Pup Question
 

My basjoo did pretty well for its first year, i'd say close to 3ft tall, but started to get disappointed not seeing any pups. About a week or 2 ago one finally emerged!:08:

A killing frost is expected this weekend, so my question is do i separate it from the main plant and pot it, or leave it attached till next season?

My original plan was to leave the whole thing buried over winter, but kinda wanted to dig it up and store the corm so i can better amend the soil next season, thoughts?

Re: Pup Question
 

well first to tell i have no banana outside.. so i just my thoughts abut it..

you can couver the p-stem (mother and pup) with leafs or any other stuff to prevent the pup from freezing. basjoo is to my knowledge very cold hardy (-20°C) but i have no proof for the number. Anyway it should survive frost..

if you can buy a basjoo for next year you can try to just leave it. if not or if you dont want to buy a new one you can try cut the pup. but it could also die during the winter inside

the whole plant seems to be "small" and i think small enough to dig out and place it inside over the winter. repotting/planting allways shocks the banana so id say for now its save outhside. if you couver it good the pup should make it


hope my thoughts may help :)

Re: Pup Question
 

I agree with Boff, if it were my first plant I would bring the whole thing in for the winter.
The plant is still small enough to tuck in front of a window in a container.
Grab as much rootball as you can for better overwinter success and less stress to the plant.

Re: Pup Question
 

What i ended up doing after the freeze was cut it at the base and dug it up. I put it in a box and placed in the kitchen while i got a spot ready to store it. Its been about a week sitting there and finally have the spot ready to go but it started growing again.

So my question now is do i cut off the new growth? Its about 2 inches. And also there's about 6 pups attached, when can those be separated?

Re: Pup Question
 

At that size you may have some issues keeping it alive over the winter. It might just dry out. I'd put it in a pot with some nice potting soil and keep it as a houseplant. Don;t remove the pups. They are just babies :P

Re: Pup Question
 

Couldn't I just mist it with a spray bottle every once in awhile?

Re: Pup Question
 

I agree with MDB......

Let the plant/corm grow out...it will stop in 1o days.
The plant will desiccate on its own.....let it do its thing.
The new growth will stop and fade away in two months.
The plant will look like heck.


There are you tube vids to help you out..

Re: Pup Question
 

I have had mixed results with Basjoo as a houseplant in winter, sometimes they rot for me, and dont seem to do as well indoors as other bananas. This year i am sticking the whole pstems in plastic bags (They are small) to keep them from desiccating as bad, and putting them under the house. I had to move them because they were blocking a pathway, and didnt want to disturb them in spring.

Re: Pup Question
 

Your plant is still trying to grow. Pot everything up and put it in a cool but warmish and sunny location for the winter. Don't try and make a house pet of it.

From the size of everything in your pic, you should have left it in the ground and mulched over it. It would have been okay, but for now, just try and get it through the winter as is best suited for it.