transplant idea question
 

I'll start by saying I live in Indiana and in the coming weeks I will have to start winterizing my banana plants. Well, I got the idea of expanding my tropical garden for next year and want to move a couple of my plants from where they are to the new area of the garden. So my question is should I just dig them up and let them rest over the winter or could I transplant them to the new area now to let the root system establish and then winterize it with mulch, straw, and bags in a few weeks?

Re: transplant idea question
 

If they are basjoo, leave them where they are and move in spring. If not Basjoo, you will be digging them and bringing them in anyway or they will die.

Re: transplant idea question
 

Dividing perennials in fall or spring was a natural when I lived in MD with a zone of 6 or 7; doing that in a 5 or lower, which I assume is what you have, is generally considered a spring or even early summer activity. (I worked as a landscaper in the Akron area and cringed when told to move "stuff" as late as August; usually worked there with adequate water but would have burnt up where I lived in MD.) What kind of bananas are you growing? That would, as Steve said, have an huge impact on your plans for this season or next year.

Re: transplant idea question
 

Thank you Sputinc7 and Kat2 for the advice I needed. Indianapolis is just at 6a zone. I accept that knowing just twenty miles north of me is 5b. Probably the rural farm flat land where nothing stops the wind in the winter. Where I live in the city where things seem to be a little warmer.

I have three Musa Bajoos, One red banana and three Nepal. I grew those from seeds that I bought from Seedmans site. I bought ten seeds call Giant Nepal Bananas and got three so that was good. Anyway, I figure to dig those and red banana up to rest of the winter and will bag the others. and move them into new places next spring. Yesterday I expanded my garden from five feet by sixteen feet to 31 feet by 16. I hope to not touch a shove again LOL it was hard work.

OT anyone ever have problems posting pictures? Every time I do the site says photos download good or to that effect and I never can see the pix. I don't understand?
Thanks again

Re: transplant idea question
 

My guess is your pics are too large. You need to compress them. There should be a box with the word "process" in red and you click that. If you don't get the process page, they are not uploading.

Re: transplant idea question
 

I'll pay attention to the sizes of the photos. I have a lot I would love to share.

Re: transplant idea question
 

I have over wintered a bunch of different varieties bare rooted in burlap bags in my heated gagage with great success. I have also had good success leaving them in the ground. Bare rooting is good for larger plants. Stems of three feet or more is preferred. Leaving them in the ground is a little more tricky. Protecting from freezing is not the biggest problem. Keep the corm reasonably dry is difficult. This is just my experience. Your weather definitely presents a big challenge. If you want more discussion send PM.

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First of all I like to give a big THANKS:goteam: Sputinc7 for suggested that I resize my photos! Now that I understand how to do that I have all kinds of photos to share.
So, what is going on in these photos above is a transplant that I did back in August. The area had tons of Iris' that needed to be moved and given away. This lovely was up against my fence on the other side of my yard and was taking a beating so I decided to move it. I was a little worried it might now like the move. I didn't like it very well at first as all the leafs basically wilted. I removed them and used them to compost. Weeks late you can see it has rebounded well. It will be a wonderful plant come next summer.

Re: transplant idea question
 

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This is how I winterized my banana plant last year and plan on doing the same thing this winter. You tube is a wonderful place to learn this kind of stuff. I had worried by doing this I was copycatting guys from Canada(Vancouver). Nothing against them but I worried more about having no idea of what their zone was. I don't believe its similar to Indianapolis since its off the Ocean and that could make it warmer. At any rate this worked for me. This plant is a monster this year :08:

Re: transplant idea question
 

Great pictures! If you got this to survive a winter in Indy, your method should work for me in Denver! What's between the p-stem and the bubble wrap??

Re: transplant idea question
 

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First picture shows what the plant looked like after I took all the wrapping off. I was a little distraught when I saw the slimy mess. I pulled all the dead off to the point where I found new growth so that was releaving. The following pics are of the same plant growing nicely. I'm depressed I have to bring it down here in a few weeks.

To Denverian. I put the bubble wrap over the stump directly. Bubbles inside. That gives it a little area to breath. Then I pack the bottom with mulch and the use hay and a couple of bags to keep it warm. So far so good. I hope it works for you too

Re: transplant idea question
 

Thanks! I just used bubble wrap alone last winter, and the p-stem didn't make it. The plant itself shot up new growth, but just little "pups" that only grew to about 3' high. How did yours get so huge?? Have they been there multiple years?

I bought a new one this spring and it's around 7' to the top leaf right now. Nice, but not huge.

Re: transplant idea question
 

Denverian,
I really didn't do anything special. My yard is pretty small so I don't have space for a compost pile so I did the bucket composting. That way I have been pouring the compost tea onto the plant. It just loves it. I also have been spreading the compost itself over the other plants in the garden. This plant and the other bananas have gone bananas HA with pups and growth. I fertilized once way back in June and basically watered when I hasn't rained. We have gotten quite a bit of rain this summer too. I could say I'm lucky because last winter was pretty mild. Our late January into February's can get down into 10s and it pretty much stayed in the 20s. I hope that info helps.

Mike

Re: transplant idea question
 

Temperature wise, we had a mild winter too. But we can get a little below zero a time or 3 most winters.

I have horrible clay soil, so that could be part of it. What came back from the old plant is really nothing to be thrilled about. I do fertilize regularly all summer, and the one new plant grew impressively (compared to other varieties I've tried) for our short growing season. I planted it in early May when it was probably 3' tall, now around 7'. Our first frost could be anytime from now to early November, so it's a crap shoot this time of year.

I wonder if the Basjoos need more humidity to thrive? We really don't have much in Denver. But then I successfully grew huge bananas in Southern California and it's not humid there either. And similar to SoCal, Denver summer nights are cool (in the low 60s typically).

Re: transplant idea question
 

It gets pretty humid here. Earlier this week if felt like mid august not the end of September. Our first frost will be here before I know it also. Generally happens a week before Halloween.

Re: transplant idea question
 

I put a tarp over mine last night (and the elephant ears) as we had a frost warning. However, it didn't frost. We have a couple more "close nights" coming, so I'll keep everything covered. Forecast calls for a long stretch well above freezing starting this weekend, so I figured I'd save things. Last year, everything made it until a week into November before being frozen.

I still need to go get insulation to wrap the trunk.

Re: transplant idea question
 

you never know about frost. Its almost like the weatherguys are crying wolf. After a while of their nonsense I've learned to figure out the weather myself. Its also something to not worry too much about. The corm wont freeze from a frost, of course the plants will look bad but that's the indicator of them saying the season is over :( As for insulating the trunks I get my bubbles at work but I believe you can get them at Lowes, home depot, menards, etc. Mulch is another key thing to get. Use lots of it.

Re: transplant idea question
 

What kind of insulation do you use around the stem?

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This year, I'm going to try regular house insulation. Looks like a roll is $20 or so. Then wrap that in bubble wrap, then plastic over that to keep water out. Then mulch heavily all around.

Re: transplant idea question
 

Interesting. Sounds like a good idea. I look forward to seeing your results next spring.