What could have caused my pseudo stems to become mushy over the winter?

*Dearly Depotted* · 04-13-2021, 10:59 PM

What could have caused my basjoo & mekong giant pseudo stems to become mushy over the winter? I tried to save about 2-3’ of pseudo stems. To do that I had covered them with tons of leaves and used my pool winter cover to cover everything. I had also used rocks & 2x4’s to keep the cover on the plants. Could it be b/c they got wet? I kept trying to keep the covers on but it was very windy all winter. However I did notice many times that the covers came off and it rained a ton as well. I was so disappointed to not see anything when I uncovered them a couple of days ago. If pictures are needed I’ll have to post them tomorrow. Thanks in advance for any help!

Maidenrules · 04-14-2021, 11:29 AM

Hi anyway good growing ! I have a question . How were the lowest temperatures ? How did they last ? I live in Italy so i cannot describe the growing zone properly

edwmax · 04-14-2021, 01:54 PM

The pstems froze. .... Feel down the stem to find a firm stem. Cut it off there.

Starstryke · 04-14-2021, 05:21 PM

Yep, the psuedostems froze. My theory is the water froze creating ice crystals that shattered the cell walls of the psuedostem. Feel down the psuedostem to firm flesh. Cut above that with a machete until you see white or green.

sirdoofus · 04-14-2021, 08:06 PM

Another possibility - are they in an area with good drainage? I lost a basjoo a couple of year ago because I didn't realize how susceptible to extended cold/wet the corm is. It was protected well from above but the area it was in just held to much water and they rotted from the bottom up.

*Dearly Depotted* · 04-15-2021, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwmax

The pstems froze. .... Feel down the stem to find a firm stem. Cut it off there.

Yep that’s what I figured happened too! I did notice that real close to the ground there is a hard stem part! So I cut off the yucky mushy bit. Thanks as always! You !

*Dearly Depotted* · 04-15-2021, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starstryke

Yep, the psuedostems froze. My theory is the water froze creating ice crystals that shattered the cell walls of the psuedostem. Feel down the psuedostem to firm flesh. Cut above that with a machete until you see white or green.

Your theory of the ice crystals shattering the stems is pretty good! Thanks for the help!

*Dearly Depotted* · 04-15-2021, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirdoofus

Another possibility - are they in an area with good drainage? I lost a basjoo a couple of year ago because I didn't realize how susceptible to extended cold/wet the corm is. It was protected well from above but the area it was in just held to much water and they rotted from the bottom up.

I honestly don’t know if the areas that the plants are in have good drainage or not. All I can tell you is a couple of them are close to the fence in the backyard. Others are out in the front yard near the porch. I didn’t know that corms can be that susceptible to rot from the cold or wet. Makes sense though! Sorry to hear that you lost one of your basjoos! Thanks for the help!

*Dearly Depotted* · 04-15-2021, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maidenrules

Hi anyway good growing ! I have a question . How were the lowest temperatures ? How did they last ? I live in Italy so i cannot describe the growing zone properly

Hello! Yeah it gets pretty cold here in Ohio! I’d say that our weather is well below freezing over night during the winter. A couple of times the daytime highs were only in the 20’s! Thanks for the reply!

sirdoofus · 04-15-2021, 10:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Dearly Depotted*

I honestly don’t know if the areas that the plants are in have good drainage or not. All I can tell you is a couple of them are close to the fence in the backyard. Others are out in the front yard near the porch. I didn’t know that corms can be that susceptible to rot from the cold or wet. Makes sense though! Sorry to hear that you lost one of your basjoos! Thanks for the help!

If the plant quickly comes back to life from the corm, it wasn't corm rot and your drainage is fine. You will know soon enough

mari@adams.net · 04-20-2021, 11:50 PM

I haven't uncovered mine yet for this year (in a few days) but this is last years Basjoos. They were mushy at the top, but cut down to where I could see some stem that would 'push up'. They eventually grew and in the fall had 3 stems that produced bunches of bananas...too late in the fall so had to cut them down.[IMG]

[/IMG]

mari@adams.net · 04-20-2021, 11:54 PM

Last year's Basjoo bloom.[IMG]

[/IMG]

sirdoofus · 04-21-2021, 10:28 AM

Oh nice, looks beautiful!

*Dearly Depotted* · 04-30-2021, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirdoofus

If the plant quickly comes back to life from the corm, it wasn't corm rot and your drainage is fine. You will know soon enough

Well, so far I can report that 2 of the plants have pups growing already! The others haven’t done much yet. They did dry up nicely though! I don’t think they’re dead though. I’m keeping an eye on them! Hopefully next time I’ll have better news to tell.....

*Dearly Depotted* · 04-30-2021, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mari@adams.net

I haven't uncovered mine yet for this year (in a few days) but this is last years Basjoos. They were mushy at the top, but cut down to where I could see some stem that would 'push up'. They eventually grew and in the fall had 3 stems that produced bunches of bananas...too late in the fall so had to cut them down.[IMG]

[/IMG]

Thanks so much for the kind message! I’m glad to see someone else’s plants did that and survived as well! Wow! You even got some bananas as well! Really cool! Congrats! I’m genuinely impressed!

