canadianplant

I put my basjoo outside to harden off ( in the shade out of strong wind). I came out a half hour later, and it looks like ( ironicaly enough) to have been peeled apart like a banana.

Whats goin on?

Kostas

It must just have been too stretched from the low light indoor conditions that the pseudostem couldnt support the weight of the leafs and they unclasped from each other. Its nothing to worry about as from the first sun hardened leaf and afterwards,the pseudostem produced will be robust and strong. If you want to do something to try and save these old leafs,you could clasp them back together and then loosely tie them with a belt in 2 points to prevent unclasping. Leave a good deal of slack at the tie points for the expanding pseudostem and loosen some more after each new leaf. After a few leafs, untie and just let the old ones fall away as it wont set it back then.

Wether you decide to help these leaves survive or let them be,the plant will survive

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Bob3

I've been using that "self-fusible silicone rubber tape"; the stuff that has no adhesive, but fuses/bonds to itself.
It stretches amazingly well & so far has been working for everything from tying plants to stakes, all the way on to making grafts.
1 wrap with about 2" of overlap should do the trick & it'll handle doubling of the diameter easily without needing to be replaced or tended to.

Here are some examples of the stuff if you're not familiar with it:
Versiwrap Silicone Rubber Tape | U.S. Plastic Corp.
Emergency Repair Tape: Self Bonding Silicone Rubber Tape

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kaczercat

you can leave it and new leaf will grow or, you can cut it down a bit and it will continue to grow.

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canadianplant

So it isnt rot????

I was told it was rotten ( ill always get second opinions)

The thing bent right in half ( not broken but a good bend). Its staked up now, and outside. ITs going to be 5C tongiht.. JUST a bit to cold ( its going to be roughly 9c at night on average from now on ), so its staying outside after tonight.

Im not too big on saving the leaves. IF they die it might force faster regrowth and/or some pups. They are super fast growing anyways.

The bottom of the stem wasnt soft at all, and the dirt didnt stink at all, so i dont think its rot.

BUT, I have been spraying it with soapy water due to fungas gnats flyin around. Less then half a teaspoon of sunlight dish soap in 2 pints of warm water once every week or 2. ITs NEVER done anything like this on any banana, or any other plant cept my alocasia amazonica ( their anal anyways).


Thanks for the glimmer of hope guys

Kostas

A plant cant rot in just half an hour but even if it did,you would be seeing rapid discoloration of the leafs and pseudostem and they would be getting mushy before falling apart. They would never bent so well and not break if it was rotting for good. For these reasons,its not from rot.

Loosing the leafs wont trigger faster growth,only slower from loss of photosynthetic area. Even if it did grow faster for the first day,it would be growing off stored energy which is not a sustainable type of growth. It would get slower afterwards.
The plant should be fine anyway though

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canadianplant

Alright....

I know cutting it wont really do it harm ( well, aside from the obvious peeling, and cutting off part), but im always reluctant to do so, even though im pretty sure in this situation it would probably be ideal....

About the rot.... thats exactly what I was thinking.... The thing put out new growth 3 days ago! The leaf that didnt peel, fully unfurled 3 days ago, and it was pushing great growth on the new leaf.... To me rot didnt make sence ( although always my first assumption always with banana).

I guess me moving it around and putting it outside was like a gigantic earthquake to the leaves. Thats my bad totaly, I know plants are weak afer being indoors, and a simple shake of the stem every few days is enough.... Live and learn....

IF you dont mind me asking... What would you reccomend yoruself?

Thanks again guys

saltydad

I'd leave it alone. As previously stated, it will continue to grow and the leaves will continue to provide energy via photosynthesis. I only cut off a leaf when it's all brown; as long as there is some green it's still a working food factory. (rot excepted of course). Good luck.

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Kostas

What i would recommend is to loosely tie the leafs back together to prevent breaking with the wind or rain. That would give it the best potential for a smooth acclimation.

What i would do though is probably nothing as it would survive no matter what. Personally,i would leave it and see how it develops. That is not the recommended though

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canadianplant

Excellent!!!

I guess the only downside ( besides the obvious), is that im going to have to wait a few more weeks before planting. That is fine.

Thanks alot for the help. Ill try to update in a few weeks!!!

sandy0225

I'd also just stake it and tie it loosely back together. It will toughen up and go ahead and grow. If you have something natural to tie it together with, like, say an old banana leaf stem, it will look natural. Tie it together where it was before it came unraveled, and again about half way between that point and the ground so it looks like you have a pseudostem again. It'll look fine from a distance!

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specializing in bananas, heirloom tomatoes and water gardening plants~
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canadianplant

I gave it a quick tie up to bring it in for the night. Ill do a better job tomorrow, seeing as its still leaning.

Thanks again everyone

canadianplant

So the crease in the stem got worse yesterday morning. IT had a very large kink in it. Even if it regrew, im sure that a bend like it had wouldnt be healty for it. So I decided yesterday, quite reluctently, to cut it down, directly underneeth the bend.

It was warm last night, 10C, but I brought it in regardless. THis morning it pushed up half an inch of new growth already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have full hopes that this will recover well!!!

Thanks again guys