Did my hardy banana make it, and how do I know?

Linda - he's peeking, and i don't blame him at all! I would not want to emerge from my slumber to this weather. Oh, I think that's exactly what happened today...

I was very worried about losing my Musa bajoos over the winter and for once, I had a plan. If you look closely in this photo you'll see the banana on the left, covered with plastic and with christmas lights strung around it. I made cages with bird netting and large wooden stakes, filled the cages with straw, wrapped with lights, then covered the entire thing with heavy plastic and twine. It was a lot of work, but it worked and my bananas never really died back. They were already growing through the straw when I uncovered them this year and each one is putting out new leaves. There are several pups on one of them, and, I think a couple of pups on the other one. I'm hoping for a nice stand if the voles don't get them. (Welcome to the club, Caleb. You have my complete sympathy.) I also covered my New Zealand tree fern the same way and it is putting up new fronds. If we don't get some heat soon, though, all of this effort may not have been worth it.

Caleb, please tell me you did not grow that large Alocasia (I think..) Tell me that photo was taken in Hawaii or something.
You can see one of the Musa bajoo in the garden in this photo. The red banana was in the greenhouse all winter and did quite well. It's going to stay in the pot as it's not hardy here to my knowlege. Not that my knowledge has meant a darn thing in the past wierd years.

Rarejem--I'm an actual banana slayer........I think I have killed at least one every year for the past 5 years. Some with full knowledge and them there are the ones that succumbed unlike what the book said! The price for gardening on the edge.
Pixy- I had been wondering how your contraption worked. I have slayed a tree fern once but would love to try one again.

This message was edited May 25, 2010 7:48 PM

I had about a 50% success rate with the cages, but all of the bananas did fine, as did the tree fern. I've killed two tree ferns by leaving them exposed, even though these are allegedly hardy in this area. I think they have to be very established first. The cages were also successful with New Zealand flax. Maybe I have a chance with that plant now. I have killed more than I like to admit. Yes, the considerable price of gardening outside the 'zone'.

knownasnancy, you should leave the Musa alone until you see the little pips, they're supposed to be hardy to -10f at the root level. I know I use to lose the tops in the winter, then started bringing them into my unheated garage and placed them in wood chips up to 6ft high, the tops stick out but don't seem to die. they split a lot and when they grow out in June I cut them off and the emerging ones look great. I don't know how long I'll do this, it gets to be a bigger chore every year. may just leave them in the ground and take my chances if a few years. Jim

Yup ....then you will be needing a back hoe like me.HA

Azorina, don't plant Ideas I don't need a backhoe, I need less work, I keep saying that, my partners says to cut back to manageable levels, yeah right he just bought a 1940 lincoln club coupe to restore, he just finished a 1946 which is a beauty now. and he's 10 years older than me. it's easy to lecture others, i gotta cut back, I gotta--------Jim

resistance is futile, Jim.

Jim, I feel your pain.

I just keep thinking the bigger the tool...the less work!!!

ZORINA,I havde Musa sikkamensis it's slower that the others and you need to keep it warm in the winter, but it's a beautiful plant and worth having, Ican sell you one of the pups if you like, later, Jim

I would love one of the Musa sikkamensis pups...........I know they need more heat/sun than Musa Basjoo and I have a great place to put it, after cleaning out the edge of my swamp! I worry a little after the last 2 winters.

I just started reading this thread - I had no idea you could grow these beauties in the PNW! Portland is zone 8, but a lot of sections are zone 7. Can you bring a potted banana indoors for the winter? Would it be too warm or dry? Would a covered porch with protection work? I love love love big-leaved plants.

I have been wintering over a Cavendish for about 5 years and it does beautifully but I just wintered over a Musa lasiocarpus and it definitely was not very happy, now that it has been in the ground for about a month it seems to be recovering nicely so I guess it depends on the variety.

Azorina, I have 2 Sikkemensis, Musa 12 musa bajoo, are all in the ground, the Sikkemensis haven't even started to grow yet, just a tight little bud. i hope this cold hasn't killed it. also I seem to remember that you belong to the NPA Neighborhood group that meets on 2nd Thursday of each month. I'll be there Thursday night, the speaker is Sue Goetz. Tacoma Tribune garden writer. I think she has another book coming out. busy Lady, Jim

I actually let my membership expire ailing parent, numerous foot surgeries and whatnot kept me form attending any NPA events......but I have just yesterday renewed it once again and will give it another shot. It was the "Growing Wild" group in Gig Harbor wasn't it! I'm not sure if I have renewed it in time to attend the Thursday's talk.. where are they meeting these days?

