scottu

OK this seems too simple and I am sure the real banana farmers are doing something like this already.
You all buy mulch in the spring and you all buy bags of manure, peat moss, or any sort of all types of planting soils etc.
Don't wait until spring to buy anything you might purchase, get it now in the fall and even if you get your mulch etc. in bulk in the spring Buy it now in the fall in bag form and don't open the bags, use them to build a fortress around the plants you are going to leave outside You might even save some $ in the process.
You can build walls around your plants as high as you want and then fill in with leaves etc. and cover etc.
I just bought 50 2cuft bags of mulch, 10 bags of planting soil, 5 bags of manure, peat moss, vermiculite, perlite etc. and am in the process of doing it and it looks pretty feasible.
Anyone ever try this?

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sunfish

Won't the bags deteriorate and leave a big mess?

Just kidding

orinoko

The result I hope will speak for itself new season,

I hav'nt sorry but I am concerned how its all going to look next season Scott. Your Idea is around a sort of mud wall but with earth?

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nannerfunboi

scott..i think for smaller plants,and ones that are somewhat cold
tolerant..others here would have that experience/knowledge..
but for the likes of my biggest ensetes/sabas.. i would think it would
be an issue..how cold does winter get.. here where im at in utah(provo)
we can see a week in january of 10F not often..but we do..
i would think that would make the pseudostem mush???
without some kind of added heat..
i think im going to try a version of what your talking about with my
basjoo.. i have 4 stands of them..and would really like to leave them
in the ground.. hopefully they would get bigger that way next spring/summer...???
on your idea..i know a guy over on davesgarden..who grows a TON of palms
hes in ohio..he makes tents over them (some over 16' tall) puts xmas lights inside(turned on for slight heat) and does the burming up around the trunks.. and he is very sucessful..
i think his experience is depends on the hardiness of the palm.. probably
same goes for us nanner growers...????
i hope you keep us posted on your progress..and sucess scott !!!!

timmko

I plan on using straw bales. My wife uses them for decoration around the yard in fall anyway and instead of getting rid of them I am going to try covering my basjoos with them to prevent the ground from freezing. Of course I will tarp over them also to keep them dry.

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scottu

Yeah we get that weather here too! And I am also doing this with 2 separate young stands/mats of Basjoo and I was thinking of using heat tape somewhere inside. the kind that only comes on when it gets below 40 degrees. Wouldn't the christmass lights keep them from going dormant? I have taken a few picks of the first stage of my project and will post soon.Thanks Nannerfunboi

on another note, when I first posted this link I tried to edit the title were it says "atn least for me" and it created a second thread, now I am getting replies on each separately. Does anyone know if they can be merged or some such thing?Thanks All

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scottu

I read about straw somewhere and that is what gave me the idea to use bags and when you think of all the bags of stuff you go threw in a season, maybe it will kill 2 birds with 1 stone.
Thanks timmko

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saltydad

I have used straw loose and in bales only. Bales only didn't seem to provide me as much protection.

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scottu

How tall and in a round or a square configuration?

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Darkman

I have twenty eight young citrus trees that will need some protection this year. A knowledgable grower gave me this tip. He said to stack bags of cow manure (availiable a big box stores) around the trunk to up above the graft. This will take two to four bags per trunk. The bags will absorb the ground temp and protect the graft. If the tops die it will regrow from the graft. This of course only works were the ground does not freeze. You will have to in zone 6-7 provide some supplemental heat I would think.

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scottu

I'm starting to realize that I need to come up with a better heat source. Something that only gives a little heat and only when it gets too cold and does not give off light, ....... maybe I'll make a hole and go out and sleep with them myself when it gets that cold, I could call it the dog house, my wife would probably agree. LOL

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orinoko

If it gets below freezing here (if, ha! Its the UK) course it will blutty freeze,

I am going to get polystyrene and box my Trachicarpus fortunei in, surround that by the very good quality cardboard it was delivered in.
Straw is an excellent Insulator and if it did'nt blow all over I would use it more often in winter.

Maybe buy some straw and leave as is and stand my palm on it to protect the roots.

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Kostas

Trachycarpus fortunei can take UK winters undamaged,no need to protect them.They survive temperatures even lower than -10C without any damage or setback. I bet your winters are not that fierce
Of course,the above is for ground planted palms,not potted. Potted palms have their root system more exposed to the elements and may damage earlier.

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