JIMT.

Hi~ I'm Jim Tomczak, From Mobile Al. zone 8. Over the years I have grown what ever the most common banana every gardener seems to have in Mobile & who is always willing to share with anyone who asks. Due to my work and absence from home for large blocks of time and a lack of care most of my attempts to include any lasting plants over those 24 years I've ended up with just a few hardy plants in my yard. Two Meyer lemons and some really huge Azaleas. Now that I am home and able to give proper time to my plantings I chose to order an abyssinian Red Essente as a specimen and focal plant. I got this huge bulb from TY TY nurseries out of Ty Ty Ga. The cost of this 5-6# bulb was not cheap. After 4 months growing in the smack-dab center of a 50'x50' fenced in area It has reached 16' tall with the newer leaves right at 5' and held upright. I am well pleased. To say the least. A very colorful and healthy welcome addition anyone would want. TY-TY sent little more than planting instruction. So I joined Y'all. I still do not know what my expectations should be for next year so I will not form any. That as they say Is my story. PS. If there are others in zone 8 growing this plant maybe you can share how to keep this great "banana" going for years to come, JIMT.

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JIMT.

lcweber69

I am new to this site, and can't seem to find a way to start a new thread, so I had to do this as a reply, which it really isn't. Sorry. I have 3 Ensete Maurelii's, all of which are in large pots, full sun, good soil, plenty of water. One of them I have overwintered in my studio ( no easy feat as I'm in z5) and she's over 11 ft tall. The one I think is sick is new this year from a reputable on line nursery, and is about 4 ft tall. The leaves look really burned, with really thin areas that are nearly transparent. THe new leaves unfurling are the same. I don't want to lose this plant!!

JIMT.

Thank you Sunfish. That was taken last April, I am going out to weed and plant some Shield Ferns That Lowes had on their garbage bench for $5.00 3 weeks ago. All they needed was a little attention. Now they are as healthy as uhh??? well you know what I mean. Thanks for the welcome~JIMT.

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JIMT.

lcweber69

Hi Jimt. I read your post about getting a bulb from Ty Ty nurseries. If the maurelii comes in a bulb, can I cut mine down, remove the 'bulb' and overwinter it like a canna? I live in z5 and really struggle with overwintering my huge tropicals in my house.

cherokee_greg

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Greg zone 9 Fresno,CA
http://gardenjot.com/garden/view/1980/Gregs-Banana-Farm

JIMT.

Hi,lcweber69~ This is the first day I have spent looking around at bananas. In the zone 8 winters all I'll be left with is one huge carcus and that I will shred over the bulb as well as cover with lots of pine straw. Ty-Ty sent little and I mean (no info) on what to do with the bulb winter spring summer or fall. At Daves Garden.com I was able to get in touch w/ 2 locals who have grown them here for a few years. They just leave them inground and mulch. But if this will help (good luck) TyTy Nursery 888-811-9132...Buy Best Fruit Tree - Fruit Trees | Fruiting Berries | Plant Berry Plants Hope they will save you from all back pain this fall. JIMT

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JIMT.

iz

Hi lcweber69. Ya it took me a while trying to figure out how to create a new thread too. Anyway, if you click this site or type this in, the link will take you to a site that has a button called "New Thread." The button is on the left side of the the Page list. Or also, you can just type this in in the url address: "bananas.org/f16" or click the links Species Bananas - Bananas.org or
http://www.bananas.org/newthread.php?do=newthread&f=16
Hope that helps.

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Going banana 4 bananas,
iz

RobG7aChattTN

I just thought I should mention that Ty-Ty nursery has a bit of a bad reputation and lots of missinformation on their site. You might have gotten what you ordered and for all I know it might have been a fair price, but they tend to have high prices and bad information with dubious claims. I haven't checked out their site to see if they have cleaned any of it up (but went years with bad info). On the palm end of things they have made very false claims of cold hardiness and often had the wrong photos for certain palms. Lots of better banana nurseries in my opinion and lots of folks on this message board who will sell better plants at better prices.

iz

They are quite steep in prices than anyone I know.

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Going banana 4 bananas,
iz