Hard Frost Last Night - Any one got advice for ensete ventricosum maurelli

xyzzy · 10-29-2008, 11:02 AM

Hi,

I am in the very damp UK and this year we have the earliest onset of frosts since year 2000. I had a frost last night and it even frost water in my back garden. I usually only get 1 frost that hard a year!

Anyway, my problem is I have an ensete ventricosum maurellii which is too big for me to move. In fact it's base is 54 inches around and it is about 17 ft high.

Last nights frosts have slightly scorched it's leaves and I am expecting we will get harder frosts this winter.

(Bizarre side track - The frost has scorched my basjoo pups far worse than my adult maurellii - odd eh?)

Anyway, it was much smaller last winter and I dragged a half ton pot into the porch, but this year that will be impossible because it is so much bigger.

Has anyone got any ideas how I can overwinter this monster plant in situ? It grows non stop all winter by the way so never goes dormant to be able to wrap it. Last year it grew a leaf every 2 weeks even at 3 degrees C.

TIA

musa_monkey · 10-29-2008, 11:34 AM

Wow thats impressive, not even seen a monster like that in Heligan. If you can't dig it up or wrap it and it continues growing your options are very limited. I would think about creating a plastic canopy over it using wood, dexion or similar for the frame. At least then you could keep the frost out on the worst nights.

xyzzy · 10-29-2008, 11:38 AM

Has anyone ever tried heating them with heating wire, like in an electric blanket and a thermostat? I suppose that may make them grow quicker and use up all their stored resources? Any ideas?

Bananaman88 · 10-29-2008, 12:29 PM

If it never goes dormant I would still suggest at least wrapping the trunk with a plastic tarp or something similar. That way, if you get some damage to the top growth of the plant, hopefully the pseudostem will still survive and you can cut off the damaged growth in the spring, allowing the plant to grow back out.

10-29-2008, 11:02 AM	#1 (permalink)
xyzzy Tropically Bonkers Location: Devon, UK. Find me on the map! Zone: 9b, but UK so no sun, always raining and infested with slugs. Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 120 BananaBucks : 25,056 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Hard Frost Last Night - Any one got advice for ensete ventricosum maurelli Hi, I am in the very damp UK and this year we have the earliest onset of frosts since year 2000. I had a frost last night and it even frost water in my back garden. I usually only get 1 frost that hard a year! Anyway, my problem is I have an ensete ventricosum maurellii which is too big for me to move. In fact it's base is 54 inches around and it is about 17 ft high. Last nights frosts have slightly scorched it's leaves and I am expecting we will get harder frosts this winter. (Bizarre side track - The frost has scorched my basjoo pups far worse than my adult maurellii - odd eh?) Anyway, it was much smaller last winter and I dragged a half ton pot into the porch, but this year that will be impossible because it is so much bigger. Has anyone got any ideas how I can overwinter this monster plant in situ? It grows non stop all winter by the way so never goes dormant to be able to wrap it. Last year it grew a leaf every 2 weeks even at 3 degrees C. TIA __________________ There is no such thing as can't grow it - but the determination required may lose you your partner, family and friends - but does that matter?.

10-29-2008, 11:34 AM	#2 (permalink)
musa_monkey musa_monkey's Photo Gallery Location: Burnham, Bucks, UK Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 217 BananaBucks : 28,421 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 53 Times Was Thanked 147 Times in 71 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Hard Frost Last Night - Any one got advice for ensete ventricosum maurelli Wow thats impressive, not even seen a monster like that in Heligan. If you can't dig it up or wrap it and it continues growing your options are very limited. I would think about creating a plastic canopy over it using wood, dexion or similar for the frame. At least then you could keep the frost out on the worst nights.

10-29-2008, 11:38 AM	#3 (permalink)
xyzzy Tropically Bonkers Location: Devon, UK. Find me on the map! Zone: 9b, but UK so no sun, always raining and infested with slugs. Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 120 BananaBucks : 25,056 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Hard Frost Last Night - Any one got advice for ensete ventricosum maurelli Has anyone ever tried heating them with heating wire, like in an electric blanket and a thermostat? I suppose that may make them grow quicker and use up all their stored resources? Any ideas? __________________ There is no such thing as can't grow it - but the determination required may lose you your partner, family and friends - but does that matter?.

10-29-2008, 12:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
Bananaman88 Bananaculturist Bananaman88's Photo Gallery Location: Houston, TX area Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Brent Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3,019 BananaBucks : 221,385 Feedback: 22 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,339 Times Was Thanked 2,263 Times in 1,178 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: Hard Frost Last Night - Any one got advice for ensete ventricosum maurelli If it never goes dormant I would still suggest at least wrapping the trunk with a plastic tarp or something similar. That way, if you get some damage to the top growth of the plant, hopefully the pseudostem will still survive and you can cut off the damaged growth in the spring, allowing the plant to grow back out.

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