Musa Bajoo....time to plant outside???

Hello,

I'm new to this forum and it's my first post.
I have a Musa Bajoo which I have been growing in my conservatory for about a year and half. It's planted in a pot approx 2 foot tall.

The plant itself if about 5 foot tall with 6 extremely large and healthy leaves.

I am contemplating if I should take it out of the pot and plant outside, but not sure if it would survive or what protection I may need.

I am new to gardening, but have got the tropical bug and would love to see this plant as a feature in my garden.

Any advise.....

By the way I live in Bradford, Yorkshire.

Thanks

MoMayat

 

Hi Mo Mayat

Basjoo has been pretty hardy in most parts of the country for a good few years but the last two winters have killed most unprotected plants back to the roots.
If your going to plant it out I'd do it soon, so that it has chance to establish before the weather turns colder.

You could wrap the stems with fleece to keep out a couple of degrees of frost but during a real freeze the stems need to be covered with a mound of straw or similar to survive.

 

Thanks Pete.
I think I will take it out of it's pot this weekend and plant it in my back garden.
The actual stem/trynk is about 4 maybe 5 foot tall from the base how high should I cover it?

Mo

 

As high as you can, a wire netting frame is a good idea stuffed with straw with a big bucket or similar on top to keep off some of the rain.
dont use polythene as a wrap as it causes rotting.

Not needed until after the first light frost in autumn, when you can cut back the dead leaves to the stem.

 

After 12 years in a pot I decided to plant my Musa in the ground last summer. It thrived, then we had the coldest winter for 30 years and it cut my plant down to the ground. I was devastated.
However, it came back and this is what it looks like now.:gnthb:


http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2533&stc=1&d=1281124893

 

Its done well this summer Dai.

 

It has over 20 stems Pete. I am under orders to thin it out. So will be potting up the babies this sunday.lol. The main stems are about 5 inches in diameter.

 

We could go into business, I potted up 6 new plants a couple of weeks ago, but still have masses of stems.
Just looking for some unsuspecting people to unload them on to.:D

 

Guess what my clients are getting at Christmas.:D:D:gnthb:

 

I'd love one of these myself...happy to pay for it and the postage.
Any chance I can ask for one?
thanks

 

Shobhna, I have decide to wait for the dormant season before splitting it. If you can wait that long I`ll be more than happy to send you a shoot.:gnthb:

 

Dai, I have never heard of anyone cutting up a banana plant while dormant.

Dig it out and dry the stems off, maybe, but cut it up????

 

Pete, it`s a herbaceous perennial, it should be split in the dormant season, surely?:gnthb:

 

Not how I do it, or I think many people.

I take off the new shoots while they are actively growing but only after they have a root system of their own. Personally I've never managed to root a pup that has not already got its own root system forming.
Not saying its impossible though, just more difficult.

This Herbaceous perennial lark I dont go along with, it doesn't naturally die down in the winter, its the frost that kills it.
It would much prefer to stay evergreen until its flowered, then it dies down.

I'm thinking splitting the rootstock while dormant is asking for rot to set in during the cold months.

 

You know more about tropicals than me Pete, I shall take your advice. how best to send a cutting to Shobhna through the post?:gnthb: