Eric

Dunno, if I was a nanner, I'd def want ya to adopt me ! Ya got the problem solved in a single day, not bad !

Jeffrey! Thanx for the great info on mulching Basjoos & cold-hardiness ! Next Basjoo I get, I'll def follow your advice & mulch it outside for the winter. I'm pretty sure Oklahoma doesn't get quite as cold as Connecticut!

Lisa

Eric;
I just checked out your photo gallery and am shocked!!! Amazing!!! You are in zone 7 and can maintain that jungle without everything dying in the winter?? You can't possibly dig everything up and move inside before the cold starts.......Or do you??

Lisa

Okay, everyone!!!! Now I really feel like a bozo.
Erik; I see now that "yes indeedie" you dig those baby's up and bring them in.........I should've kept looking before commenting. My hats off to you sir!!! I lot of work !!! Gorgeous results though!

Eric

Thanx ! Well, actually, me, Sean, and a friend do it. We dig and bring all the bananas in as houseplants... cept the Really big ones! We cut most the leaves off the huge ones & overwinter those in a back room, dormant. We keep water plants alive under strong lights in a shallow water tank & the aroids (elephant ear types), Zantedeschias (Calla lilies), Saffron, some Cannas, Passion vines, Gingers, Diefenbachias, Coffee trees, & palm all come inside as houseplants, too. But you'd be surprised how much winters over outside with little or no protection. The Robert Young & Red Margin timber bamboos can survive major ice storms and things like Giant cannas, Shamrocks, Purple Heart, large Zantedeschias, Irises, etc over-winter naturally here!
It is def a lot of work, and the yards look like construction sites for a while, but with 3 or 4 of us working, it all gets done in time! Btw, we always start over-wintering about a week before the nightime lows get down to the 40's (F). That gives us plenty of time!
Guess ya can see now that zones aren't as important as how good you can over-winter things inside ! We've had the Blue Java (Ice Cream) banana plants going for 3 years now and they just keep getting bigger & taller every year ! Luv it!
Please keep us posted on how your Basjoo does! Cause if your Basjoo will do that good where you are, I'm gonna get one & just leave it out year round with heavy mulching!
Thanx again for the great compliments!
Btw, you are NOT a bozo, just a newbie! It probably won't be long before you'll be giving Me advice!

Lisa

Well you guys ROCK Eric!!! Gorgeous work. I am sure I will be bugging you a lot as I learn. I can only dream of having a beautiful yard like you guys have some day.
Thanks again for the help.

Patty in Wisc

I dunno, but I think Christmas lites would make it too warm. You want it to go dormant & heat will wake it up. I think your old quilt will work just fine then slip a big plastic trash bag over & mulch. Take it off when it warms up. I would put plastic around base to keep corm from too much moisture.

__________________
Got a lite?
Patty

____
Patty in Wisc has sadly passed away 9/05/11. We will miss you Patty.

Seaner

Eric says thanks - Me too ! Bug us all you need to! We always love helping out new members !

Lisa

It is supposed to warm up a little and start snowing; so I will be taking your advice Patty and will keep the moisture out. The gardeners that I have talked to in this area that attempted Bananas in this area say the moisture killed the plant not the cold...(of course we haven't had these low temperatures for such a long stretch of time in many, many years...)
Sean; just checking out your album and see you have an Elephant Ear. I would eventually love to add these to my garden someday too.......So cool!!

Eric

Patty's right. Cold + wet = dead nanners . Cold is anything below 50*F. Yeah, those Elephant Ears are super! Especially if ya put them around the banana trees, looks awesome! The one I gave Sean gets up about 4-5 feet tall (so far) and has 3 foot long leaves ! They also are pretty easy to take care of & very easy to overwinter!

Lisa

Does anyone have Trumpet Bushes?? A business close by planted several amongst his Elephant Ears and Hardy Bananas......they looked terrific this summer. No one sells them locally. Can anyone recommend an online source for the Trumpet Bushes??

Bob

Hi Lisa.... the problem with trumpet bush is that several plants are called this. One of them is the tropical brugmansia or datura the other tecoma. All of them have large trumpet or I'd say lilly like flowers. Do you know which one you're after?

Lisa

Hi Bob;
I believe it's the Angel Trumpet I want.....(brugmansia). I have heard if you mulch them well, some hardy varieties will survive in my zone 8. Can you make any recommendations for online purchasing??

Patty in Wisc

I got some from here
COUNTRY GARDEN CATALOG
or, you could sneak up & take a cutting or 2 or 3 (which is what I would do LOL) & root it in water, or you can wait till early spring & I could send some cuttings.

__________________
Got a lite?
Patty

____
Patty in Wisc has sadly passed away 9/05/11. We will miss you Patty.

Lisa

Sounds great; I will check this out and possibly "hit you up" for some cuttings come spring.....thanks so much Patty