mekong giant, what's wrong? - Page 2

stevelau1911 · 09-18-2012, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JuniPerez

Hey Steve... I was visiting a company called McAlpin Industries here in Rochester, and right at the corner of Hollenbeck & Rialto Street there is a house with very tall bamboo shielding the yard from view. Thought it was pretty cool. I looked it up in Google Maps, but the street view shows the bamboo still small compared to what they're at now.

How tall and thick were the culms?

Nate, the getting near 14ft is the measurement at the leaf tip. If it was pstem, that would be awesome, but that might take another couple years.

stevelau1911 · 09-30-2012, 03:03 AM

I saw that there was literally a rip in the soil that leads directly to my mekong giant banana plant so I decided to dig to see what was happening under there.

I discovered a 1.5 inch rhizome about 2ft long so far running about 5 inches deep right from the mother plant. Given this type of performance already, I can see this banana producing 6ft long 3 inch diameter rhizomes that run rampantly eating up everything in its path in a few years.

pushak513 · 09-30-2012, 03:31 AM

this is what your in for...off a 9 year old plant

JuniPerez · 09-30-2012, 11:13 AM

Now, can these rhizomes be cut off and still produce a pup? or do they need to draw energy from momma?
I know that on some of my elephant ears I get these runners and I can cut them off and they'll still root and produce a pup.

stevelau1911 · 09-30-2012, 01:49 PM

It might be possible, but I think it is much safer to let the rhizome produce a pup, and then divide the whole thing.

One of the weakness I see with this rhizome is that it only appears to have the ability to produce 1 pup due to the lack of buds along the internodes. If one of these rhizomes gets damaged, it may not have the ability to regenerate.

This is a great banana to fill in large spaces.

sunfish · 09-30-2012, 02:00 PM

pushak513 · 09-30-2012, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevelau1911

It might be possible, but I think it is much safer to let the rhizome produce a pup, and then divide the whole thing.

One of the weakness I see with this rhizome is that it only appears to have the ability to produce 1 pup due to the lack of buds along the internodes. If one of these rhizomes gets damaged, it may not have the ability to regenerate.

This is a great banana to fill in large spaces.

Right..one pup per rhizome and let it pup like sunfish pic then remove the rhizome..with a chainsaw

JuniPerez · 09-30-2012, 04:13 PM

Lol.. Chainsaw...
That's amazing... looks very strong, like it can break through concrete...

austinl01 · 09-30-2012, 07:41 PM

That's really an amazing picture. Are you sure it is not bamboo? Lol. Can the runners go through clay pretty well? I wonder if Mekong is actually an itinerant of some kind?

austinl01 · 09-30-2012, 07:42 PM

Sunfish, where is the mother plant? About 1 foot away or more?

stevelau1911 · 10-01-2012, 02:23 AM

Here's the picture and link to picture showing the running habit of itinerans. I wonder how this banana would work if it were used a a privacy screen. One question I have is if this was grown in zone 11 in lets say Hawaii, would it be capable of sending out 20ft 5 inch rhizomes?

Coolest Types of Bananas? What are they? - Banana Forum - GardenWeb

pushak513 · 10-01-2012, 07:29 AM

the furthest I have personally seen was about 6 feet. That was in clay/compost mix. that pictures I posted is from a plant about 15ft tall. the runner hit somthing and came above ground then went back down. we were looking for a lost veletina and I tripped over it LOL. they are very strong and go through the sides of plastic containers with ease. This is all in zone 6 so in a warmer climate I have no idea what they could do.

sunfish · 10-01-2012, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by austinl01

Sunfish, where is the mother plant? About 1 foot away or more?

About 2' away.

pushak513 · 10-05-2012, 08:37 PM

found a whole skid of these at this backwoods nursery near my house. looked like they had been forgotten about. Got a 4 ft plant for 15 bucks today. gunna go back and get a few more since no one even knows that there in there

the smaller ones are 2 months old from TC. the larger one is the one I picked up yesterday for 14.99. will make sure I go get a few more since the size is so nice

Nice purple stem on em

stevelau1911 · 10-12-2012, 10:29 PM

Those look pretty good. Now the challenge is to get it through the winter. I would suggest putting it by a south facing window with supplemental light from at least a 400 watt metal halide to keep the corms strong.

Here is the entire documentation of my mekong giant banana plants for the entire year.
Steve's garden: Progress of the musa mekong giant "itinerans"

pushak513 · 10-13-2012, 02:23 AM

they look like they came along nice steve. Mine are still outside, only brought in on the nights frost was projected. once the temps even out and stay cool I have a grow closet for my other tropicals they will go in. once there out next year there staying out no time for sissy plants that claim to be "hardy" you make it or you don't just the way I roll

we will see what next years growth does.

