Prepping basjoo for winter

wheelman1976 · 09-22-2013, 02:35 PM

Prepping my basjoos for winter.....

I want to leave as many in the ground, I started with 6 inch stall seedlings this spring and now the biggest ones are around 1.5-2 feet. I was thinking of just letting them rot down to the ground and cover with as big a pile of mulch as I can pile on them for the winter. Would that be adequate enough?

I doubt I'll save any PS, especially considering how small they are.

Olafhenny · 09-22-2013, 07:28 PM

Hi Doug,

it depends very much on how much mulch you pile over them. And if it is lose mulch, the minimum
should be covering the truncated pseudo stems wit upturned flowerpots, to ensure some
separation from the soggy mulch and to prevent rot as much as possible.

Your post sounds, as if you are not prepared to put a lot of effort into preserving them. In case I am
wrong, you may want to look here: Permanent banana shelter for winter and spring.

Alternatively you might want to pot them and bring them inside. If bright indoor space is a problem,
you can easily bunch several of them in one pot, depending on size of plants and pots. Since they are
not likely to grow a lot during the low light period, they will not need much soil per plant.

Good luck,
Olaf

wheelman1976 · 09-22-2013, 07:45 PM

I want to definately keep them alive. What about covering with a plastic bag and then putting mulch over and around them? I find it hard to believe that unless I'm putting 3 feet of mulch over them that my p-stem won't freeze and rot out, am I wrong?

wheelman1976 · 09-22-2013, 07:47 PM

I should add that whenever I bring them indoors and keep them in a pot, I see the largest stem rot out and the pups that are there make it fine. Nothing of substance makes it.

Olafhenny · 09-22-2013, 09:02 PM

Do absolutely NOT wrap them in plastic. Contact with plastic will promote rot for sure!

Olafhenny · 09-22-2013, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheelman1976

I should add that whenever I bring them indoors and keep them in a pot, I see the largest stem rot out and the pups that are there make it fine. Nothing of substance makes it.

Not necessarily. See here: E. Maurelii - should I try to separate the pups?

These guys, though not basjoos, which I always winter outdoors, did not have any problem.

My first basjoo was fairly big before the first winter and after that I separated them off to
spend the winter as orphans by themselves after they were at least 2 1/2 to three feet tall
including leaves

wheelman1976 · 09-22-2013, 09:37 PM

I'm thinking I should dig everything this fall then, I have two basjoo that are 2.5-3 foot that I got from a nursery with a good start this spring, and they're the biggest at this point, I'd hate to have them not make it this winter and have to start from scratch again. I may leave some of the smaller ones and let them rot to the ground and cover with mulch and uncover in the spring and see what happens.

lmswayne · 09-29-2013, 07:11 PM

I have made a cage from wire fence covered in frost cloth it seams to work very well.

Olafhenny · 09-29-2013, 07:48 PM

Hi Wayne (Swayne?)

"Don't mean nothing"

, unless you tell us, where you live or at least in which HZ.

wheelman1976 · 09-29-2013, 08:20 PM

I just bought a few rose cones to put over my basjoos that I plan to keep in the ground. They have four holes in the top I believe to put stakes thru so that they don't blow away. I was curious if I should leave those open or stuff something in them to keep the cold out?

Also, at what point do I want to cut the stalks down and cover them? Wait through a few frosts? Or after the first? Thoughts?

Olafhenny · 09-29-2013, 09:53 PM

Hi Doug,

I have no idea, what ‘rose cones’ are, but having wintered Basjoos for several years now,
living also in HZ6, I know, that they will ‘survive’ with 8 to 10 inches of leaf mulch, probably
without the mulch too, but it will take a long time for them to recover. If you want to preserve
some of the above ground PS for quick leaving out, you will have to do more than that. You will
have to provide some air space (not direct contact) between any kind of mulch and the PS, to
prevent the stem from rotting.

I am a great proponent for wintering basjoos in the ground, because it leaves root and corm
undisturbed and ready to go as soon as uncovered in spring. I have in the past erected a little
fence around each banana and filled it up with leaf mulch. That is quite a bit of work, but less
than digging the plants out, storing them indoors and then planting them in spring and is also
less disruptive to growth.

