Some more pics

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 4:40 pm

CTPalm · Post by **CTPalm** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 6:07 pm

Wow Jim, everything is looking really nice! I can't believe it is July already. I was going to put some more stuff in the ground this year but we had so much cool weather and rain, stuff was dying in the pots. Paul

Cameron_z6a_N.S. · Post by **Cameron_z6a_N.S.** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 7:54 pm

Great pics as usual, Jim!

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 6:07 am

2011 is turning out to be another great year for you. Well done!!

JackLord · Post by **JackLord** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 6:58 am

Wouldn't it be great to be Jim's neighbor and have that view?

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 8:46 am

Thanks guys

I don't think my nearest neighbor appreciates it much.

Some people just aren't into plants that much.
She's probably more concerned it may spread into her yard!

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 6:32 am

HardyJim,

Your yard is beautiful! I can't imagine all the work you have into it, especially preparing for winter!

I have a question, if you don't mind, regarding your Abyssinian photo near the steps. That thing's huge! How do you winter it? Do you pot the whole thing? I'm near Madison, WI, zone 5, and just ordered one, and I haven't decided what I'll do with it next year. This year, being as late as it is, and as small as it will be (under 12") I'll keep it in a pot. You obviously have great success in not only wintering them, but growing them large and beautiful, so I would love your advise on how you do it!

Angie

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:16 am

Hi Angie

Welcome to Palmsnorth!

I think your right(at this point in the season)to leave it in a pot...
make it an oversized one so it doesn't impede it's growth in any way.

-They will grow the fastest planted-so if you want a monster....
put it in the ground!

Here it is planted 6-6-09

The first year mine grew to this size-

Picture is from August 2009

I dug it up and brought it inside-potted up.

Looked like this in Feb 2010

11' tall by Oct 2010

In the basement on Halloween 2010-it's the one all the way to the left.

the basement stays 45-55f all winter so ,no growth!

The beast is back at it by May 17- 2011

And July 5th-officially

11' tall

igor.glukhovtsev · Post by **igor.glukhovtsev** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 9:33 am

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 11:11 am

Wow. I'm absolutely AMAZED at your "beast!" I was reluctant to even order one because I bought some basjoos in March, but didn't get them in the ground until the end of May because it stayed so darn cold here...and they're doing very little. They're spitting out leaves, sure, but even though I thought I spent enough time acclimating them to the outdoors, I got a lot of leaf burning anyway, and I'm getting little to no growth (height) on them yet. They went out May 30. Of course, I guess it's only been a little over a month. And they did get out later than I wanted them to. But I planned on waiting till next year for a maurelii, to see how I did with the basjoos, but I just couldn't! The price was discounted, and I jumped on it.

I have a nice, sunny, fairly protected place to put it, either planted or in a pot...I'd love to see it get as large as it can, but I'm afraid to have no luck as I've had with the basjoos so far....they're getting a late/slow start, and I'm afraid I'd start from scratch with this one, much later in the season.

So I see you have stored it full in a pot, and you've also stored it bare root in the basement. Didn't seem to bother it at all. My basement, however, doesn't stay as cold as yours does...I have a partially exposed basement (with windows, patio door, etc), and the best I could do is shut the heat vents down there. I've never checked to see what the temp stays....but it is cooler than upstairs, being a basement and all. I also have the garage. It's insulated, attatched, and doesn't normally freeze.... we used to have outdoor rabbits in a hutch, and in the wintertime I would bring their cage in the garage so they could stay warmer, and so their water didn't freeze. There were only a couple of nights all winter it would, but not solid. Would a couple of nights where it would actually get below freezing damage them?

I should post pics of my basjoos. Don't know if you're on the bananas.com board, but I have pics on there. I hope they take off soon....

Thanks so much for the comparison pics!!
Angie

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 11:23 am

Here's a pic of one of the basjoos from July 5th... (if I know how to post pics) I added the circle thing around them to kill the grass so I can pull it up and mulch around them.

And from June 20

A month earlier, May 20 (they were put in the ground May 30)

And May 2nd

[/img]

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 2:30 pm

Probably growing their roots out...
Lot's of water for the basjoo and heat.
If they do not grow trunks of at least 3"
diameter dig them up and bring them inside-
or they will not have sufficient roots to come back.

The Ensete would need to be up against the house in the garage ....
one day of forgetting the g-doors open in winter could be the end though.

Should be good to mid 20s(f) stored in the garage as long as it isn't more
than a few hours at a time.

You may need to bring it inside the first year or 2,the trunk on the Abyssinian needs
to be at least 6-8" wide to have enough stored carbs to make it through winter.

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 6:49 pm

Thank you! Hope you don't mind my questions, you've obviously had great success, and we're in neighboring states...so thought you'd be one to ask once I saw all of your pics! I'm still in awe....

