Exotic Life

Hi,

Yesterday i was free from school, but it was rainy and stormy. But no matter, i was going to take out my Ensete's. I have got no freeze here yet, other parts of the Netherlands a couple weeks ago some places -3,0C. There is no frost in the forecast. But i was thinking i'm free and maybe over some time i get the frost and then i have no time and then i lost them.

So i was started with this 2 guy's from a new planted corner this spring.







Then i have another 3 planted on the south side of the garden, and also that one i take out that day.





After that, i have cut al the leaves and lay them like this, to let the water out.







So i wanna hold this 5 Ensete's this winter like you're american guy's. I will laying on there side, on a cool dark place. I hope the will survive, i wanna try this method because i have also a greenhouse but the last couple winters when i take them out en pot them up and place them in the greenhouse, i lost every winter some plants. I think because to much cold/warm moments en there is a high air humidity.

Robbin

__________________
Steenbergen , The Netherlands
Europe
Lowest minium winter 2006/2007: -2,8C/28.4F
Lowest minium winter 2005/2006: -6,1C / 21F
Lowest minium winter 2004/2005: -6C / 21F

island cassie

Great-looking plants Robbin - good luck with the overwintering!

Cassie

tlturbo

Robbin,
I'll make ya feel real good. I live in S Florida and I've given up on trying to get Ensete to grow. I've NEVER been able to get any to half the size of yours. I love the red one and wish I could get Ensete to grow as they are really great looking plants.

Good luck with the winter.

Terry

Tobi

Hi Robbin,
nice Enseten do you have.
Good luck with the overwintering


greetings,
Tobias

the flying dutchman

Nice job Robbin. Where is the cool/dark place you put them in? Is it a basement or garage and what low temps do you expect there?
BTW we have a temperature converter in our search box.


Ron

Steve in France

Terry , why won't they grow in Florida ?
Later
Steve

__________________
Always looking for a lost pup

tlturbo

THEY will grow in FL. I just can't get them to. I have an extremely good green thumb (fruited Ae-Ae) and grow lots of stags but all the Ensete I have tried never lasted a year. Beats me. Ya know how everyone has one or 2 things they can't get to grow? That is one of mine.

Steve in France

Terry , I know just what you mean , I was growing Tropical Water Lilies from seed to flower in six months in Northern Fance and could I get a decent mat of Basjoo , No . Sometimes one can grow the most difficult plants and the easy stuff croaks , Lord knows why . I guess you should keep trying with Ensete , Ensete Maurelli are often going cheap at Home Depot so not much money wasted.
Good Luck
Steve

__________________
Always looking for a lost pup

BGreen

Very nice Ensete specimens Robbin
The red coloration is very intense in your stems.
Hopefully they store well for you this winter!

__________________
Take care,

BGreen

Tropicallvr

Beautiful red coloration on your green Ensete ventricosum. Did you grow the regular green type from seed? I wonder if it's where you live that gives that intense red stem/petioles or maybe you got some good seed stock?


About Florida, I have heard that because Ensete's are from high elevations, they resent high summer night time temps, just like many other tropical high elevation plants that refuse to grow in lowland tropical environments.

JoeS475

Robbin, are you able to bring any plants indoors for the winter to grow? I couldn't bear the thought of storing my Ensete after it grew so well this year, my first year growing it. This is it in the new sunroom, with the Raja Puri. I wonder how well they will do...


The lighting is pretty bad in this pic, I'm a mediocre photographer at best!

~Joe

__________________

Lagniappe

Robbin ,those are some fine Ensete ! I hope they overwinter well for you .

Joe , You kiddin'? That's an awsome pic ! Perhaps you could include the parrot in the next one ?

bencelest

Joe:
Your bananas are growing really nice inside your house.
What kind of lighting are you using and how long per day they are on?
I would like to do the same set up with my Mahoi.

__________________
Banana Nut

JoeS475

Thanks Pete, I guess I was expecting it to be much brighter, considering it was practically daylight outside! Looking again though I quite like the lighting now.

Benny, I hate to say it but I just moved them indoors this week. I have no plans to provide any artificial lighting over the winter, since I'll be shot if the room starts to look like a greenhouse! The large window does face south, so as soon as all the leaves have fallen out of the trees outdoors there should be enough light, fingers crossed.

I have a feeling that in a month or so things may not be looking so good and I'll have to cut them back and store them.

~Joe

__________________

Exotic Life

Hi Everone,

Thanks for the nice words!

Flying Dutch Man -> I put them on the "zolder" ( i don't know the english word for it between the "...") The tempeture is there i think between the 5 and 10C. I store there also alway's my canna bulbs. But because the Canna virus i have not so much bulbs anymore

What do you mean with Temparatue converator?

Tropicallvr -> I don't know it was a good seed stock, because i have got them as very little plants, and i have got them 2 years in pot, but don't give them a lot of feed and that kind of things. This spring i have put them all in the ground and the grow a lot, all of them. If the weather make's the red color? I don't think so, he have got this since i have them ... Last year i have recorded a highest tempeture from 37C/98.6F and a lot day's around or above the 30C/86F. But this summer was a lot cooler i have got one time the 30C/86F, and a lot day's have got between the 20-25C/68-77F. And i both season's he have got this red color.

JoeS475 -> I'm bring them indoors on a cool place so they can't grow a lot ... or what do you mean? Why i not hold them indoors in a pot so the can grow more for next growing season?

Florida people -> I was alway's thinking that i florida the can grow almost everything... so it was strange to hear this I say, don't give up keep trying...

Robbin

__________________
Steenbergen , The Netherlands
Europe
Lowest minium winter 2006/2007: -2,8C/28.4F
Lowest minium winter 2005/2006: -6,1C / 21F
Lowest minium winter 2004/2005: -6C / 21F

MediaHound

Great pictures Robbin, best of luck with your wintertime.

__________________
Apologies in advance if I am slow to reply to your PM. I suggest posting in the forums for support if you need something urgent.

the flying dutchman

Robbin, I think you can translate *zolder* as ceiling or attic room. So that's where you keep them.

Is it a bright spot?

Ron

wamstick

Robbin--those Ensete look great--Hope they survive the winter. I just love that red/maroon color of the stems.

Tony