The amazing Musa Basjoo
 

In the spirit of Randy's post, let's look at musa basjoo for a minute.

It starts as just little stumps in early spring. Musa basjoo starts growing quite early for a banana. It seems to like the cool weather. In just a few weeks, it will look like the following.


It grows about 12 feet high by November and looks like this:


And, if you treat this banana right, it will reward you with beautiful flowers.


I consider this banana a gift from heaven for gardeners north of Zone 7. Let's all rejoice for the awesome musa basjoo!

Re: The amazing Musa Basjoo
 

yeah, it's really amazing, and what a beautiful flower too.

Thanks for the pics.

Ron

Re: The amazing Musa Basjoo
 

I agree 100%, Austin. To start off with this at the end of March:


And end up with this by the end of September (20+'), is truly amazing:


They are a God send for us northern nanner lovers!!!

Good thread...

Re: The amazing Musa Basjoo
 

Randy, what kind of soil are you using in that basjoo bed? I think mine would grow better if the clay wasn't so hard around them.

Re: The amazing Musa Basjoo
 

Austin,
The soil before I prepped the bed was fairly decent mix with quite a bit of clay. After I turn a bed to about 12", I add what is called "landscape mix". Turn it under and top dress with a good 4" or so of landscape mix. The landscape mix is a combination of pine fines, mushroom compost, sand, perlite, trace elements. I buy it from a fertilizer company that is about 1/4 mile from my house. They sell this, as well as mulches, ferts, sand, gravel. It sure makes it nice to be able to run over and grab a scoop or stop by on the way home from work....