For this year I have devised the Permanent banana shelter for winter and spring, which costs
less than $60.- for the basic shelters for two singles or small pads and one large one (5 PS
this year), will be a cinch to install in fall, can be removed on warm days in early spring in
seconds and reapplied, when frost threatens, also in seconds.

Best,
Olaf

wheelman1976 · 09-30-2013, 09:11 PM

Rose cones are essentially what you have with your structures. They're just round. I bought 4 for about $20 but that doesn't cover all the basjoos I have. I'm thinking I may do what you have there for the remaining plants that I have to cover.

Olafhenny · 09-30-2013, 09:43 PM

Hi Doug,
Is that $20 for each or for all 4? I have just looked up rose cones and came up with this picture:

If that is indeed, what it is, it does not look anywhere enough insulation to protect any of the PS in HZ6.

Also, I have used Styrofoam Packing material for one of my basjoos last winter and that left a hole almost
exactly like the one shown in that cone, and that let enough cold air in to destroy most of the PS, despite of
a reasonable amount of additional cover of leaf mulch. So, if you use these cones with additional insulation,
make sure, you cover that hole.

Good luck,
Olaf

wheelman1976 · 09-30-2013, 09:52 PM

Mine are about half inch styrofoam (white). I am planning on getting a few sheets like you have to build some boxes for my two larger mats. I'll take a few pieces to put on the top of my cones to cover the holes before I put a brick on top of them.

They were about $5 each at Lowes

wheelman1976 · 10-13-2013, 08:21 PM

So at what point should I actually put the cones over them? Wait til the first frost and then clip the leaves and cut the PS down to fit in the box? Does that sound good?

Side note, I dug up all of my dwarf brazilians and brought them in for the season. I'm hoping that this year I'll save alot of the plants this year by having them potted vs. dry root storage. I had to separate some pups and not sure if I got enough corm with them, but they all had some roots, so I'm hoping those pups will take. fingers crossed that next year I'll be putting out some nice established DB's and I'll get some decent height for the season!

wheelman1976 · 10-13-2013, 08:26 PM

Here's a bunch of them potted up.

And the garden I took them from.

Olafhenny · 10-13-2013, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheelman1976

So at what point should I actually put the cones over them? Wait til the first frost and then clip the leaves and cut the PS down to fit in the box? Does that sound good?

That is, what I usually do. However I doubt, that you will save much of the PS with the 1/2
inch polystyrene 'rose cones', unless you add substantially more insulation to them. Compare
that with two full inches of Styrofoam augmented with a layer of fiberglass insulation in
between in my shelters. The corms of your Basjoos will most likely survive, but it will take
a long time for the bananas to regrow in spring.

cannasrus · 10-14-2013, 01:59 AM

it Kind of makes you sick when you dig up the babys for the winter that you have cared for all summer. I had to cut most of the leaves off of mine to get them in. Not sure how they will do. The biggest has an 8 foot PS in a 9 foot garage, I put some grow lights around them But its a first for me.

cincinnana · 10-14-2013, 04:19 AM

[quote=wheelman1976;231150]So at what point should I actually put the cones over them? Wait til the first frost and then clip the leaves and cut the PS down to fit in the box? Does that sound good?=qoute]

Yes that is what I would do.
However try this test first.
Take a soda or beer can unopened and wrap it in your most fluffy warm bath towel or warmest winter coat.
Put it in your freezer.....leave it in a few winter days.

Open it up few days later ......if the can is frozen or exploded....... well ???????

cannasrus · 10-14-2013, 04:51 AM

That Test made my mind up Mike, Thanks for the advise too, It is all new
to me But we love our Nanners.

09-22-2013, 02:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
wheelman1976 Zone: 6 Name: Doug Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 127 BananaBucks : 30,635 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 90 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Prepping basjoo for winter Prepping my basjoos for winter..... I want to leave as many in the ground, I started with 6 inch stall seedlings this spring and now the biggest ones are around 1.5-2 feet. I was thinking of just letting them rot down to the ground and cover with as big a pile of mulch as I can pile on them for the winter. Would that be adequate enough? I doubt I'll save any PS, especially considering how small they are.

