Superbum choking

jmilligan1976 · 07-16-2007, 01:57 AM

I started this Ensete Superbum from seed in early 2006 and it became huge in one summer...see pics below. Then we had a bit of a cold winter and I chopped it back to the "stump" that Superbum gets but didn't add any protection from rain or cold. In 2007 in was slow to start out of the center and it started to choke and stall. I chopped down the stump about 6" further to give it some more room to expand it's new leaves and that worked for a while. It seems now that it is still retaining it's "fan" apperance and not sprawling out like normal. Any comments would be helpful. Jay

This photo was how big it was in the middle of 2006 growing from seed in the spring!

This is what it has done so far in 2007....not much.

MediaHound · 07-16-2007, 02:34 AM

Great pics!
May I suggest amending the soil, a lot of nutrients were lost in this process.

compost compost compost

xyzzy · 07-16-2007, 05:17 AM

Wow, they usually flower before getting that big!

Yes compost and lots of water and remove as much dead leaf bases from the bottom as if they get too dry they can stop the stem expanding and it's easier to romove them than to keep them damp.

jmilligan1976 · 07-16-2007, 11:45 PM

Thanks MH and XYZZY.
I'm almost afraid to hack away more of the old P-Stem than I already have...even though the first round of butchering had no ill affect I can see.
I have fairly new soil in that bed that is in good shape still but I will try to sweeten it a bit. What do you figure the average age and size Superbum gets before flowering? Last year it was about 8' tall and 8' spread with about a 35" P-Stem circumference.
Jay

xyzzy · 07-17-2007, 07:37 AM

Mine usually flower at 7ft almost exactly to leaf tip, but if grown in big pots they flower as small as 4ft sometimes but the flowers are weedier.

07-16-2007, 01:57 AM	#1 (permalink)
jmilligan1976 jmilligan1976's Photo Gallery Location: Zone 5b INDIANA Find me on the map! Zone: Zone 5B - BRrrrrrrrrrr!!! Name: Jay Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 84 BananaBucks : 1,054 Feedback: 1 / 100% Thanks: 5 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts Welcomes: 0	Superbum choking I started this Ensete Superbum from seed in early 2006 and it became huge in one summer...see pics below. Then we had a bit of a cold winter and I chopped it back to the "stump" that Superbum gets but didn't add any protection from rain or cold. In 2007 in was slow to start out of the center and it started to choke and stall. I chopped down the stump about 6" further to give it some more room to expand it's new leaves and that worked for a while. It seems now that it is still retaining it's "fan" apperance and not sprawling out like normal. Any comments would be helpful. Jay This photo was how big it was in the middle of 2006 growing from seed in the spring! This is what it has done so far in 2007....not much. __________________ Because growing a plant suited to your climate is just too simple.........

07-16-2007, 02:34 AM	#2 (permalink)
MediaHound Tally-man MediaHound's Photo Gallery Location: South Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 10b Name: Jarred Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 4,024 BananaBucks : 54,362 Feedback: 58 / 100% Thanks: 932 Thanked 1,099 Times in 383 Posts Welcomes: 247	Re: Superbum choking Great pics! May I suggest amending the soil, a lot of nutrients were lost in this process. compost compost compost

07-16-2007, 05:17 AM	#3 (permalink)
xyzzy Tropically Bonkers Location: Devon, UK. Find me on the map! Zone: 9a, but UK so no sun, always raining and infested with slugs. Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 93 BananaBucks : 794 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Welcomes: 0	Re: Superbum choking Wow, they usually flower before getting that big! Yes compost and lots of water and remove as much dead leaf bases from the bottom as if they get too dry they can stop the stem expanding and it's easier to romove them than to keep them damp. __________________ There is no such thing as can't grow it - but the determination required may lose you your partner, family and friends - but does that matter?.

07-16-2007, 11:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
jmilligan1976 jmilligan1976's Photo Gallery Location: Zone 5b INDIANA Find me on the map! Zone: Zone 5B - BRrrrrrrrrrr!!! Name: Jay Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 84 BananaBucks : 1,054 Feedback: 1 / 100% Thanks: 5 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts Welcomes: 0	Re: Superbum choking Thanks MH and XYZZY. I'm almost afraid to hack away more of the old P-Stem than I already have...even though the first round of butchering had no ill affect I can see. I have fairly new soil in that bed that is in good shape still but I will try to sweeten it a bit. What do you figure the average age and size Superbum gets before flowering? Last year it was about 8' tall and 8' spread with about a 35" P-Stem circumference. Jay __________________ Because growing a plant suited to your climate is just too simple.........

07-17-2007, 07:37 AM	#5 (permalink)
xyzzy Tropically Bonkers Location: Devon, UK. Find me on the map! Zone: 9a, but UK so no sun, always raining and infested with slugs. Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 93 BananaBucks : 794 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Welcomes: 0	Re: Superbum choking Mine usually flower at 7ft almost exactly to leaf tip, but if grown in big pots they flower as small as 4ft sometimes but the flowers are weedier. __________________ There is no such thing as can't grow it - but the determination required may lose you your partner, family and friends - but does that matter?.

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