*Dearly Depotted* · 04-30-2021, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mari@adams.net

Last year's Basjoo bloom.[IMG]

[/IMG]

So cool!

sirdoofus · 04-30-2021, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Dearly Depotted*

Well, so far I can report that 2 of the plants have pups growing already! The others haven’t done much yet. They did dry up nicely though! I don’t think they’re dead though. I’m keeping an eye on them! Hopefully next time I’ll have better news to tell.....

Glad to hear you are seeing some life out of them. That is great. Keeping fingers crossed for the others.

04-13-2021, 10:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
Dearly Depotted Find me on the map! Zone: 6A Name: Mary Join Date: Sep 2020 Posts: 646 BananaBucks : 98,139 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 607 Times Was Thanked 442 Times in 301 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	What could have caused my pseudo stems to become mushy over the winter? What could have caused my basjoo & mekong giant pseudo stems to become mushy over the winter? I tried to save about 2-3’ of pseudo stems. To do that I had covered them with tons of leaves and used my pool winter cover to cover everything. I had also used rocks & 2x4’s to keep the cover on the plants. Could it be b/c they got wet? I kept trying to keep the covers on but it was very windy all winter. However I did notice many times that the covers came off and it rained a ton as well. I was so disappointed to not see anything when I uncovered them a couple of days ago. If pictures are needed I’ll have to post them tomorrow. Thanks in advance for any help! __________________ It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream!

04-14-2021, 11:29 AM	#2 (permalink)
Maidenrules Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 16 BananaBucks : 3,025 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 6 Times Was Thanked 16 Times in 10 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: What could have caused my pseudo stems to become mushy over the winter? Hi anyway good growing ! I have a question . How were the lowest temperatures ? How did they last ? I live in Italy so i cannot describe the growing zone properly __________________

04-14-2021, 01:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
edwmax Location: Cairo, Ga Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 2,891 BananaBucks : 88,721 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,741 Times Was Thanked 4,440 Times in 2,095 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 414 Times	Re: What could have caused my pseudo stems to become mushy over the winter? The pstems froze. .... Feel down the stem to find a firm stem. Cut it off there. __________________

04-14-2021, 05:21 PM	#4 (permalink)
Starstryke Location: Texas Find me on the map! Zone: 9a Join Date: Jul 2015 Posts: 137 BananaBucks : 29,746 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 47 Times Was Thanked 141 Times in 80 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2 Times	Re: What could have caused my pseudo stems to become mushy over the winter? Yep, the psuedostems froze. My theory is the water froze creating ice crystals that shattered the cell walls of the psuedostem. Feel down the psuedostem to firm flesh. Cut above that with a machete until you see white or green.

04-14-2021, 08:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
sirdoofus Location: Central Vancouver Island, BC Canada Find me on the map! Zone: AgCan 7b, USDA 6b Name: Mike Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 1,051 BananaBucks : 18,180 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,160 Times Was Thanked 1,197 Times in 605 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 98 Times	Re: What could have caused my pseudo stems to become mushy over the winter? Another possibility - are they in an area with good drainage? I lost a basjoo a couple of year ago because I didn't realize how susceptible to extended cold/wet the corm is. It was protected well from above but the area it was in just held to much water and they rotted from the bottom up. __________________ Who keeps calling me nuts??

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04-20-2021, 11:50 PM	#11 (permalink)
mari@adams.net Location: Illinois USA Zone: 6 Name: mari Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 339 BananaBucks : 36,078 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 452 Times Was Thanked 575 Times in 211 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Re: What could have caused my pseudo stems to become mushy over the winter? I haven't uncovered mine yet for this year (in a few days) but this is last years Basjoos. They were mushy at the top, but cut down to where I could see some stem that would 'push up'. They eventually grew and in the fall had 3 stems that produced bunches of bananas...too late in the fall so had to cut them down.[IMG][/IMG]

04-20-2021, 11:54 PM	#12 (permalink)
mari@adams.net Location: Illinois USA Zone: 6 Name: mari Join Date: Jun 2018 Posts: 339 BananaBucks : 36,078 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 452 Times Was Thanked 575 Times in 211 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Re: What could have caused my pseudo stems to become mushy over the winter? Last year's Basjoo bloom.[IMG][/IMG]

04-21-2021, 10:28 AM	#13 (permalink)
sirdoofus Location: Central Vancouver Island, BC Canada Find me on the map! Zone: AgCan 7b, USDA 6b Name: Mike Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 1,051 BananaBucks : 18,180 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,160 Times Was Thanked 1,197 Times in 605 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 98 Times	Re: What could have caused my pseudo stems to become mushy over the winter? Oh nice, looks beautiful! __________________ Who keeps calling me nuts??

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