harveyc

Hey Randy, I had a worker help me the other day repot my Ae Ae into a 30 gallon pot. I know I'm going to need his help again if I plant it in the ground next spring. There's no way I'm moving that myself since it needs to be leaned over to get out of my greenhouse (it's got a pseudostem of 6-7 feet and total height of about 12' above soil line). When I build a bigger greenhouse some day it's going to have a wider and taller door as I have a small Kubota tractor with a loader and it can squeeze through a 4 foot opening and still pick up 600 pounds. I feel old enough as it is without hurting myself.

But I was talking to Katie at Going-Bananas the other day and wondering about something, but I'll start another thread for that.

Good luck!

Harvey

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frog7994

I bought mine from going Bananas also. It was doing well but We have a michivious ratcoon in the neighborhood and it snapted it half so I had to cut it back. I't doing great now. I was drawn by the hot pink color. I can't wait.

stumpy4700

[quote=Randy4ut;54318]Just thought I would give an update on my Veinte Cohol. A couple of weeks ago, I dug up and potted 3 pups, one having about a 3' pstem, to overwinter in my dear friend's greenhouse. Today, I dug up the two largest pstems and potted them into a 45 or 60 gallon pot to overwinter in my garage. Once dug, I found two more very small pups just starting to come up. Well, needless to say, it was a MONSTER job for one person as you could imagine as soon as you see the pic I have included. The largest pstem is around 6' and the smaller one is right at 5'. So, with all this said, with a bit of luck, I will be eating my first Veinte Cohol fruit next summer. The plant will be housed in my unheated garage over the winter.
Also, hopefully, next year I will be able to share this little gem with some of my friends. Everyone keep your fingers crossed.
There is a green yardstick sitting up next to the pstems for scale!!!

In your garage do you have grow lights or are you letting it go dormant?

Randy4ut

Stumpy,
I have tall, narrow windows in my garage that are on both the east and west sides of my garage. Not a lot of light, but I was able to overwinter my Maurelli without any problems in a pot last year. Here is what it looked like when I brought it out for the spring/summer...

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Bananaman88

Nice job with the VC, Randy! That's some nice growth for a pot-grown banana. I certainly hope they make it though the winter OK for you.

Randy4ut

Thanks, Brent, but they are not pot grown. As stated in the post, I just dug them up and potted them, today. Sure could have used another banana lover that would have helped with the lugging of the corm and pstems around the house to where they were potted and stay until time to bring in!!!

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Bananaman88

Sorry, I overlooked the fact that you'd just potted them up. Duh!

Randy4ut

Well, I am totally bummed out!!! I finally took my large potted VC out of the garage today and both pstems had rotted!!!! They looked fine and felt firm, but when I went to move them outside for a few days, they crumpled!!! Corm feels fine, but looks as if I will have to start over again this spring. Glad I kept the pups in my friend's greenhouse as back ups.. I guess VC doesn't like to be stored cold with NO water...
Here is what they looked like before I put them in the garage...

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harveyc

Wow, sorry to hear that Randy! Good luck in 2010 with your pups!

Harvey

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bigdog

Randy, sure sorry to hear that! I know how frustrating it can be to have the pseudostem at the height that you want it, only to lose all of it the following spring. Was the soil at all moist? Maybe next time, try them completely bareroot. Sounds like they rotted out at the base. Could be a temperature issue also. Some of the acuminata types just don't really do well with cool temps at all. Also, did they have any leaves when you put them up last fall? If so, try them with no leaves next time.

I'll be sure to post pics of mine this summer for you to enjoy!

Randy4ut

Bigdog,
I did not water them all winter and they were fairly dry when I put them in but not bone dry. I did have several leaves on them when I put them up. Like I said in the first post, I do have about 3 pups in Clevelandcathy's greenhouse that were about 2-3' tall, so I still may have a chance, even if only slightly, to have fruit this year. I can't remember exactly what is under the house bareroot beside the Ice Cream, but hopefully, I put a VC under there to test. I will check under there later this coming week and see. What aggrevates me is that I have two potted Ice Creams beside the VC in the garage and they have about 5-6 foot of pstem. Go figure!!!!
Will be an interesting spring to see what comes back for me as this is the worst (coldest and wettest) winter I have experienced since I contracted my addiction with tropicals>>>

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austinl01

Randy, I'm very sorry to read the bad news. I was really hoping the VC would pull through this winter. I watered my VC slightly during the winter. The pstem is solid except near the very top so I cut it back today. There are some brown spots showing on the pstem, but they are firm. I hope there isn't rot inside the trunk only to mess up the plant later. My smaller pups rotted with no water too while Raja puri still has a green leaf! Go figure on that. I was hoping VC would be easier to overwinter. I want to know what bananas are the easiest to overwinter for our climate, and which give us the best chance for fruit. It can be frustrating for the banana grower in zone 7b/8a.

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Austin
Arkansas River Valley

Average January Low: 31°F, Average August High: 92°F
Extreme Winter Lows: 5-15°F, Extreme Summer Highs: 100-112°F, Annual Precipitation: 52 inches

Randy4ut

Austin,
Without going under the house, so far, my Ice Creams have all done good in the garage. My basjoo all except one pstem got knocked down to the corm. And with no protection other than a little extra mulch around the base of the pstems, my sabas are solid outside with at least 6-8 foot of solid pstem!!! The smaller sabas got knocked to the corm. I have about 3' or so of height on a couple of the balbisiana gigantea that was left outside with no protection. Man, I don't think I will ever figure out how different types of bananas will do in my area. Like I said, should be interesting this spring!!! Let me know how you VC does. I thought my was doing fine as the pstem felt solid to the touch until I went to move them and they just collapsed!!! UUUGGGHHH!!!!!

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bencelest

I have one VC that I am keeping it in a pot that I bought last year and I am planning to plant it at my pergola plat this spring. I think it will be good for her on the ground and semi protected.
I have one senorita also but it is still unknown whether it will survive or not. I have it planted in a 3 gallon pot with pot heated underneath and Christmas lights around it. I hope this spring it will wake up.

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Banana Nut

tophersmith

I went over to Plant Delights this weekend for there winter openhouse. Tony mentioned that he would be selling these next spring as he will be growing out TC's in the fall.

Bananaman88

Randy- sorry to hear about your problems. I just sent you a PM.

Randy4ut

Hey Benny,
Best of luck with your VC. Hopefully my large one's corm is still good and it will give me some pups this spring. The corm still feels firm, so I am optimistic... Best of luck with your senorita and let us know how if fares, also...
Take care

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Randy4ut

PM received and reply sent!!!

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bencelest

Randy: If the corm is still firm 99.9% it will come up this spring.

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Banana Nut

chong

Hey Joe!
Check out my latest post today: Just in Case Anyone is Wondering what happened to my Veinte Cohols . . . - Bananas.org

And here I thought you were just kidding!!!!!