Bananana

Hi all,
I live in the UK Zone 8a... I have a Basjoo that's growing rapidly and will soon outgrow my sun room. (low ceilings)
Do you think I should put it in the ground in the garden, or keep it pot bound.
If I keep it pot bound I'll have to cut it down and put it in the garage through winter.... If it goes in the ground I'll have to cut it down and mulch it.
I fear it will die either way!?
What do you think?

__________________

ivo_nekitov

Im not the man who can give you a advice, but let me share my last'years experience. After keeped all winter a Basjoo pup in pot(southern room, when the Sun takes a look there , it becomes very warm, so some spiders attacked the plant in the end of february 2010, i sprayed him with acaricide and insecticide and after froze danger passes I put the pup in the ground outside. Till May he stays with 1-1.1/2 leafes, but after that just explodes and all summer I had excellent plant that gives a strange and new look to my yard and garden.
Here are some fotos, sorry about not so good quality:

The end of may
12th of june 2010

25th of june

9th august

and probably in his best condition in september


So: in my zone(7a), with some risc, I planted it outside on march 28th last year. Let the most experienced people tell you their opinion, i just shared mine.
Have a niece and warm day !

P.S; Sorry about not very "tunned" yard, I'm not living there, just once at 2 ot 3 weeks at weekends going there, but this year hope to give it a better look and condition...

__________________

saltydad

As soon as the nights are in the 50's F, go ahead. I leave my new basjoos in the pot for one season, then plant them outside. I'm also 7a, and they are doing fine for years. Good luck!

Ivo, good looking naners!

__________________
Men In Nursing- "A Few Good Men"

"Gardening is the purest of human pleasures." - Francis Bacon





"If by a liberal, they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind; someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions; someone who cares about the welfare of the people, their health, their housing, their schools, their jobs, their civil rights, their civil liberties; someone who believes we can break through the stalemate and suspicion that grips us; that is what they meant by a liberal, I am proud to be a liberal."
John F. Kennedy, September, 1960


http://flickr.com/photos/saltydad/ and
http://community.webshots.com/user/saltydad
http://s751.photobucket.com/albums/xx151/saltydad/

hydroid

Leaving the basjoo in the pot is like leaving the Camaro in the garage.

ivo_nekitov

Thanks !
Hope this year will have even better look. I will make some photos this weekend and will share them here. The pups are 4 now - 3 from that older little pups ot the last pictures, and one "from nowhere" . Unfortunately the big stem died, and another one, wich I divided from parent plant in august(in the front of the pic) did not survive too. So you advice about keeping the pups in pot for a first year is surely helpfull. Seems in the august and (part of) september a little Basjoo cannot аccumulate enough nutritients to survive the winter... I mulched him(roots) very accurate with at least 1 ft straw and poliethylene.

__________________

GONEBANANAS

Hi I am in Norfolk too, I have 3 clumps of Basjoo in the ground outside they will be fine just wrap the stems in fleece in the winter and put a poly bag over the top, you may loose a few inches off the top if we have another freeze up like last winter but mine are uncovered and growing like weeds at the mo.
Sharon

Bananana

Thanks Sharon,
Did you cut it down to size or remove leaves prior to wrapping it up?
Alex

__________________

GONEBANANAS

Hi I cut all the leaves off ( fed them to my Guinea Pigs!!) left the roller on the top then wrapped in fleece, then put a big plastic bag over the top.

This year was the first year that I lost about 6 - 8 inches off the top, but we had frozen snow sat on it for several days.

I took the fleece off two weeks ago and they are already off and away with lots of suckers coming up as well.

Kind regards Sharon