so how do I prevent it?
 

Here are some updates. This is the best basjoo I have seen(only a father could love, hehehe). I think it's doing great. The other one on the left still looks pathetic so I didn't take a picture. Anyways, I have a strong feeling that the new leaf will have the same fate again. How do I protect it?






Thanks,

Neil

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

Are you experiencing strong winds in your area?

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

Yes, on that area, always. There is no house beside us. It's open.

Also, how come my basjoo doesn't have a color red in the middle of the leaf like what I have seen on others. So am not sure if mine is a real basjoo.

Here is what I was referring. This is from wxman's basjoo.

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

the new leafs will be much stronger, so dont worry too much, they will grow also like the little basjoos from wxman;)
his basjoos also had some problems in the beginning but now they are looking great.

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

So is the red line one of the characteristics of basjoos?

Thanks!

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

most of them develop the red at some point in their lives. Sometimes it's stronger than other times. I wouldn't worry about the leaf damage. The plant will grow stronger leaves in response to the environmental conditions (ie. wind). It will toughen up on its' own.
Pretty cool huh? We have a lot of wind here and I often cut all the leaves off the bananas when I transplant them because they just come off anyway.

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

Cut the leaves? Then plant the leaves? Will it live? Are bananas like sedum wherein you can cut a leaf then plant them and it will live?

Thanks!

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

So guys, do you think from my pic, it's a real basjoo? Can we really tell at this age?

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

No, she's referring to cutting off a pup from the mother plant. When doing so, it's fine to cut off the leaves of the transplant because it will roll out new ones. Leaves of bananas do not root or form new plants. New plants come out of the ground near the main banana plant.

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

From the looks of your plants, you do not need to cut off the leaves or portions thereof because they appear to be doing well just as it is. If they were stressing out, the leaves will themselves wilt, which apparently is not happening to your plants. In my experience, when plants are slow to grow, but look healthy as your plants are, the nighttime temperatures are dipping pretty low. The same thing is happening to my plants that are outside. The ones that are inside the greenhouse are growing 50% to 100% faster than the ones outside.

If you are so inclined, you might try building a tee-pee made of sticks tall enough and clear plastic around your plants until they are grown big enough, and the weather has warmed up sufficiently the nighttime temperatures are over 70°F.

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

most basjoos have a red line in it, but when they are very small, like yours, you dont see them, that will come when they grow a bit larger.

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

i have 5 adult basjoos and only 2 have the red in the veins. i think and its just my opinion....that the reddning of the veins comes with maturity of the plant. i have noticed on mine the more leaves it puts out the more red i get. and boy do the leaves on the basjoo get wide. just like the saba and oronico. you could wrap a mini cooper car in one leaf!

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

When my banana gets old, can I use the basjoo leaves for wrapping food that we want to bake/cook, etc? :) It's because, I read that we cannot eat the fruit of basjoos. So I was thinking that the leaves cannot be used as well.

Thanks guys for the explanation of the red line. :)

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

It almost looks like an animal has chewed off the leaves. Rabbits or squirrels perhaps? Just thought you might want to consider it.

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

Nope, it was tortured by the wind coming from the north. I was right in front of it when it was being tortured by wind. :D The leaves would go in any direction. I forgot to mention that I used my scissor when the leaf was totally brown and dead dry.

Anyways, I looked at her today. I can believe that it grew 1" long. The tip of the new leaf is the same height as the stem on the right with brown end. Now, the new leaf is about 1 to 1.25" higher. Man, that pic was just yesterday. It's sooo fast.

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

Here is the latest pic of her. :) I measured it. The distance was close to 1.5 inch increase.

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

That's great! Lets hope that the weather holds up.

Neil, you might scout around for a Musella Lasiocarpa. They are very pretty and mature plants are even more cold hardy than the M. Basjoo.

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

Awesome, I will look for it! Thanks for the advice again! :D

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

Hi Chong,

I looked at the Musella Lasiocarpa's zone and it says Zone 7b which means, it can do upto 5F. However, musa basjoo is zone 6b which means, it can withstand up to -5F. That means, musa basjoo is more cold hardy than the Musella Lasiocarpa.

Please let me know.

Thanks,

Neil

Re: so how do I prevent it?
 

I saw a pic of Musella. I love it. Can I grow this in a big pot then when it's winter, I'll just bring it in our living room as accent? How tall do they grow? And also, would you guys recommend buying seeds of this species rather than a plant?



And what do you think about this, is this the correct musella?