JDE222 · 10-13-2012, 05:01 PM

Mine tends to burn in afternoon sun in western ky. I have it in a 22" pot in morning to early afternoon sun. I water mine profusely with a tray underneath it to hold overflow. It is 7 ft tall (including pot) and about the same width. Fertilized with a general purpose mix 2 or 3 times over the summer.

pushak513 · 10-13-2012, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDE222

Mine tends to burn in afternoon sun in western ky. I have it in a 22" pot in morning to early afternoon sun. I water mine profusely with a tray underneath it to hold overflow. It is 7 ft tall (including pot) and about the same width. Fertilized with a general purpose mix 2 or 3 times over the summer.

havent had any problem with leaf burn on them. next year there going on the ground in a semi shaded spot anyway.where are you at in western KY, I had an unwanted/unplanned vacation there awhile back.

JDE222 · 10-16-2012, 07:26 PM

Henderson, KY...right across the river from Evansville, IN. I like it.

pushak513 · 10-17-2012, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDE222

Henderson, KY...right across the river from Evansville, IN. I like it.

Been there, wouldn't say I would go back but glad you like it.

09-30-2012, 03:03 AM	#22 (permalink)
stevelau1911 stevelau1911's Photo Gallery Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 458 BananaBucks : 153,183 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 51 Times Was Thanked 563 Times in 258 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 24 Times	Re: mekong giant, what's wrong? I saw that there was literally a rip in the soil that leads directly to my mekong giant banana plant so I decided to dig to see what was happening under there. I discovered a 1.5 inch rhizome about 2ft long so far running about 5 inches deep right from the mother plant. Given this type of performance already, I can see this banana producing 6ft long 3 inch diameter rhizomes that run rampantly eating up everything in its path in a few years. __________________ I'm in zone 6 upstate NY, specialize in growing temperate cold hardy bamboos(mainly phyllostachys) and starting to get into bananas. my picture website is http://www.flickr.com/photos/31489820@N02/ http://stevespeonygarden.blogspot.com/

09-30-2012, 03:31 AM	#23 (permalink)
pushak513 Zone: 6-7 Name: Mike Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 191 BananaBucks : 27,053 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 204 Times in 95 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: mekong giant, what's wrong? this is what your in for...off a 9 year old plant

09-30-2012, 11:13 AM	#24 (permalink)
JuniPerez Puerto Rican Gone Bananas JuniPerez's Photo Gallery Location: Rochester, NY Find me on the map! Zone: 6b Name: Juni Perez Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 313 BananaBucks : 87,410 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 153 Times Was Thanked 202 Times in 117 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 13 Times	Re: mekong giant, what's wrong? Now, can these rhizomes be cut off and still produce a pup? or do they need to draw energy from momma? I know that on some of my elephant ears I get these runners and I can cut them off and they'll still root and produce a pup.

09-30-2012, 01:49 PM	#25 (permalink)
stevelau1911 stevelau1911's Photo Gallery Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 458 BananaBucks : 153,183 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 51 Times Was Thanked 563 Times in 258 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 24 Times	Re: mekong giant, what's wrong? It might be possible, but I think it is much safer to let the rhizome produce a pup, and then divide the whole thing. One of the weakness I see with this rhizome is that it only appears to have the ability to produce 1 pup due to the lack of buds along the internodes. If one of these rhizomes gets damaged, it may not have the ability to regenerate. This is a great banana to fill in large spaces. __________________ I'm in zone 6 upstate NY, specialize in growing temperate cold hardy bamboos(mainly phyllostachys) and starting to get into bananas. my picture website is http://www.flickr.com/photos/31489820@N02/ http://stevespeonygarden.blogspot.com/

09-30-2012, 02:00 PM	#26 (permalink)
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09-30-2012, 04:13 PM	#28 (permalink)
JuniPerez Puerto Rican Gone Bananas JuniPerez's Photo Gallery Location: Rochester, NY Find me on the map! Zone: 6b Name: Juni Perez Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 313 BananaBucks : 87,410 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 153 Times Was Thanked 202 Times in 117 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 13 Times	Re: mekong giant, what's wrong? Lol.. Chainsaw... That's amazing... looks very strong, like it can break through concrete...

