New Grower - Wintering Potted Basjoos
 

Hello, Everyone.

In a couple weeks I will be receiving my first 2 Basjoos. I plan to pot them and set them in my south facing, Oklahoma City courtyard.

My concern right now is how should I winter them? I'd prefer to leave them outdoors if it is at all possible (I have no room in my itty bitty townhome, so I would have to take them to my mother's garage if I went that route). I've read over and over about heavily mulching them with something that will keep them dry, then covering them with plastic, but I don't know if this will do me any good if they're in a pot.

Will they survive if I mulch them really well, cover them with plastic, wrap packing foam around the pot and possibly cover them with a tarp?

Re: New Grower - Wintering Potted Basjoos
 

I'm not sure what zone you're in but you have to realize that if the pot is above ground you're actually going lower. For example I'm in zone 6 and even with 4 bales of hay, remay and tarp mine died down almost to the ground even though the corm stayed relatively intact. Raising the corm and roots would expose it to colder temps and windchill so if your say in zone 6 to the plant it might seem like zone 3. I'd look to be able to move it indoors somewhere if you cant plant it in the ground.

Re: New Grower - Wintering Potted Basjoos
 

Thanks, Bob.

I've heard that, when caring for potted plants, your zone is equivelent to 2 zones below, meaning my 7 would actually be a 5, thus the plants must be hardy to 5. I've heard different (lowest) hardiness zones for Basjoo ranging from 3 to 6.

I'd probably rather have my Basjoos potted, due to space and sun limitations, than put them in the ground, so I'll start planning for winter storage.

Re: New Grower - Wintering Potted Basjoos
 

just chop it off and put the pot in her garage

Re: New Grower - Wintering Potted Basjoos
 

i put a heating pad under my nanners and they look good

Re: New Grower - Wintering Potted Basjoos
 

I have musa basjoos. I am in zone 6. I put 2 ft of cypress mulch on top of my bananas and a cage around them to hold the mulch. I have had one survive and now we will see if the second one lives through this winter.