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wxman · 03-16-2009, 06:57 PM

Last summer I planted 10 musa basjoo which got to be about 3-4 feet high before fall and had 3 to 4" diameter pseudostems. I cut them back to about 6" above the ground and mulched heavily. We had a cold winter and now it's finally starting to warm up this spring. Today was 60, tomorrow will be 70. I started unmulching them to see what they look like.

Well, the stumps are mush. I cut two down to see where the rotted material ends, and it ends about 1/2" under the ground. That's where I found white material. I'm assuming the ground froze down that 1/2" and that's why the whole top turned to mush. The pseudostem is only about 1/2" to 1" wide under there, so I assume that's the corm? I put a cut out milk jug over them with the top screwed off to induce solar warming during the day to help grow anything that might be alive.

Now I want to know if I should do this with the other eight, or should I just let the mush rot back on its own? If I'm doing something damaging, I don't want to do it to all 10, but if this is what I'm supposed to do, I don't want the other 8 to die either.

Thanks for the help.

03-16-2009, 06:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
wxman Location: Saukville, WI Find me on the map! Zone: 5 Name: Tim Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 133 BananaBucks : 101,934 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 12 Times Was Thanked 186 Times in 60 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 4 Times	Basjoo help this spring Last summer I planted 10 musa basjoo which got to be about 3-4 feet high before fall and had 3 to 4" diameter pseudostems. I cut them back to about 6" above the ground and mulched heavily. We had a cold winter and now it's finally starting to warm up this spring. Today was 60, tomorrow will be 70. I started unmulching them to see what they look like. Well, the stumps are mush. I cut two down to see where the rotted material ends, and it ends about 1/2" under the ground. That's where I found white material. I'm assuming the ground froze down that 1/2" and that's why the whole top turned to mush. The pseudostem is only about 1/2" to 1" wide under there, so I assume that's the corm? I put a cut out milk jug over them with the top screwed off to induce solar warming during the day to help grow anything that might be alive. Now I want to know if I should do this with the other eight, or should I just let the mush rot back on its own? If I'm doing something damaging, I don't want to do it to all 10, but if this is what I'm supposed to do, I don't want the other 8 to die either. Thanks for the help.