Naz

I've had my mekong giant for a month now and I bought myself a basjoo and I love it but summer hasn't even started yet and in already worried about winter. What is the best method of keeping my bananas alive? I live in Oregon and winters aren't too cold I rarely have snow here. It rains everyday for all of winter and I need a cheap way of protecting plants. Any suggestions?

sman87

I bought some Bajoos around December of last year as small seedling plants. At first I kept mine indoors under a grow light in my basement the growth slowed down, but they stayed alive and green while cool and dry. I then got a little more invested and bought an indoor grow tent to watch them grow during the winter as a hobby as it stayed nice and warm inside the insulated grow tent. You can let your Basjoos grow naturally all summer long outside. Pick the most elevated part of your yard when you plant them that you know will stay the most "dry" during the winter. They will eventually die off to the ground by first frost but they will stay alive underground with some protection. I suggest buying some protective plastic to cover the ground after they die back and the mulch on top of that. That should keep access rainwater away from the plant underneath. You can always have a back up plan and pot up any pups at the end of the year and keep in your house to continue growing too. Basjoos are so hardy you will be surprised how well they can adapt to stay alive inside or out. Have a good growing year and good luck!

Naz

Thanks! hopefully i do have some pups!
I also wanted to know what should when i see dead leaves and how should i cut them off?

sman87

If its outdoors for the first time you can keep them in their pots for a week or so in a semi shaded area to ease the shock of recieving direct sunlight for the first time. You can also let older lower leaves die off naturally as the leaves will do to accommodate for more adaptive fresh leaves as it grows. The older leaves will not be as accustomed to the sunlight and will likely get sunburned but that is ok the plant will adapt by sending out more robust leaves that are tolerant to the more intense sunlight. If you like to keep your plant looking more "cleaned up" looking you can cut dead leaves off as you wish at the point where the leaf deviates from the stem. The remaining part will dry up around the stem adding some protection too. Some of the more veteran members can give you even more advanced tips too on what to expect as the season continues.

sib

I live right above you in WA state and brought my smaller basjoo inside for the winter gowing in a pot in the garage...well they did not grow much through the winter but stayed alive and started growing around Feb-March by slowly putting out a new leaf. I left my bigger Basjoo planted in the garden without any protection and I am still waiting to see if it will come back from the corm or if it rotted during the wet winter and spring. It hasn't been very warm or dry so far...still waiting on the weather too.
Sib

Naz

My mekong grows extremely fast on days 80+ like later this week!

Olafhenny

Hi Naz,
...and I am right above both of you in British Columbia, Canada

On April 1st I did a gutsy thing and woke up my Basjoo from winter dormancy, by removing all
the leaf mulching, which has protected it all winter here in HZ6, its third winter so far.




You can see, that it is straining against its enclosure, but it may have to restrain
its quest for freedom for another two weeks, until all danger of frost is over.

On May 5th I will look at the 14 day forecast, and if there is no frost in sight I will release it.

If you are concerned about how to protect yours next winter and winters to come, you may
want to look at my solution here:
Permanent banana shelter for winter and spring

Although it is not as much hassle and less upsetting to the plant, to mulch your banana in situ
as digging it up, it was still more than I would have liked, Therefore I devised this easy to
build and cheap permanent shelter, which can be reused year after year.

Not only is this shelter reusable annually, but it can be easily set back over the plant any time
frost is threatening, something difficult to do with mulch or any other protection I know of.

Good luck with your new babies
Olaf

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Naz

If your bananas survive Canada winters then I know for sure my bananas will survive in Oregon. Winters here are just rainy we might have and inch of snow where I live maybe every two years . All I have to worry about is the moisture. Thanks everyone!

sib

I am very interested in copying your design for next winter and it will be great not having to dig up the larger bananas. You should sell these. If you could post how big they are and how you cut them and stick them together and do you cut all the leaves off the banana and then put this over the stem?
Sib

Olafhenny

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The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences,
my own and those of others and to learn from them.

cincinnana

Naz

Do you have any current photos of your plant that you can post?

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