I'm reading up on maurelii, I did so earlier, but just refreshing my memory now that I will be having one on its way....and I'm thinking I will probably, as I said, keep it in a pot this year for sure, outside, until it starts getting cold, and keep it growing inside through winter. Just to help it get a good start. (unless letting it go dormant this winter would be better for it).

Maybe the basjoos will surprise me, but at this point, I plan on doing the same with them....although growing or dormant, unsure there yet.

Oh, we never leave our garage door open...but think I'll forget about the garage anyway.

How often do you think I should fertilize? My basjoos, when planted, I mixed some composted horse manure in (May 30), and haven't done anything since, except lots of water. If they weren't producing leaves as often as they are, I'd be worried about them, but they're popping out leaves every week, week and a half or so. They even survived an F1 tornado that went by here!

The maurelii, I think I'll keep on my deck...full sun back there, and in a place where I can watch it well. I'm excited for my bananas to take off...eventually....hopefully! Who knows, someday maybe I'll have a yard like yours here in WI! (I'm in a suburb of Madison).

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 4:20 am

Looking great Jim!

Trailgaiter-

Want your bananas to really fly? Get a big bag of Milorganite (less than $10) and a bottle of concentrated fish fertilizer (thick and stinky). You can not over-use these products since they are organic and non-chemical. Feed the heck out of the bananas. 3x recommended dose of the fish at least 2x per week (diluted in water). Pile the Milorganite around the stalk and root zone of the bananas and water daily when the weather is warm. Re-apply Milorganite about once a week. If your weather is at least 80s in the day and 60s at night, you should be seeing 3 to 5 new leaves opening on each banana plant per week. Also don't use city tap water, use collected rain water or dechlorinated water. In my experience, bananas and palms hate tap water (chlorine). Fill 5-gallon buckets or something similar and let them sit out (preferably in a sunny location) for at least 48 hours before using. That kills the chlorine ("poor man's distilled water") I have a bunch of buckets I do this with and keep a rotation going so I always have enough water for all my plants. Good luck!

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:27 am

Thanks much mnpalms! (your name has me curious!)

Just so happens I've been looking up milorganite.... for use on my bananas. I'm reading articles and posts about it.......I've heard it's pretty awesome, but stinky stuff, but not to be used on plants or grounds intended for food (which obviously my bananas aren't). Sounds promising!

Angie

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:37 am

mnpalms wrote:Looking great Jim!

Trailgaiter-

Want your bananas to really fly? Get a big bag of Milorganite (less than $10) and a bottle of concentrated fish fertilizer (thick and stinky). You can not over-use these products since they are organic and non-chemical. Feed the heck out of the bananas. 3x recommended dose of the fish at least 2x per week (diluted in water). Pile the Milorganite around the stalk and root zone of the bananas and water daily when the weather is warm. Re-apply Milorganite about once a week. If your weather is at least 80s in the day and 60s at night, you should be seeing 3 to 5 new leaves opening on each banana plant per week. Also don't use city tap water, use collected rain water or dechlorinated water. In my experience, bananas and palms hate tap water (chlorine). Fill 5-gallon buckets or something similar and let them sit out (preferably in a sunny location) for at least 48 hours before using. That kills the chlorine ("poor man's distilled water") I have a bunch of buckets I do this with and keep a rotation going so I always have enough water for all my plants. Good luck!

Thats a great plan-

I collect 35 gallon containers of rain water off the roof.

So far I have only had to pull out the hose once.

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 10:39 am

We have well water. I can't stand city water myself...with all the additives in it.

Do you order the milorganite and fish fertilizer? Where from? I looked on the milorganite's website, and see they list ONE distributor in WI (where it originates), and it's quite a distance away....here I thought I could go to a store in Madison and pick some up!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:06 am

Trailgater Angie, welcome aboard PN!
Could your bananas be getting a slower start than you want because of that "round thing" (suffocating the grass) preventing the soil from heating up?
Looking forward to seeing more of your yard and plants.

Hey Jim,
I'd be happy if that blue parryi "invaded" my property from next door.
Your neighbor should be so lucky...

I simply cannot believe how fabulous your garden has become (especially remembering the winters)!
You likely had that "mature plant" picture in your mind all along.
And then, presto, in a couple of years, it's achieved.
Well done.

mn, I've got garbage buckets of water sitting everywhere too, dissipating chlorine.
The bonus is that when a bunch of mosquito larvae start wriggling around in there, I bucket them out to feed the goldfish in the pond.
They almost jump out of the pond in anticipation of their treats.

Barb

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:10 am

Thanks for the idea, I only recently put those there just to kill the grass around them. I want to mulch around the basjoos (good idea?) to keep the grass from growing around them too close. I thought killing the grass that way would be easiest.

The plan was/is for me to take care of that mulching today or this weekend. I have a houseful of out of state company coming tonight, for the weekend, so we'll see when I can get that done!

But mulching around them would be a good idea, right? Jim, I'm so sorry to have hijacked your post....

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:26 am

Yup, mulch is a good idea to conserve water.

But it can prevent soil temp increases in spring when you want to get growth spurts, so you can pull it away from the root zone with your hands, and then push it back as the heat hits.
You do that too in Spring, I think, Jim?

That round thing is a brilliant idea!
Wonder if they're available in 1,000 sq ft circles...

Barb

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:43 pm

Great! That makes sense! It's been pretty warm (near 90) and very dry here lately...I've been watering my basjoos every day, and they're soaking it right up. I've actually went out and checked the ground underneath, and it's hot. They're rubber, and dark colored, so imagine they absorb the heat. But they will be removed very soon. Maybe I can get out and do that in the next couple of hours, before my company comes....and get some mulch down. When it's hot and real dry like it has been, is watering once a day enough? I don't want root rot or anything, so I'm afraid of watering TOO much...

I'd LOVE a yard like Jim's someday...I'm just blown away by it...but I can't imagine, Jim, what your basement looks like in the wintertime! LOL

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:47 pm

BTW Jim, I have a question about a couple of your photos...I believe I saw Canna Tropicanna in one of your photos, am I right? Do you have a good source for those with little threat of virus? I have some generic green canna now, and Canna Australia, but I want MORE!

Also, do you have ice plant? Think that's what it was in your pic....the purple flowers. Does is spread well for you? I have some of that, too, but it doesn't seem to be spreading well. Although I do have the area mulched...because I have a lot of weed growth in that area otherwise....if they are ice plants, they winter pretty well for ya, eh? I believe we are a half a zone difference...

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 3:28 pm

Barb

That is a great idea about the gold fish,I have
been trying to thing of a way to kill them(skeeters) in the barrels.

The Fish emulsion I buy by the gallon at a local nursery.

The Milorganite is sold at Walmart and if I am not mistaken,
produced in Madison,or at least somewhere up north there

Yea Barb

I pull back the mulch in spring to let the soil warm back up.
It may get pushed back if we start tickling 100f like they are
predicting for late next week on.
Also,3 of the Agave have produced pups in the last few years-
including the blue one,to bad we can't sneak one through to ya!

Trailgaiter

I bought the Tropicana at a Farmers market last year-seems healthy-
to bad my Stuttgart Canna all dried out this past winter,they were
supposed to round out the Canna"bed".

The house is a 100+ year old **** hole anyway,so the basement is
the perfect cold/cool place for Bananan,etc storage!

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 7:14 pm

Walmart, eh? I'll look into that! So rarely do I go to Walmart (there's a Target so much closer)...but there are some things I make a list up to save for a walmart trip here and there. May have to take one Sunday or Monday after company leaves!

I did read Milorganite was made in Milwaukee. That's where the "Mil" comes from.

I missed the goldfish comment...but I'm a farmgirl...and lots of farmers have goldfish in their stock tanks to eat the bugs, and clear up the algae in the tank. Works like a charm! I have automatic waterers for my horses...so I don't have goldfish...just one lonely betta fish in my kitchen!

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 8:14 pm

You've got horses?

Erik oughta chime in here any second now....a great horse nut.

Barb

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 11:00 am

Trailgaiter wrote:Walmart, eh? I'll look into that! So rarely do I go to Walmart (there's a Target so much closer)...but there are some things I make a list up to save for a walmart trip here and there. May have to take one Sunday or Monday after company leaves!

I did read Milorganite was made in Milwaukee. That's where the "Mil" comes from.

Ahhhhh,that makes sense.....
still........nothing like having your own **** sold back to you!

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:10 pm

Yep, we have horses and donkeys....some chickens...used to have goats too...miss them

Is that seriously what that is? I read about it...and saw organic sludge, but is it seriously...um...well, human...manure?

I don't know if any y'all get Mother Earth News, but I read in there recently how some people compost their own excrement...for lack of a better word....for use on their gardens.

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:28 pm

Horse and chicken manure, composted with their bedding, has been our mulch/fertilizer staple. Good stuff, but lots of weed seeds in the horse manure (vs. steer manure).
Ah, goats. Used to have up to 14 here. No more. This isn't a goat forum, but PM me and I can share our email or facebook to share stories about goats eating needle palms etc.

--Erik

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:32 pm

Thanks!

We have no more composted manure....I saved some from our pile before hubby spread it on the crop fields, but I'm out now....which is why i'm looking at buying fertilizer now.....plenty of fresh, but nothing composted!

