eric27

I thought I would give an update on how they are doing as I was able to check on them today. This is not what I had hoped for or expected. Both of them froze almost to the ground, to about 2 or 3 inches from a height of 6 feet. One appears to have a good growing tip from what I could tell but I won't know for sure until I can tear the whole thing down late March.

This might be due to the very narrow pseudostems they have, and I was concerned about that going into this. But I have had basjoos with the exact same sized pseudostems survive. The difference with the Mekong's is they are not in a protected microclimate like my basjoos are.

Both the basjoos and Mekongs are covered the same way, straw bales, burlap/fleece and plasstic. Some heavy covering.

My basjoos have bounced back in similar situations so I'm not ruling them out, but what really bothers me about this is we have had an extremely mild winter. And when I say mild it boarders on warm. The coldest low we have had here is -1F, but Jan was about 6 degrees above average temperature the whole month (about 14th warmest ever) and Dec was equally balmy here. If there was ever a winter for them to fly through, it was this one. So I am disappointed. I won't give up though and will see if the pseudostems still have live, and if any new one pop up in the grass! I may also try some in a better microclimate this year.

Eric

gaberoo

It's a shame. Hope they recover.

Where did you get them from?

eric27

Thanks! They still might. Was hoping to save some height though.

From Brian's Botanicals.

saltydad

Glad I brought mine in. Hoping for the best for you.

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eric27

Thanks Howard! I'll update later in March. This is what I enjoy doing, pushing the limits. I just like seeing better results. By the way how are yours doing inside?

stevelau1911

About half of winter is already over and after checking on my mekong giant plug plants that were planted in the fall with hardly enough time to grow at all, their stems still look green under the leaf bags so there's a good chance they will survive and increase in size when it warms up.

I plan on taking off the leaf bags and replacing them with wall o waters to give them an early start by around April, and hopefully by around May, they can make it back to the same size they were before getting fried by the cold weather.

Here's how they looked in the fall.
Steve's garden: Fall update on the banana plants #2

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saltydad

brown like all my dormant naners do.

__________________
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"If by a liberal, they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind; someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions; someone who cares about the welfare of the people, their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, their civil liberties; someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicion that grips us; that is what they meant by a liberal, I am proud to be a liberal."
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Olafhenny

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eric27

Hey Olaf,

Thanks for your response and concern. I have been trying to figure out also what it might be and I made a list of 3 things:

1. A less than ideal microclimate (or lack of)
2. That I left an air gap in the middle of the enclourse
3. The rot you mentioned.
4. Even though they were 6 feet tall, the stems were narrow for that height.

I am afraid I didn't stuff enough straw inside the middle and a big air pocket was formed and this area cooled much more than the area that was insulated. I think the area it is planted, away from the house but with what essentially was almost a zone 6b or 7 winter so far I think, eliminates that issue. Rot was a concern of mine as you mentioned. But I could tell by the look of the pseudostmes that they froze, thawed and collapsed. They have that classic look I have seem before on basjoos when that happens. It is very dry inside. But maybe they weren't thick enough?

As for the plastic, yes! I learned from prior years! ha! In the past if the plastic was too close to the stems adn it got too warm in there mositure collected, and led to the rot you mentioned. I use whole straw bales the last few years which makes them very insulated and gives them about 2 to 3 feet of protection. On top of this is burlap adn then the plastic to keep the rain/snow out. So I have big blue tarps in the yard but who cares right! But there was about 3 feet of dry straw between the top of the stems and the tarp. Plus I didn't cut them.


Yeah I didn't uncover them yet. Not til about end of March. I was able to partially open it and reach in and feel around and kinda see, but enough to know everything I posted. I did check one of my basjoos, which was cut and is about as soild as can be as far as I can tell-baring any rot setting in of course. But it didn't freeze.. The basjoos are closer to the house.

So any thoughts????

I plan to see if they grow from what is left, or new ones pop up somewhere. My basjoos have looked the same and have grown from the prior year pstem, so ther eis hope. I will try a couple new ones in spring in a different area. I haven't ruled these out yet though.

Thanks Olaf!

