john_ny

Most of my bananas, and some other plants, are kept growing over the winter, either in bay windows, or under lights, in a warm basement. The basjoos, in the ground have bags of leaves up against them,. and the whole thing is covered with a tarp, to keep them dry.
Last year, I took some of the basjoos that were in pots outside, out of the containers, shook most of the soil off the roots, and put them in a black garbage bag, with another bag over the tops, in a cool room. (about 50°F) I did this in the beginning of November, and uncovered them, repotted, and put them outside on April 5th. They were untouched all winter; they got no water at all. After placing outside, they started growing again, in a week or two. All in all, a very successful operation.
This year, I didn't even take them out of the pots; just moved them into the cool room, and put bags over the tops, again in early November. Like last year, they got no water at all. I peeked under the cover today, (March 14) and this is what I found:

http://[url=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=40794&ppuser=826][/url]

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John

nannerfunboi

looks like your basjoo did great johnNY..
i kept mine in big pots in a sunny south facing window.. they have been
sending out new leaves..i take them outside on sunny warmish days..
oh my aching back..LOL
i potted up my midsized ensetes over weekend..(kept inside overwintering.
around 50F).. they all seem to have done fine..
biggest one..im sure weighs over 200#..i got to get help from neighbors on.. no way i can pot up and move on my own.. LOL

john_ny

I don't know; when I look at the calender, it says it's just 15 days until the same date as when, last year, I took the indoor dry stored basjoos out, and uncovered the ones that were overwinterd, under cover, outside. However, when I look at the 10 day (the farthest I can go forward) weather forecast, it calls for 8 of those 10 days to have nights at or slightly below freezing. I've moved the ones in the picture to a bright warm location and started to water them, so they'll have a little head start when it's time for them to go outside.

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John

nannerfunboi

ya john ny.. i hear ya..i think all over the globe were having "odd weather"
here in utah..were actually having a sort of "spring" we seldom have a
spring..whatever that is..LOL
last week was real nice.. 50sF couple 60sF..weekend we got alot of wind
and really got chilly..not cold..just chilly.. today..its suppose to snow..
LOL go figure..
im doing same as u.. on good days..i haul all my tropicals out in the sun..
oh my aching back.. but i think it gives them a head start too for summer..
all my nanners are leafing out nice now.. winterstored EE as well..
good luck to ya !!!

cheson74

I left my Basjoos outside (south Jersey). I stored some Ensette Maureli under the crawl space but they all turned to mush. Rest of the bananas I brought inside and put under lights. They all grew and are taking over my office haha.

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palmtree

Same here john. I live right near you and the weather is crazy. Last spring had amazing weather. 2 weeks from now last year, the trees were beginning to leaf out and my camellia was in full bloom. It was so warm that I had my orchids outside, my coconut palms, my plumerias, and all my other plants! I even had a banana in the ground and cannas coming up like crazy. That was April 3rd 2010.

March 22, 2010 I had my mandevilla outside, some cannas, my elephant ears, my hibiscus and a few other plants and covered them up for one last light frost.

March 22, 2011 is a different story! I covered up my cold hardy palms in preparation for rain/snow and freezing temperatures right after that. My potted pindo palm is outside, but its also covered. The shrubs and bushes are all starting to grow and flower, but Im sure they will be set back weeks after this forecast is over (one night of 27F and another of 25F!)

Well the good news is that we have 3 more weeks at MOST before the plants all start going outside again. Hopefully this growing season will be as great as last year (mine was from mid to late march to the last week of November which is a full 7 months of 0 frost!), but Im starting to doubt that 2011 will be a good year for all the tropicals.
Your basjoos look great and ready to go outside and enjoy some heat!

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Location: New York City, zone 7b

john_ny

I thought we were on our way to something good here. Five days ago, it was 78°F. Thelast couple of days, it was in the fifties; not as good, but still not bad. Now, this morning, I wake up to this...

[http://[url=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=41012&ppuser=826][/url]

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John