We kept our goats penned up in a wire mesh-fenced paddock reinforced with electric wire top, middle and bottom....I'm sure if given the chance, they'd have eaten everything I DIDN'T want them to! But we were lucky never to have any escapees!

TerdalFarm · Post by **TerdalFarm** » Sun Jul 10, 2011 4:38 pm

If you do some searches on this forum you can find some goat photos from terdalfarm from 2010.

We don't have a manure spreader, so we end up making piles and using the tractor to mix it and dump heaps near the garden beds. I then move it about with a wheel barrow. Our pasture is missing the fertilizer, but mostly it is missing water. Super dry here in OK this year.

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 3:57 am

Trailgaiter wrote:We have well water. I can't stand city water myself...with all the additives in it.

Do you order the milorganite and fish fertilizer? Where from? I looked on the milorganite's website, and see they list ONE distributor in WI (where it originates), and it's quite a distance away....here I thought I could go to a store in Madison and pick some up!

Trailgaiter-

Here in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area Home Depot, Lowes, and most larger garden centers carry Milorganite. I bought my most recent bag at Menards (large building center similar to Home Depot) for about $10. Also most garden centers carry fish fertilizer. It is pretty cheap and comes in a quart bottle (concentrate). It is very thick and concentrated. The stuff I'm using is Alaska brand. I suppose it is just ground up guts and scraps from the commercial fish processing plants. Looks like a brown muddy sludge and smells even worse.

Oh, and well water is perfect. I wish we had it at home here like we do up at the cabin. We have a good deep well up there and there is no stinky iron either. It is like spring water. I fill bottles to bring home for drinking...

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Mon Jul 11, 2011 6:41 am

We have Menards and Home Depot here...I'll have to check 'em out! Tomorrow's the plan. Had company/family over the weekend, from MNPLS/St. Paul...I get up there every now and then too.

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:52 pm

Jim, your garden is so cool! The Ensete is massive......I think I can see the top of the leaves from my garden!!

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:07 pm

I got the milorganite today! I am not sure how much, how often? I sprinkled half a cup on them....

The bananas have mulch over them. Do I have to push the mulch aside each time to get it on the soil? How often should I apply the milorganite? How late into the year? Was half a cup enough? I also tried it on a shrub that got bad winter burn last winter, and has been trying hard to come back from that, and put some on my cannas. Got it at Menards for...oh, I think it was $7.99.

And....my maurelii is coming tomorrow!! So excited! I think, given the advice, I'll plant it in the ground until it gets cooler...then pot it for bringing in the house.

mnpalms · Post by **mnpalms** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 4:05 am

I keep the mulch at least a few inches away from the banana stems. Around each stem "trunk" there's about an 8-10" diameter circle of exposed soil. The mulch I use (cedar) is only about 2" deep also. 1/2 to 1 cup Milorganite depending on plant size right on top of the soil at the stems. Water in it well but there will still be a pile evident after watering. It is best absorbed when the weather is warm/hot. Don't worry about using too much, it is non chemical and won't ever burn your bananas. Refresh the pile at the minimum of once per week. You should get good results! I know of several people who have had huge success using Milorganite on bananas which is what prompted me to start using it myself a couple years ago. Other plants, including your lawn seem to love the stuff too. I recommend the fish fertilizer too if you can find it. also occasionally use Miracle Grow, Osmocote, etc. in moderation. Bananas are HEAVY feeders. Good luck!

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 5:45 am

Thanks for the great info!

hardyjim · Post by **hardyjim** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 11:21 am

That was funny Tim

Trailgaiter

There is really no need to have mulch around your bananas.

I would pull it back a few feet and form a ring that will help
keep the water in close to your plants instead of running off
when you are watering.

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Thu Jul 14, 2011 3:45 pm

Thanks! I'll make a ring, as you suggested, both for watering and fertilizing... I did the mulch thing because I grow more weeds than I do plants here! LOL

Trailgaiter · Post by **Trailgaiter** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 11:28 am

Thought I'd update....my basjoos are starting to look a WHOLE LOT better!! I bought the milorganite on the 12th and applied it right away, I'm not saying it's that... I knew at the time they were finally finishing their "acclimating" too...so it all just worked out.

Hey Jim, I see you wrap your maurelii p-stems....is that to just keep it all together if you've trimmed old leaves off? To help keep it stronger? I'm still admiring your pics.... did I mention here I got a maurelii? A week ago it came, it was beautiful, and 22" 3x bigger than my basjoos when I got them. Of course, now it's acclimating...lol

But here's the basjoo I've been photographing today (they're both the same, basically). The last photo I shared of them was taken just over two weeks ago....so the difference is pretty amazing!

[/img]

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 3:21 pm

Nice and healthy looking.
They'll really take off now.

Barb

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