Banana plant help!

Below a picture of my friends banana plant/seedling which I am terrified of! He has gone away for a couple of weeks and I am in charge of it - oh and his house. House no problem, but I don't want to kill his poor banana!



I have also seen pictures of banana plant I fancy growing - Ensete ventricosum, I love the colour of the leaves, any ideas please of how well it is likely to do in North Yorks - should it be kept just "in my dreams" ???

 

Wow, that really is small. Definitely a house banana. If it has just been watered I wouldn't do it again for a week, and then only fill the glass bowl to their water line. It looks like it has been sitting in water judging by the green in the glass saucer, which they don't really like. Still in order to keep it alive till they return, give it a drink in a week and I guess just before they come home. I don't know if they are leaving their heating on a minimum setting, but if it is colder than usual it won't need as much water as usual.

As far as ensetes go, they are difficult to over winter and really after a couple of years, impossible to move. This is my usual routine for ensetes.

1st year buy a 2 foot ensete �£10-15 depending on variety
- potted and placed on bed
winter - taken in in its pot and kept growing

2nd year
- re-potted and placed on bed
winter - taken in in its new pot with all the strength I can muster.

3rd year
-planted out and enjoyed for a whole season knowing come winter it will be killed by frost.

Pay �£10 for a new 2 foot one....

Mine is by the back door this winter and will be going out for its final year this May.



When it will grow into someting bigger than this before the frosts get it.

 

first of all WOW the ensete - I am converted, or was untill I realised I would have to send Martin on a body buildung course or hire the incredible hulk!

How easy are they to grow from seed? and are they only difficult to over wintr because of their size or is there some other big problem with them?

That is a really lovely plant you have.

So as to the banana seedling, I assume you are advising to water from the bottom. The house is quite warm as it is actually a flat built above the old gramma school stables, so it keeps very warm, however I will heed your warning.

I hink he is actually been a bit silly, he has bought the banana for his allotment, but has no idea what variety it is, if it is likely to fruit or even flower in england and on the windy hill where his allotmnt is. Anyway not my proble, I just have to keep it alive for the two weeks and I am very grateful for your advice
Thanks

 

I grew one from seed
I thought it was doing well
It died :(

 

AAaahhhhh.............. Don't tell me that now, I just ordered a starter pack from Jungleseeds!

Actually, I just thought it would be fun to have a go - allong with the other 10079 packets of seeds I have bought!

anyway we have a great guru with BM so how can we fail

 

Hi Waco.......

I have an Ensete Ventricosum - it would have overwintered in my greenhouse, but as we have been replacing it, it (and my other Bananas) are overwintering in my downstairs shower cubicle.....

With your lovely new lean-to, a bit of insulation and a little heat, you could fill it for the winter!!!!

 

I think my lean too is already full! I call the inside of my house "Que gardens" - everythng is queing up to get inside the greenhouse!!!

 

tradgedy nearly happened this afternoon - not because I wanted for expert advise - no I had just lost the keys to his XXXXX house!

 

opps, did you find them ?

 

Yes - AND I managed to remember the number to the alarm which I nearly set off!

Banana looked a bit thirsty, so I gave it about half a cup of water from bottom saucer and it was lapped up. House felt cold, so I didn't over doo it.

All this worry over the banana plant, we have booked two weeks to our boat May and August because we felt happy about a recently aquired house sitter, now she can't do it, so we are in the **** over holidays with dogs and garden, and here I am worried about this banana plant.

I have bye the way ordered banana seed from Jungle seeds - their starter thing - well it will be fun trying to get them going.