Dwarf Red. just sexy

Georgeous.

Thank you Evan

I got a basjoo about a year ago and over wintered it in the basement per recommendation of the vendor, Logees. Planted it out shortly after Mother's day. It is over 6 feet tall now and I discovered yesterday that it has a pup. I am amazed. I will mulch the devil out of it and cover it with straw and leaves.

I have it surrounded with cannas and elephant ears. A sunk potted White bird of paradise is in the same area and a hardy kiwi is close, but not too close. It does look like a jungle, but is a wee cramped. Next year, I am going to put most all the cannas, BOP and elephant ears in a separate adjacent bed **. Will likely leave my "perennial" cannas there. They are right up against the foundation, a ways away from the basjoo and have been in the ground since 2010. They are firy red and ~ 8 + feet tall.

** The separate bed now has tomatoes growing in it. Will that cause any problems to move cannas and elephant ears there? Research shows no potential probs. When this is all done, the total area will be about 25 ' wide and 6 - 8 ' deep. I also have 5 passion flowers nearby that I grew from seed - they are about 18 " and climbing a fence structure. They should add to the affect next year.

You grow all your bananas in pots papa?

Yes i do Drew I just started growing them a few years ago. I plan to put a few af the biggest one in ground next spring

I've been storing them unpotted with root balls in a bag under the house for winter i have a few of the Dwarf Reds pups in the greenhouse this year.

November 2015





Today






From almost dead to pups in 4 months im pleased but puzzled as to how and why

Bananas love to throw pups :-)

What was devouring the leaves?

I don't know David i never treated it with anything just cut back on water. But i could've been slugs I did sprinkle the slug bait around in the greenhouse and a few of the Brugs had some spider mites but i stayed on top of them with a neam oil spray.

My bananas are in the ground and we have had an exceptionally mild winter, a few surprise cold days but generally mild. No damage at all on a couple of musas but the leaves on the M. velutinas, the hardiest of mine, all turned brown on the first cold day. That was unusual in itself, they rarely experienced damage in the past. This week when I went to clean up the plants and cut the brown leaves off this is what I found. Flowers this early is really unusual for here.

Great banana pictures Charles and Alice. This winter has been mild here so far. We've only had 17 nights at or below freezing since December, and we haven't had a high temperature below 40. My bananas are starting to grow leaves again after I cut off the dead ones. I have a few velutina seedlings that I've had to repot twice this winter. I can't wait to put them outside. I'll probably grow them in a large pot since I have limited space.

I have a Musa basjoo ..... under 3 feet of straw & leaves. I just planted it last year, so I hope it comes back well.

I started some M. velutina quite some time ago, but they have not germinated. Have them on heat mat & with dome. Fingers still crossed.

I hope your basjoo comes back David? I've failed in numerous occasions when I tried to grow bananas from seed, but I didn't have a heat mat either.

Cameron l have some velutina seedlings also thanks to Alice and I'm chomping at the bit to get them outside too. David i have basjoo and I just don't think you can kill it if you wanted to.

Here is a pic of my M. basjoo last summer:



This is right before I cut it down.



Here is what it looks like today:



And here is a picture of my two cats:



Dawg & one of the cats on my bed:

Charles good luck with the seeds. I know they can be very tricky with sporadic germination.
David your basjoo looked great. It's always sad chopping them down for winter, but that straw should definitely help them make it through winter. Mine still have the pseudostem intact and I'm hoping a bad freeze doesn't kill them to the ground.

Yeah - It broke my heart to chop it down. But I know it was necessary & for the best. I just planted it in June of last year.



Next to it I had some Elephant Ears and one bloomed! Seriously:



Peanut - my 16 year old cat protecting the bathroom:

Spring coming soon David..hope your banana plant shows up again! I really admire your passion to grow them.

The elephant ear flower looks so elegant. I'd like to try elephant ears again this year. I always see the mammoth bulbs every spring and I'm always tempted to buy one.