Separating Basjoo Pups
 

I have 6 pups around my Musa Basjoo, all growing very fast in our high temperatures! I'm eager to remove the tallest one (19 inches) but it also has a sucker. do I remove them keeping them together? I wouldn't mind removing the second tallest if it's not too small (only 12" high...what's the minimum height by the way?) I'm in zone 8b, I figured this was ok to do, giving it time to root in it's new place while the heat's still on! Any additional tips welcome, as this is my first time separating!

Thanks guys!

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

If you are removing a pup, and it has its own pup, you will probably want to keep them together unless after getting them out of the soil they obviously both have strong roots.

Have you seen this picture from the photo gallery?

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

Hi Adrift, yes I have seen this diagram and it's very helpful....thanks! Do you think the second tallest pup is ok to dig up too? Or should I wait a while to grow some more. I have a couple of spots for them and can't wait to get them in!

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

You've got all the time in the world... Let them grow and when they are as tall as you, then remove them. Basjoos reach amazing heights. ;)

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

Thanks Jack -I'm actually in the middle of taking the tallest one out. I'll leave the others until they've grown up! In the meantime I hope I'm not ruining my banana right now with the shovel stuck down inside.

Planting Update
 

I just finished planting the pup in my front yard rock bed and thanks to MediaHound's great tutorial on how to remove them I'm pretty sure it's all been a success. He said to look for the potato-like looking corm and I saw something like it dangling from the root (a little one mind you) so I hope that's what it was. We'll see what happens. I took pictures, see below. The sucker snapped off in the process, so hopefully it will recover.

Thanks again for your replies you guys!
Heidi

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

It might be a good idea to wait a month or two at least to let mother's roots recover on the side you cut the pup off. You have pups all the way around the mother. If you cut them all off, you will have cut the roots off the mother -- all the way around. This would be not a good thing (tm). (Sorry for the technical jargon.)

As for the pup's wounded pup, either
1) cut the broken part off (leave the leaves below the fold alone) so that the next new leaf can grow up and out without being bound up. They don't corner well. ;) This might be best if the bend is serious with tearing.

or

2) try splinting the bent part, maybe use a couple bamboo skewers and some soft cord. I've had good luck doing this. Use this method if the tissue is folded but not too torn.

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

Adrift - great advice thanks. I'm going to leave the remaining pups alone and let the one side of the mother recover. I'll be adding some mushroom compost and sea soil to it in a couple of days, as well to the newly planted pup. Regarding the pup's sucker, it has been torn right through, just hanging by a thread. I'll just leave it to fall off I guess.
I am wondering though, with our incredibly dry hot and sunny weather, should I be shading both plants during their shock period?

Heidi

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

I see you don't have the rocks around the banana which is good. But the heat transfer from the rock bed might cause to much heat for the plant. Make sure to keep it watered often,maybe I just worry to much. I just always want my plants to be happy.

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

Thanks blownz281, I hear what you're saying and I love my plants to be happy too. I give it lots of water and spray down the leaves. I've propped an umbrella over the plant on hot hot days, spraying down the rocks to cool as well. I've expressed my concern to the banana experts at my local nursery, about the location I've chosen for the plants and they said they'll love it. I've dug a spot on the grass where I just might replant it, but still pondering that one.

Thanks!
Heidi

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

nice basjoo plant you have there one week ago i planted my basjoo pup it looks like your biggest pup it had its own corm and roots. it has really grown.

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

Thanks Shannon! My pup had a little corm the size of a silver dollar and its own roots as well. How big was the corm on your pup? I'm just wondering if mine will grow with such a small corm...I'm assuming its the piece I cut off from the mother plant. That was my intention in the separation process. We'll see. I hope it roots well enough for the winter!

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

It was about size of a golf ball. yours should do just fine. i cut 2 in the sping that that dident hardely have any corm on them and they are doing fine. they very tuff plants.

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

ah good to know, thanks Shannon. How long does it take for the corm to establish and grow and sprout another pup?

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

in about 2 or 3 months weather is mager facter on how long it takes and fertlizing and how much water it gets i fert with miricle grow once a week.

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

I have the Miracle Gro too, I'll keep fertilizing it with that. our frost will hit about October or so...hopefully that will be sufficient time to root well.
Thanks again! :03:

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

My Basjoo Pups



:0517::03:

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

Hi Andrei, is that basjoo a СахалиH variant or not? I managed to get one СахалиH basjoo a short time ago and it's rumored to withstand (corm only) temperatures about -25°C. With mulch protection of course. How is your experince?

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

Nice pics Andrei, thanks for sharing! I'd love to separate 2 more of mine and pot them up over winter, but I do have a spot for them in the garden, I just don't know if planting them now won't give them enough time to root before the frost.

Heidi

Re: Separating Basjoo Pups
 

Hello! I do not even know for sure, this is a regular Basjoo or Sakhalin. I think that is a regular Basjoo.

A Musa Basjoo Sakhalin leaves very broad, and my usual. It grows year round in the greenhouse, planted in the street does not allow the climate. Night temperatures can fall below 10. I want to get a few plants of this species, and later in the flowering polinate them to obtain seeds.