 330 BananaBucks : 93,768 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 433 Times in 162 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 4 Times	Re: It's snowing, must be time for bed. According to my thermometer the high today was 84.7 F! I Love warm weather even indoors. If my family would visit the AC would be on and much cooler. The bananas ripen too fast in such warm conditions so I must lower indoor temperatures with AC.

11-08-2014, 09:56 AM	#3 (permalink)
drobbins Location: Central NC Zone: 7b-8a Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 96 BananaBucks : 18,349 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 11 Times Was Thanked 147 Times in 60 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: It's snowing, must be time for bed. Hi Longwood, Am I understanding you correctly and you're overwintering DC and ensete outside with only heavy mulch and a tarp? I would think only the basjoo could handle that in your location I just brought some ensete inside in zone 7/8, wondering if maybe they could have handled it outside Dave __________________ Central North Carolina zone 7b-8a Find me on the map!

11-08-2014, 10:07 AM	#4 (permalink)
Longwoods Tropicals Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 104 BananaBucks : 34,885 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 53 Times Was Thanked 244 Times in 73 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: It's snowing, must be time for bed. Sorry for being less than clear. Only the basjoos are being overwintered outside. I have attempted to protect DCs in the past, only thing I found in the spring was mush.

11-08-2014, 10:32 AM	#5 (permalink)
drobbins Location: Central NC Zone: 7b-8a Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 96 BananaBucks : 18,349 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 11 Times Was Thanked 147 Times in 60 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: It's snowing, must be time for bed. I stumbled across another post of yours and see now what you're up to I have some basjoo in the ground that will be fine but I also have a couple of ensete glaucom and a couple of alocasia in pots I want to try to overwinter. Here are pics of the past week Index of /ensete I'm debating putting the ensete in pots like I saw you do in another post They're in a basement where it stays in the low 60's, not much natural light but I have a grow light I can put on a timer. Debating between that and drying them out like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW9U0iEaupc

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11-08-2014, 12:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
Longwoods Tropicals Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 104 BananaBucks : 34,885 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 53 Times Was Thanked 244 Times in 73 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: It's snowing, must be time for bed. I've seen posts where people put them into dormancy and store them in crawlspaces, basements, etc. My worry is that they would dehydrate and be consumed by spider mites. I had no problems keeping my Maureliis growing all last winter, the Glaucum stopped growing and died back a bit mid winter, they recovered fully by spring though. This year I've bought a few extra lights to help maintain vigor, the main thing that anyone considering having large bananas or ensetes in their house over the winter is mist them often, if not daily. My ensete maureliis are growing great right now, I wish I didn't chop off the top half of my Glaucum as it is very slow to recover, also no signs of growth yet on the one Glaucum that I tried to divide up and reproduce that way, I did this knowing full well it is likely not to work, but what the heck nothing ventured nothing gained.

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