Too small to leave out?
 

I have 4 musa basjoos that I planted over the summer. My dogs trampelled them when they were a little over a foot tall. They died down to the ground and then grew back. I have one that is a little over a foot and half a tall. The rest are just pup size. I'm in zone 6... are these guys too small to leave out over the winter even if they're mulched heavily?

Re: Too small to leave out?
 

The dogs or the bananas? :ha:

I'm sure others will chime in here but I believe that the plants are too small to leave out, even with mulch, but I could be wrong.

I had a plant that a squirrel decimated and was on its way back with several pups and I potted it up and brought it in for the winter. I was advised to do this by a grower and told that next year, the plant will be better established to mulch for winter. It's been doing quite well in the past couple of weeks.

Am already looking forward to May 2009.

Re: Too small to leave out?
 

Both! :ha:

Thanks for your reply. Looks like I have some digging to do!

Re: Too small to leave out?
 

I'm also in zone 6(a). I planted 2 gallon size basjoo in early May, my new puppy promptly trampled one totally cutting the entire visible growing portion off. It finally came back and ended up at about 30" including the tallest leaf. I chose to pot that up and brought it in last week. I didn't think it would have had enough top and root growth to sustain it during the coldest parts of the winter. The other grew to about 5' to the top of the highest growing leaf and I'm going to leave it out with straw bale/ leaf mulch under plastic.

Re: Too small to leave out?
 

i should pot them up and bring them inside, just that you know for sure that they survive it and then next year overwintering them outside:)

Re: Too small to leave out?
 

Hi rosebud161616,

I was told to bring my 21" basjoo inside. I decided to leave it outside. There are times during the months of February, our lowest temp can reach -30F even around 6am to 8am. It's my first time to own a banana plant. We'll see if it will survive. I will keep you posted.

Thanks!

Neil

Re: Too small to leave out?
 

Neil, I'd be afraid to do that. I hear that basjoo are cold hearty but I don't think it will take those temps unless you build a heated greenhouse around it.
I planted a ice cream inground last May & we had a very unusual late frost night of May 28. I wrapped the stem but left the only 2 leaves out. The leaves died & it looked like a dead stick, but new leaves grew. It would take a LOT of mulch to keep frost out in Z5.
Patty

Re: Too small to leave out?
 

We'll find out next year. :)

EDIT:

Now I know why your response was like that. I reread my previous post. I forgot to mention that I will protect it. I'm sorry. So yes, I will protect it.

Re: Too small to leave out?
 

Hmm, a foot and a half tall??? Thats some pretty good beef under ground. I planted some basjoos last September 07 right before the fall weather, they grew about a foot tall before winter came and I cut the stem down to about 6 inches, covered them with chopped leaves. They had about 2 months of growth before I cut them down.
When Spring arrived this year, I uncovered them and they grew about 6 feet.
IF you can keep the corm from freezing, with a heavy blanket of leaves, then the ground will not freeze. I would stay away from Hay as it holds moisture and disease. Cut the Pstem down to about a foot, cover with leaves.
I live in 6a, and it gets down right cold, I have never lost a basjoo from the winters in Kentucky.
I have a shotty picture from a friend that you can use as a guide if you can see it. The far right is what your plant should look like after cutting and covering your banana's for the winter. Sorry for the blur, my camera would not focus for some reason.
Remember your plants
Sleep- the first year they concentrate on roots and corm growth
Creep- Second year show some signs of growth
Leap- Third year they grow like crazy.
With Tropicals anything is possible since they grow at staggering rates.
As always go with your heart and good luck with your decision.

Re: Too small to leave out?
 

I might try that in Z6 but not here Z5. We can have minus 40 - 60 below zero wind chills for days in a row. Our frost line is 4ft underground. We have lakes so thick with ice by Jan, cars drive on them.
It would be a good experiment & I hope they make it thru. Wrap them good & I hope it's a mild winter! After a layer of wrap, add Xmas lights & wrap again. Pile with snow too--it's another good insulater.
I'll look FWD to the results. Thanks & good luck.
Patty

Re: Too small to leave out?
 

Miracle, that's a big help. I have one right now that's at 1' or maybe a little taller. It's still growing like crazy. Maybe I'll see how big it gets just before the first frost and cover it. We're lucky if we see many days below 0* here. And unlike the southern areas of ohio we get more snow than ice. So hopefully that will help out too.

At what point in Kentucky did you decide last year that it was time to chop him off and cover him? I would like to leave it as much growing time as possible.

Re: Too small to leave out?
 

I agree with Dablo- pot 'em up fot the winter, but you could leave 1 or 2 out just to see how they do. That way, if they make it, (or don't) you'll have a better guesstimate of how big and established they need to be to survive zone 6 winters.

Re: Too small to leave out?
 

I was under the impression that wind-chill is only applicable to humans. Patty, where in Wisconsin are you? It sounds like you're in Superior, WI area.

Re: Too small to leave out?
 

Hi Scot, I think you're right about the wind chill. Weather guy always says "with the wind chill, FEELS like.....", but then there are times that the wind blows that cold right thru your clothes, so I imagine it can blow thru the wrap on the nannas.
I live in Milwaukee(5), and northern half of WI (or so) is z4. Superior may even be Z3.
Another idea in leaving them out for winter is to plant close to house so it gets some house heat - maybe helping to keep ground from freezing deeply.
That's a good idea...to pot one & keep some outside. I sure hope the ones left out make it. It will be interesting to know this for others in Z6.
Also, to whak down /cut leaves, slows the growth & I don't want this "pause" in their growth so I dig up & lug the things inside to grow - although very slowly.