Randy4ut

Hey all,
I got this technique from a good friend of mine in Wahington state. He used this technique on his basjoos last year and didn't lose any pstem. I thought I would try this on my saba I got from Chris this past summer. When I cut the leaves off, I had about 6' of pstem! It was planted around the first week of July and sat there for about 6 weeks before he decided he would grow some. So, that means this guy grew to an overall height of about 12' in just 10-12 weeks!!!
Anyway, here is a pic of its winter coat...(remember, I am 6'4" for scale)


If anyone is wondering, I used 10" insulated flexible ducting used in the HVAC industry. I pulled the mulch back, slipped the duct over the saba, placed 2 towels on top and then 2 plastic grocery bags on top. This way, I can remove the top to vent on warm days during the winter. If you try this, be sure to tuck the outer plastic under and back up on the inside to keep moisture from wicking up through the insulation. After this, I pulled the mulch back up against the ducting. I will let everyone know how it works for me....
Just thought I would throw this out....

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bencelest

And looks very neat too.
I will try your method Randy.
Thanks!
Benny

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Banana Nut

Randy4ut

Benny,
If you do try this method, please let me know how it turns out for you. I like to hear others results...

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Mustang

Definitely looks a neat solution Randy. It'll be interesting to see how it fares.

bananimal

Randy4,

Draw a face on that thang. When I grew my naners in back in Charlotte, NC I wish I had that info. Might have gave me a shot at a real bunch of fruit the next year.

Dan

Randy4ut

The face is a great idea, Dan... I will have to get my youngest out there and decorate it somehow... Hopefully, I will have good results with this...

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Mustang

Randy, check the first photo on this link: http://www.oasisdesigns.co.uk/winter%20protection.htm

It shows musas protected in a very similar way, over in the UK.

Randy4ut

Thanks Helen, for the link!!! That has alot of great info in it. Looking forward to giving some of the other methods a try as I have several different types of palms and a newly acquired Aussie Tree Fern... It is spending this winter in the garage, though...
Again, thanks for the link...
Randy
Take care...

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natedogg1026

Looks like a great idea Randy. Thanx for all the things you share on here!

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Banana's are a safe addiction. Right?Maybe I need classes.

Mustang

What type of fern is it Randy? I understand it's difficult to get hold of Aussie and New Zealand tree ferns in the US? Or is it just that we've (the Brits) grabbed them all?

Randy4ut

Helen,
It is a Dicksonia antartica (Tasmanian treefern). A friend of mine found them on clearance at a HD just outside Atlanta. It has started forming a trunk, only about 6" right now. We got them for about $20 a piece. From my understanding there are several large specimens in and around the metro Atlanta area. I also have heard of quite a few in the Northern CA area as well. Please, let all your friends know that we, Americans, love them too, so don't buy them all up. LOL

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Mustang

Ah. DAs. They are the most common tree fern over here. I've got a number of them, from a 9 footer down to 'potters' (just starting to form trunks).

I leave mine out all year around. If it gets cold, I stuff a ball of fleece into the crown. That's all. We're having -4C temperatures right now at night, and the fronds aren't even phased by it.

In summer, I have a micro-irrigation system that sprays/drips on the crowns and trunks a couple of times a day, and they really respond by pushing out huge fronds.

For me, they make a nice backdrop for the more tender tree ferns I've got, providing shade and wind protection. My other tree ferns are tucked up inside the greenhouse with a fleece cover.

shopgirl2

thanks to all for sharing these useful ideas! keep posting\ results.

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Orinoco by the sunlight.

Randy4ut

Well, I just uncoated my Saba from the 3rd week in November... I was a little worried as I didn't uncover it this whole time and I was afraid that it would have rotted. But, what a surprise I got!!! Here is what it looked like today when I finally uncovered it. I will keep it's "coat" close at hand for another month or so, for those cold nights. Looks like I will have a nice pstem to start with this summer!!!



Pic is not that great, but here is a shot of the new growth that is about to come out!!!



Yo, BigDog, it wasn't black in the center!!!!

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bigdog

Well, that certainly is a good sign! However...don't get your hopes up too much just yet. That is how my Raja Puri looks every time I plant it out in the spring. Then it just sits there...and sits there...and sits there. When I cut into it a bit further down, the rot starts to show up below the green! Hope yours makes it. Put a mark on the emerging leaf, so you can see if it grows or not. I wouldn't expect anything for a while though. If it doesn't start to move by May, well, you may want to perform surgery.

Good luck!!

Randy4ut

You're killing me, Frank... Don't burst my bubble, yet... I would much rather you say, "I told you so!!!"... LOL Just kidding around... Hopefully, it will take off and not have any problems...

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STEELVIPER

Looks good. I bet it doubles it size this year.

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dablo93

that looks really good! its a handy method, I didn't know that it can look that neat
thanks for sharing it and succes with the SABA

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bigdog

Just "keepin' it real," Randy, LOL! I hope it takes off as well.

TN: 63 - KY: 60 GO VOLS!!

Randy4ut

Well, BigDog was right. The center of my Saba's pstem was rotten and had to cut it back to about 4" above the corm. But, it seems to be starting to put out some new growth. Also, when I was cutting it back, I did find a pup coming up out of the mulch!!! Can't wait to see what kinda of growth I can get out of it with a full growing season ahead of it!!!
So, I guess I had good news and bad...

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