To my delight, my Musa's made it through the winter. Here is the biggest one. This was taken 2 weeks ago, and it is growing bigger every day.

Azorina, the meeting was very good, with Sue Goetz ( garden vision ) talked about her new book about garden herbs. don't expect it to be just another book about the subject. I was amazed at how much depth there was to her knowledge of herbs. she had a demonstration of several garden herbs. during the summer we're meeting in members homes and it's announced a week ahead by Katie the group leader. if you want to be on the list let me know. if you're an NPA member you can belong. actually in July there is a change in meetings, we're car-pooling to Dragonfly Farms Nursery in Kingston,Wa we'll get a nice discount on plants and Heidi will be there with her dogs and usual laugh, whit, and smile. if you go notice the gardem art that I made for the Nursery. and then we excurcion over to Chimacum and have lunch at the Chimacum Inn. I've heard there's very good food there. and then up to Port Townsend to see Kelly Dobson of Far Reaches Farm. if you haven't heard of his or Heidi's nurseries it's worth a google ( ahh shoot! you have to know about them) this is on July 8th. Jim

I grow basjoo here with no protection other than very preferential siting (next to a foundation, in a corner sheltered from north and west winds.) My basjoo usually begins to show in early to mid April. By this time of year it's five feet tall. The root oozes if cut, but as long as it is crisp and white it's good to go. Digging into it and injuring it may cause rot, so it may be better to just wait. As most in here have experienced, your waiting will likely be rewarded. :)

I'm two to three zones cooler than many of you. If I lived up in your neck of the woods, assuming I was in one of the high precip areas I'd be gunnera-crazy. ;)

-Joe

This message was edited Jun 18, 2010 10:47 AM

joegee, I'm Gunnera crazy they're really striking down in the bog at my place, Jim

Ohhh hostajim I am envious. :) Any pix? :)

-Joe

Hi Joe and welcome to the Pacific Northwest. We hope you'll hang around.

Thanks, in part, to Dan Hinkley and his zone denial, we do have a lot of people pushing the limits here with Gunnera. Our major problem isn't absolute cold temps, but freezing temperatures and rain throughtout the winter combined with no natural snow cover to protect the plants. It's easy to lose many things to rot if you don't have well-draining soil (many of us have clay) and haven't covered their crowns.

That having been said, last year we lost a lot of them because we had an early cold snap at the first of November before things had naturally hardened off. Though we generally had a warm winter, the early freeze and the cold and rainy spring has really done a number on many things.

Kathy

Kathy, lost 50% of my Hosta. in march it came up beautifully. I had one garden tour. and then in April we had all those freezes. and cold rain, I had some beautiful old clumps the year before, that were outstanding. the tops were frost bit and the roots were rotting. those I had to lift and divide. cut out the dead roots. give them a shot of my transplant formula. put some of them in the ground and pot up the rest. I could have a plant sale! next spring. Jim

This message was edited Jun 19, 2010 2:57 PM

Yep, R.I.P, my little Gunnera... sniff sniff

Jim, I had several things go the same way. They were coming up just fine and then just couldn't handle the cold and wet. Grrrr!

Thanks Jim I will try to get that day off! I have yet to go to Dragonfly Nursery and have seen Far Reaches Farm at the Frolic. Sounds like a great excursion!
My Gunnera manicata has taken a hit this year for sure and last year as my gunnera tinctoria was buried in floods.........is slow right now but I have found that bog plants seem to recover nicely if their feet stay wet.

After seriously cutting back the Darmera I was able to get some sun onto my Musa Basjoo....so much smaller than years past and fewer pups.

I got a tour of Jim Eichner's garden last week. He's the guy who coordinates the quarterly Green Elephant plant and vegetable trades. He is having tremendous success germinating Gunnera (I'm not sure which species) seedlings. He had a kiddies pool with 15 of them in gallon pots and then rows of gallon pots full of seedlings. I think he may have a few for trade at the trade.

He got a Darmera from Linda a couple of years ago and it's growing like crazy in his ravine, swamp area. His petasites is big and dramatic.