AND THEN THERE WERE SEVEN!!!!

I kept ignoring my old Musa Dwarf Cavendish as it has seem to have stopped still in the fruiting mode but the sibling Musa have been growing quite strongly at the base. So today I decided to separate them from the main plant and pot them on:



and ended up with seven viable plants with roots.........where they're going to go I've no idea!!

I also have a Musa Mannii that I sowed from seed this Spring and it's slowly coming on:



also a Musa Coccinea sowed this Spring. But this one has sat for months not making a move while in the Green House. So I moved it into the outdoors this week where it seem to appreciate the cooler conditons and has now started to make growth after I was beginning to think it was down and out.



The Red Banana seems to like it in the Green House so it can stay there.



Which leaves the two Dwarf Musa that I bought from Lidl's at a bargain price. I've repotted them and they're sitting in the borders quite happily, but not exactly putting on a lot of growth. makes it interesting though

 

I reckon you're right, longk The trouble is I'm always curious about how to grow one plant or another, consequently I have to try!!! I must admit I've just had a look on the Jungle Seeds site as one of the three Bananas I sowed this Spring [Ensete Superbum] failed completely to germinate, yet the one variety I questioned over the viability of the seeds with Jungle Seeds [the seeds floated in water] actually germinated. So I'll be trying to sow and germinate Ensete Superbum, [and maybe a couple of other varieties!!] soon, I guess.

 

That's true, Sal. But I find the satisfaction and intrigue of sowing "hard to germinate" seeds so compelling But, I am glad that with modern agricultural technology we're able to get our hands on such exotic plants at such cheap prices, ten years ago we wouldn't have dreamt it possible!!

 

Well, I've had many challenges, Sal, but never one to try tissue cultivation Well, to be honest I do have a professional Microscope set up including dishes, jars, tubes , etc , that was given to me when a Client closed down a large Chemical site about 4 years ago. I do actually use it to look at plant tissue that's been affected by different diseases throughout the year, as well as the different insects attacking the plants.

That was a very interesting video, just a pity there was no running commentary. I noticed the guy was using a scalpel used for Model making and not a surgical one, but it works. He was also sterilising the pincer forceps and scalpel by placing them in a flame, which works but there are better, surer ways. Anyway, I have the time and equipment, I just need the inclination!!

 

I see your point, Sal But us gardeners are a funny bunch and the harder a plant is to germinate seedwise, or grow in a climate that it shouldn't flourish in is like pollen to a bee....and succeeding on however a small basis is like a Gold Medal!!!
No, I can never tell which is seed grown or tissue cultivated.....but to be honest it has never bothered me. If tissue cultivation can give us more and more different exotic plants I look forward to it.