Bananas

My Sikki banana that I've had for 2 years was grown from seed, I scraped the seed, soaked for 48hrs, changing the water a couple of times and then put them in damp vermiculite in a small Tupperware box ànd placed on top of our combi-boiler (which is nice and warm), they germinated in about a month

 

Unwrapped the 'nanas this morning - we will probably get a few more frosty mornings but nothing too serious (hopefully) - and its very wet so rot is more of a problem now I think.

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Looking a bit sorry for themselves at the moment but quite firm so confidence is high that they are OK. Ill leave them for a week or so to let the wind & the sun dry them out a bit & then strip off the dead bits.

 

Bit early for me Nick, think I'll wait another few weeks.

 

My basjoo still covered but the sikkimensis and smaller basjoo are starting to move in the GH

 

I think I'll leave mine a while yet, first part I unwrap is the top to let any new growth grow unhindered but I leave the stem wrapped until there's a marked difference in temperatures

 

And to think before 2009, I wasn't even bothering to protect Basjoo.

 

Hiya Pete. Excuse my ignorance, but what will they withstand, temperature wise? Years ago, I had one at a previous home and never protected it, but it always came back. It was though in a fairly sheltered spot. Where I am now has some sheltered corners (high wall to one side) so I'm thinking I might give one a go.

 

Difficult to say Freddy.
Can remember -5C being about the absolute minimum, and then only for an hour or so.
That is bearing in mind that the plants have a well developed stem.
They can be killed to the ground and still regrow, but you never get the full effect if the stem dies each year.

Could have got away with it last year and possibly this year.

But its always a gamble as to whether or not to protect .

 

Thanks for that.

Yeah, thinking about it you're right. It died back to ground level and gave variable results the next season(s).

 

I gave my Ensete maurellii a poke yesterday through it's overcoat of fleece and foil roof insulation. It seems pretty firm As we're in for an unrelenting week of wet weather, though, I'm going to leave it wrapped up until there's a decent dry spell.

 

I'm being very careful not to say too much at the moment but I grew some Ensete glaucum from seed last year.
I planted one out last spring near the Basjoos.
I protected the basjoos but didn't bother with the Ensete as I thought it didn't stand much of a chance.

The leaves are all gone, but the stem, which is not that big, is still showing green.
I'm guessing it will probably all turn to mush once things warm up, but its certainly got me thinking.

 

What's the lowest temperature you've had this winter, @pete?

 

probably about minus 4C.
not lower than Minus 5C.

And importantly, not for long periods.

 

When I read up about the Ensete banana it said if it gets any kind of frost then it's a goner Peter but I hope yours pulls through interesting to see if it can with stand a mild winter

 

About the same as here, then, chaps. There have been far more chilly nights this winter than last, but mostly around -1C /-2C and minimum -5C. I put a very thick mulch of shredded Arundo donax round the roots of mine, then covered that with it's own old leaves, then wrapped the overcoat around the remaining pseudostem. It's in the angle of two rendered walls with a large evergreen nearby, so the only real danger is too much moisture in the soil and hopefully the mulch will prevent that..
The plants are horrendously expensive here, no bargains from B&Q etc. and I've had no success at all growing from seed. that we all get through without losses!