09-22-2013, 07:28 PM	#2 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,706 BananaBucks : 162,631 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 1,991 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter Hi Doug, it depends very much on how much mulch you pile over them. And if it is lose mulch, the minimum should be covering the truncated pseudo stems wit upturned flowerpots, to ensure some separation from the soggy mulch and to prevent rot as much as possible. Your post sounds, as if you are not prepared to put a lot of effort into preserving them. In case I am wrong, you may want to look here: Permanent banana shelter for winter and spring. Alternatively you might want to pot them and bring them inside. If bright indoor space is a problem, you can easily bunch several of them in one pot, depending on size of plants and pots. Since they are not likely to grow a lot during the low light period, they will not need much soil per plant. Good luck, Olaf __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

09-22-2013, 07:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
wheelman1976 Zone: 6 Name: Doug Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 127 BananaBucks : 30,635 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 90 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter I want to definately keep them alive. What about covering with a plastic bag and then putting mulch over and around them? I find it hard to believe that unless I'm putting 3 feet of mulch over them that my p-stem won't freeze and rot out, am I wrong?

09-22-2013, 07:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
wheelman1976 Zone: 6 Name: Doug Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 127 BananaBucks : 30,635 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 90 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter I should add that whenever I bring them indoors and keep them in a pot, I see the largest stem rot out and the pups that are there make it fine. Nothing of substance makes it.

09-22-2013, 09:02 PM	#5 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,706 BananaBucks : 162,631 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 1,991 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter Do absolutely NOT wrap them in plastic. Contact with plastic will promote rot for sure! __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

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09-22-2013, 09:37 PM	#7 (permalink)
wheelman1976 Zone: 6 Name: Doug Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 127 BananaBucks : 30,635 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 90 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter I'm thinking I should dig everything this fall then, I have two basjoo that are 2.5-3 foot that I got from a nursery with a good start this spring, and they're the biggest at this point, I'd hate to have them not make it this winter and have to start from scratch again. I may leave some of the smaller ones and let them rot to the ground and cover with mulch and uncover in the spring and see what happens.

09-29-2013, 07:11 PM	#8 (permalink)
lmswayne Location: Seattle Find me on the map! Zone: 8-9 Name: Linda Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 319 BananaBucks : 703 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,753 Times Was Thanked 253 Times in 175 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 412 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter I have made a cage from wire fence covered in frost cloth it seams to work very well. __________________

09-29-2013, 07:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,706 BananaBucks : 162,631 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 1,991 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter Hi Wayne (Swayne?) "Don't mean nothing" , unless you tell us, where you live or at least in which HZ. __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

09-29-2013, 08:20 PM	#10 (permalink)
wheelman1976 Zone: 6 Name: Doug Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 127 BananaBucks : 30,635 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 90 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter I just bought a few rose cones to put over my basjoos that I plan to keep in the ground. They have four holes in the top I believe to put stakes thru so that they don't blow away. I was curious if I should leave those open or stuff something in them to keep the cold out? Also, at what point do I want to cut the stalks down and cover them? Wait through a few frosts? Or after the first? Thoughts?

09-29-2013, 09:53 PM	#11 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,706 BananaBucks : 162,631 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 1,991 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter Hi Doug, I have no idea, what ‘rose cones’ are, but having wintered Basjoos for several years now, living also in HZ6, I know, that they will ‘survive’ with 8 to 10 inches of leaf mulch, probably without the mulch too, but it will take a long time for them to recover. If you want to preserve some of the above ground PS for quick leaving out, you will have to do more than that. You will have to provide some air space (not direct contact) between any kind of mulch and the PS, to prevent the stem from rotting. I am a great proponent for wintering basjoos in the ground, because it leaves root and corm undisturbed and ready to go as soon as uncovered in spring. I have in the past erected a little fence around each banana and filled it up with leaf mulch. That is quite a bit of work, but less than digging the plants out, storing them indoors and then planting them in spring and is also less disruptive to growth. For this year I have devised the Permanent banana shelter for winter and spring, which costs less than $60.- for the basic shelters for two singles or small pads and one large one (5 PS this year), will be a cinch to install in fall, can be removed on warm days in early spring in seconds and reapplied, when frost threatens, also in seconds. Best, Olaf __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

09-30-2013, 09:11 PM	#12 (permalink)
wheelman1976 Zone: 6 Name: Doug Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 127 BananaBucks : 30,635 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 90 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter Rose cones are essentially what you have with your structures. They're just round. I bought 4 for about $20 but that doesn't cover all the basjoos I have. I'm thinking I may do what you have there for the remaining plants that I have to cover.