Eric

Olafhenny

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bigdog

The problems here as I see them are as follows:

1. Cold. You live in zone 5b. Prolonged exposure to cold, whether protected or not, will take its toll over time.

2. Size. Sounds like you had some first year plants. You really need to let them gain some appreciable size in your zone before planting them out!

3. Unrealistic expectations. Yes, Musa itinerans is cold-hardy. It is still a subtropical plant, however. If you have the ground mulched well, they should come back this spring.

Good luck with them, and let us know if they come back for you!

eric27

I'm just catching up here from the last few days.

Olaf thanks I will check those links and have a good and safe trip!

Bigdog the size of the stems, really the thicknes is what concerned me last fall. However what really bothers me is we have not had a prolonged freeze here this winter, and it appears this winter (Dec - Feb) at this point ranks at #4 or 5 in the all time warmest winters ever here. That is what is so discouraging here. Plus I have had basjoos that same size and age survive colder winters here. Ultimatley you are probably right about the origins of it-subtropical!

I did cut one down and it appears it could resprout from about 2 or 3 inches from above the soil line-maybe. I'm crossing my fingers. But it was heavily mulched so it should come back. I thinkyou had a post where you had Itinerans get knocked to the groundd but resrout one winter???

Thanks for the tips! Much appreciated!

eric27

I should add the whole reason I do this is to push the limits, and I'm sick of dragging pots in every fall! So what doesn't make it doesn't.

nannerfunboi

eric..i think i do my tropical gardening similar to you..or at least
with our challenging climate..
i think provo is one 1/2 zone warmer than you..but still..
our winter has been a very mild one too.. not really warm temps..just
not the lows in jan we typically get..
its alot of work potting up,hauling out..and then back in.. early spring
here..i do have help..2 straping kids that help me.. thank god..lol
the only bananas i tried (this yr) to overwinter outside..are 3 big clumps
of basjoo..i think bigdogs points are well taken.. especially size/age of the
banana.. regardless how hardy they are.. for me at least..
i havent checked yet..how the clumps are.. i do hope they did fine..
thanks to all on your personal experiences..sure helps !!!!

eric27

nanner it sounds like it too. Only I don't have 2 young strapping kids to help just young cats who have no interest in hauling plants! You are right, the lows have not been very low. And anyway I figured I could repalce them if needed anyway. I was really hoping to save maybe half of the stems. The bases do look firm though. Anyone can drag them in every winter (except us-too much work right!) but what fun is that. I'd rather see what I can leave out and brag about! ha! That is what I have been trying to do all these years. So any failures are always just a part of it. It's the challange I enjoy. BUT, these still look hopeful, so I can update late March.

Let me know how your basjoos fare.

nannerfunboi

so true eric.. on the leaving plants out.. but for us in non
tropical areas..we only have a few choices..
my understanding also is that bananas left out and overwintered
ok..get alot bigger (in growing season) than dug up ones and overwintered
inside..???
if i didnt have help of my 2 helpers..i would be in a back brace..LOL
my biggest ensete ,leaves cut down.. this last yr was over 200 # im sure
im now hooked on amorphs .. and they have to be kept inside here overwinter..
im checking into gingers more (i do have some )..and sunfish constantly
tawnts me with all his passionflowers.. ehheheere
im sure im going to get some of those going soon..
its a drug !!!!!

eric27

you are right nanner! That is my experience. Bananas I leave out grow better, faster and bigger than ones I dig up and overwinter inside. No doubt about that. Assuming they make it of course! I think it is due to the early start (April), sun and and root system already being established. That is one heavy banana! Don't hurt yourself. I know what you mean about getting hooked, my current one is speice cannas from seed. And I have no space for them!

sandy0225

That's why you don't check on them this time of the year...lol...now you'll have to be all worried until spring....

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DoctorSteve

Do mekong giant or Yunnanensis actually handle frost on the leaves like I have read?

eric27

Mine handled it well. The leaves didn't show much damage until about 28 degrees or so. Much like Musa Basjoo. However my 2 plants didn't make it this past winter, our 5th WARMEST WINTER EVER, with covering the same as my basjoo. The stems and corms, even planted a bit deeper, froze. These had massive covering. My basjoos, even ones of equal size and diameter to the mekongs, did just fine. In fact one of my basjoos is already starting to flower.