SixtySix

I probably have another 4 to 6 weeks before I might get a freeze. Do I still have time to remove pups?

My musa basjoo did great this year. Plenty of rain and fertilizer.

scottu

yes

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Viva La Banana

SixtySix

So just chop them back and mulch after the first freeze?

cincinnana

[quote=SixtySix;309881]I probably have another 4 to 6 weeks before I might get a freeze. Do I still have time to remove pups?

My musa basjoo did great this year. Plenty of rain and fertilizer.[/QUOTE.

With Musa basjoo you may leave the pups intact for the winter downtime. There is no need to seperate and the pups do not detract from the health of the parent plant, they just make your mat larger next year.

You could do your separation in the spring when the plants have more time to recover and the scar tissue to heal on the corms.

Basjoos tend to keep active underground until the ground freezes .

For observation you may let your plants naturally die back to the ground to really see when the plant stops growing and pushing out leaves. You will be surprised and it will help you out down the road to predict the plants behavior.

Mulching for winter.

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cincinnana

Yep. There is about 16+ inches of wood chips around the plants and pups to provide some separation from the elements .

Then in the spring brush back the chips/mulch (which has composted somewhat) and the plant will start pushing growth through the old p-stems.
Fertilize early for the rapid spring growth.

Repeat year after year for a nice rich soil top dressing which develops and helps your plants.



Basjoo winter kill.
by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr

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