BM's Making Room and Monsters !

Hi windy, his name is Norman :D I think your basjoo will be fine outdoors now. I have my siki in a pot outdoors and am fairly confident that it will be ok. Are you putting it in the ground ? otherwise you can repot it when ever really.

 

Must go now, going to watch corrie and eastenders, see you tomorrow.

 

Ah, Tropical Oasis...my name is Windy, not because I have a passion for sprouts, but because my gardens near the sea and suffers terrible sea-gales - not conducive to Musa growing (well not if you want the leaves on the plant and not in the next field!!! :D ) I know, I shouldn't really have bought one, but it was sad and bedraggled in the bargain bin at B&Q, and when I finally finish my seating area he should have a nice, more sheltered home
Loving your garden by the way

 

Thank you

 

Norman! Yes, that's a good name, it suits him!!! Normal Norman the garden gnome!! :D

No my Musa's going to stay in a pot, as the only sheltered(ish) spot I've got is in the shelter of the Leylandii windbreak and the soils like dust there!
Ooh another excuse to visit the new potting shed, goodie!

 

Do you have David Bowie playing beside Norman, BM? That would keep him happy!

You've been working rather hard, I can see - and well worth it :D

Is that a little yucca flaccida at the front of that group?

 

yucca flaccida Yep, he has been growing from a tiny off shoot into the plant you see for a few years, outdoors. There is a hole waiting for an Agave parryi :D

 

So do you have the parent plant too? How big do they get, compared to the gloriosa, do you know? I've seen some yuccas around here that I think are flaccida, and they're just about as big :eek: I really ought to look it up, I know - I'm being lazy!

No comeback on David Bowie........ ah, well - probably before your time!

 

Banana man can you answer a question for me plz.As you know iv just bought a musa ensete and we was talking about it yesterday about over wintering it.If i was to plant it out end of next month.Come winter i cut of the leaves wrap it in fleece then make like a little green house type thing to go over it do you think that would be ok? thanks mate sorry to keep bothering you all the time lol...daz

 

I took all the winter fleece off my 18 month banana(musa basjoo) 1st week in April now the new leaves are about to open up. I dont cut the leaves in the winter. I just fold the leaves towards the body of the plant and then wrap fleece. look at my blog site.

 

BM, next to your tree fern in the blue/green pot, is that a Phoenix Roebelinii?. If it is do you intend planting it out. I've read conflicting reports on palm forums about it's hardiness and am not sure whether to put mine outside at all.

 

I put mine out for the summer but winter, ...no chance.

 

Pete, does it suffer at all in summer, mine is only 2ft high but I think it will suffer from not enough light indoors but too much outside. It is a good specimen I bought on ebay a few months ago and don't want to risk losing it.

 

Hi strongy, yes a new purchase Phoenix Roebelinii. I know people with larger specimens for whom it is fine. I doubt my ones have seen life outside a polytunnel and I am not risking it until they are at least 2-3 times the size. I am not bringing them in though. I am going to chance them in my banana house but in much larger pots than they came in. Pete is wise to bring them in as it only takes a sudden nasty frost to make it sulk for ages or even die.

DD I have tried what you described but with a wheelie bin. Unless the winter is mild they usually turn to squish in april. I intend to keep mine in growth in the heated banana house so will retain the leaves. If you do some research I know people that have tried a musa type protection but with a wrapped heater cable around the stem.

Dendy, my aunt has the parent plant and they do get to a nice size. They produce good offspring but I have found growth is relatively slow outdoors all year round.