09-30-2013, 09:43 PM	#13 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,706 BananaBucks : 162,631 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 1,991 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter Hi Doug, Is that $20 for each or for all 4? I have just looked up rose cones and came up with this picture: If that is indeed, what it is, it does not look anywhere enough insulation to protect any of the PS in HZ6. Also, I have used Styrofoam Packing material for one of my basjoos last winter and that left a hole almost exactly like the one shown in that cone, and that let enough cold air in to destroy most of the PS, despite of a reasonable amount of additional cover of leaf mulch. So, if you use these cones with additional insulation, make sure, you cover that hole. Good luck, Olaf __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

09-30-2013, 09:52 PM	#14 (permalink)
wheelman1976 Zone: 6 Name: Doug Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 127 BananaBucks : 30,635 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 90 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter Mine are about half inch styrofoam (white). I am planning on getting a few sheets like you have to build some boxes for my two larger mats. I'll take a few pieces to put on the top of my cones to cover the holes before I put a brick on top of them. They were about $5 each at Lowes

10-13-2013, 08:21 PM	#15 (permalink)
wheelman1976 Zone: 6 Name: Doug Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 127 BananaBucks : 30,635 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 90 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter So at what point should I actually put the cones over them? Wait til the first frost and then clip the leaves and cut the PS down to fit in the box? Does that sound good? Side note, I dug up all of my dwarf brazilians and brought them in for the season. I'm hoping that this year I'll save alot of the plants this year by having them potted vs. dry root storage. I had to separate some pups and not sure if I got enough corm with them, but they all had some roots, so I'm hoping those pups will take. fingers crossed that next year I'll be putting out some nice established DB's and I'll get some decent height for the season!

10-13-2013, 08:26 PM	#16 (permalink)
wheelman1976 Zone: 6 Name: Doug Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 127 BananaBucks : 30,635 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 90 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter Here's a bunch of them potted up. And the garden I took them from.

10-14-2013, 01:59 AM	#18 (permalink)
cannasrus Location: southwestern Indiana zone 6 Find me on the map! Zone: zone 6 Name: Buddy T Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 88 BananaBucks : 12,356 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 596 Times Was Thanked 78 Times in 37 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 43 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter it Kind of makes you sick when you dig up the babys for the winter that you have cared for all summer. I had to cut most of the leaves off of mine to get them in. Not sure how they will do. The biggest has an 8 foot PS in a 9 foot garage, I put some grow lights around them But its a first for me. __________________ A regular ride is better than a dressed up walk.

10-14-2013, 04:19 AM	#19 (permalink)
cincinnana Container grower Location: Southwest Ohio U.S.A Find me on the map! Zone: HZ 6/5 Microclimate - Elevation 750 feet- 228.60 meters Name: Cin Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 3,788 BananaBucks : 696 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,144 Times Was Thanked 6,867 Times in 2,689 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,301 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter [quote=wheelman1976;231150]So at what point should I actually put the cones over them? Wait til the first frost and then clip the leaves and cut the PS down to fit in the box? Does that sound good?=qoute] Yes that is what I would do. However try this test first. Take a soda or beer can unopened and wrap it in your most fluffy warm bath towel or warmest winter coat. Put it in your freezer.....leave it in a few winter days. Open it up few days later ......if the can is frozen or exploded....... well ??????? __________________ Cincinnana's Photo Gallery

10-14-2013, 04:51 AM	#20 (permalink)
cannasrus Location: southwestern Indiana zone 6 Find me on the map! Zone: zone 6 Name: Buddy T Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 88 BananaBucks : 12,356 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 596 Times Was Thanked 78 Times in 37 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 43 Times	Re: Prepping basjoo for winter That Test made my mind up Mike, Thanks for the advise too, It is all new to me But we love our Nanners. __________________ A regular ride is better than a dressed up walk.

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