09-30-2012, 07:41 PM	#29 (permalink)
austinl01 Got pink bananas? austinl01's Photo Gallery Location: Little Rock, AR Find me on the map! Zone: 7b/8a Line Name: Austin Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,288 BananaBucks : 201,583 Feedback: 13 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,590 Times Was Thanked 907 Times in 397 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 507 Times	Re: mekong giant, what's wrong? That's really an amazing picture. Are you sure it is not bamboo? Lol. Can the runners go through clay pretty well? I wonder if Mekong is actually an itinerant of some kind? __________________ Austin Arkansas River Valley Average January Low: 31°F, Average August High: 92°F Extreme Winter Lows: 5-15°F, Extreme Summer Highs: 100-112°F, Annual Precipitation: 52 inches

09-30-2012, 07:42 PM	#30 (permalink)
austinl01 Got pink bananas? austinl01's Photo Gallery Location: Little Rock, AR Find me on the map! Zone: 7b/8a Line Name: Austin Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,288 BananaBucks : 201,583 Feedback: 13 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,590 Times Was Thanked 907 Times in 397 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 507 Times	Re: mekong giant, what's wrong? Sunfish, where is the mother plant? About 1 foot away or more? __________________ Austin Arkansas River Valley Average January Low: 31°F, Average August High: 92°F Extreme Winter Lows: 5-15°F, Extreme Summer Highs: 100-112°F, Annual Precipitation: 52 inches

10-01-2012, 02:23 AM	#31 (permalink)
stevelau1911 stevelau1911's Photo Gallery Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 458 BananaBucks : 153,183 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 51 Times Was Thanked 563 Times in 258 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 24 Times	Re: mekong giant, what's wrong? Here's the picture and link to picture showing the running habit of itinerans. I wonder how this banana would work if it were used a a privacy screen. One question I have is if this was grown in zone 11 in lets say Hawaii, would it be capable of sending out 20ft 5 inch rhizomes? Coolest Types of Bananas? What are they? - Banana Forum - GardenWeb __________________ I'm in zone 6 upstate NY, specialize in growing temperate cold hardy bamboos(mainly phyllostachys) and starting to get into bananas. my picture website is http://www.flickr.com/photos/31489820@N02/ http://stevespeonygarden.blogspot.com/

10-01-2012, 07:29 AM	#32 (permalink)
pushak513 Zone: 6-7 Name: Mike Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 191 BananaBucks : 27,053 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 204 Times in 95 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: mekong giant, what's wrong? the furthest I have personally seen was about 6 feet. That was in clay/compost mix. that pictures I posted is from a plant about 15ft tall. the runner hit somthing and came above ground then went back down. we were looking for a lost veletina and I tripped over it LOL. they are very strong and go through the sides of plastic containers with ease. This is all in zone 6 so in a warmer climate I have no idea what they could do.

10-05-2012, 08:37 PM	#34 (permalink)
pushak513 Zone: 6-7 Name: Mike Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 191 BananaBucks : 27,053 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 204 Times in 95 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: mekong giant, what's wrong? found a whole skid of these at this backwoods nursery near my house. looked like they had been forgotten about. Got a 4 ft plant for 15 bucks today. gunna go back and get a few more since no one even knows that there in there the smaller ones are 2 months old from TC. the larger one is the one I picked up yesterday for 14.99. will make sure I go get a few more since the size is so nice Nice purple stem on em Last edited by pushak513 : 10-06-2012 at 11:17 AM.

10-12-2012, 10:29 PM	#35 (permalink)
stevelau1911 stevelau1911's Photo Gallery Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 458 BananaBucks : 153,183 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 51 Times Was Thanked 563 Times in 258 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 24 Times	Re: mekong giant, what's wrong? Those look pretty good. Now the challenge is to get it through the winter. I would suggest putting it by a south facing window with supplemental light from at least a 400 watt metal halide to keep the corms strong. Here is the entire documentation of my mekong giant banana plants for the entire year. Steve's garden: Progress of the musa mekong giant "itinerans" __________________ I'm in zone 6 upstate NY, specialize in growing temperate cold hardy bamboos(mainly phyllostachys) and starting to get into bananas. my picture website is http://www.flickr.com/photos/31489820@N02/ http://stevespeonygarden.blogspot.com/

10-13-2012, 02:23 AM	#36 (permalink)
pushak513 Zone: 6-7 Name: Mike Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 191 BananaBucks : 27,053 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 204 Times in 95 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: mekong giant, what's wrong? they look like they came along nice steve. Mine are still outside, only brought in on the nights frost was projected. once the temps even out and stay cool I have a grow closet for my other tropicals they will go in. once there out next year there staying out no time for sissy plants that claim to be "hardy" you make it or you don't just the way I roll we will see what next years growth does.

10-13-2012, 05:01 PM	#37 (permalink)
JDE222 Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 14 BananaBucks : 9,389 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 6 Times in 3 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: mekong giant, what's wrong? Mine tends to burn in afternoon sun in western ky. I have it in a 22" pot in morning to early afternoon sun. I water mine profusely with a tray underneath it to hold overflow. It is 7 ft tall (including pot) and about the same width. Fertilized with a general purpose mix 2 or 3 times over the summer.

10-16-2012, 07:26 PM	#39 (permalink)
JDE222 Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 14 BananaBucks : 9,389 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 15 Times Was Thanked 6 Times in 3 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: mekong giant, what's wrong? Henderson, KY...right across the river from Evansville, IN. I like it.

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