davejrronald

I planted this 3 foot or so Musa Basjoo in the ground about 2.5 weeks ago and after a week it started to throw up a new leaf. However, the leaf unfurled (as you can see from the attached photo) early and the stem still hasn't folded over much such that the leaf sides are pulled all the way back as if they would be drooping completely if the stem had folded over. It is growing at a crawl now, if at all, after shooting the leaf up at about 2-3 inches a day. I have clay soil so I dug a big hole and planted the banana in cactus/succulent soil. I water every day or every other day and when it rained I waited 2-3 days to make sure water wasn't collecting in the hole. Am I watering too little or too much? The leaf is not brown or yellow and the top of the soil did dry out a bit before I watered after the recent rain storm. The offset that came with it was planted in a pot in the same cactus soil and is growing like crazy with water every day (albeit it can drain as needed).

Thanks.

Charles

edwmax

I think too much water collecting in the hole. If you soil is heavy clay, then you need to build a raised bed (about 14 to 20") with about 60% sand & garden soil mix. This will let excess water drain out to the ground surface.

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cincinnana

The plant is probably just sorting itself in its new location.
If the rootball was disturbed too much it will stress your plant a bit and slow or stop its growth.
Give it another few months to grow into the hole with some new roots.
First year it sleeps
Second year it creeps
Third year it leaps.
The plant 🌱 will be fine once it gets settled.

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morebananas

Pics are hard to judge distance. But how far from the fence is it. Remember this plant is huge. I have a 2nd year one and the canopy is 10' wide and it still seems little.

kaczercat

I'm not sure where Missouri is but has the weather been nice in the high 70's-to 80's?

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Matt

davejrronald

It is about three feet from the fence, but the fence is only 5 feet high from the ground, and I don't mind if it extends over the fence as I have an alley behind me and my neighbor will welcome the shade on the adjacent side.

It has been pretty hot here lately, mid to upper nineties most days with the odd 3 or 4 day stretch in the 80s. The plant is growing slowly and has put up another leaf with the swept back leaf. I will post a picture when I get a chance.

Charles

davejrronald

edwmax

Haha ... I don't either and I'm in Georgia. But I do know you can't get there from here. Not without going though Atlanta &/or Hartsfield airport. Missouri is somewhere down the road, over the big hill, and across the BIG River.


... ...

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garymc

It's been growing roots. Transplanting a big plant in July in Missouri is quite a feat. It's a wonder the thing is alive. I think the roots have been getting established. Once the roots are established, it will start pushing new leaves like the second one there.

davejrronald

Growing nicely now, has really picked up it's growth rate the past few weeks.

Charles

cincinnana

Awesome job..

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davejrronald

Now growing steadily, with a pup that has popped up. \

However, I have noticed very slight darkish markings on a few of the leaves and the pup has dark markings (maybe red) all over, as is shown. Is this not a Musa Basjoo?





I'm going to be pissed if they sold me something else and I have to wait yet another year to get one established in my yard (I started one last year and it did not survive the winter, a single pup came up this spring but died after a few weeks).

Charles

edwmax

The pup defiantly has wine markings. ...

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cincinnana

Hopefully this could help.
This a small basjoo pup.
Juvenile leaves are somewhat spear shaped
The underside of the leaf will also have a red iridescent look to it.

Basjoo pup by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr

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davejrronald

Cincinnana, its sounds like it's not a basjoo in your opinion. Any idea of what type it is, or is that hard to tell without fruit? Assuming it is not a basjoo I will dig it up in October and keep it inside over winter to plant in the spring, it at least seems like it will grow to a nice size (the pup is coming up fast).

Anyone have any basjoo pups they are willing to sell me at the end of the season that I can establish in a pot inside and plant in the spring? I am wary of purchasing another basjoo online and not actually getting one.

Here's a picture of the pup, growing nicely and the wine marks are fading, but no red underside.




And if anyone is interested a few Elephant ears that are thriving (6 foot or so fence), the ones on the left are from a single large plant grown last summer which I cut down to the ground and dug up and wintered in a paper bag in my basement, the main trunk did not regrow but two pups did and have sprung to decent heights this year (slightly smaller than the parent was at the end of last season. The one on the right was purchased in May and has grown about 2 feet higher but has sprung numerous pups. I am going to try and keep these dormant in my basement this year without cutting down (potting and giving a little water every now and then).




Charles

edwmax

I think you may have a DC. ... Since I haven't grown a Basjoo, I jusrt didn't know if they have wine marks when little. And from all the pictures that I could find, they don't appear to.

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Richard

Since your interest is in ornamental banana, I recommend you feed it fish emulsion and nothing else.

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