That looks real nice. 😀

Can't wait to see it next year. 8)

Thanks Aaron; hope I've got more than MUSH to show 😆

Here's my first (of many, I'm sure) attempt at early-winter protection.
No heat yet, just a couple of warm blankets (except near the camera end), covered by a 4 mil plastic sheet, held down with rocks, etc.

I'll check the thermometer inside at dawn.
Supposed to be -2C tonite. Not cold enough yet for heat.

I saw some internet pics where a guy erected 4 posts around a palm, added Xmas lights around the plant, topped with plywood, then bubble wrapped the whole thing down to the ground.
I doubt bubble wrap would be enough during an Okanagan winter.

Barb

Barb,
The xmas lights are wrapped around the entire stem of the basjoo, all of which is now buried beneath a giant pile of leaves. What I meant is that I warpped the lights more closely near the top of the cropped basjoo pseudostem (that area closest to the air). My thinking is that the ares closer to the air will be more likely to freeze (since they have less insulation) and therefore would need a little more cold protection.
I've yet to sucessfully overwinter basjoo (not easy in zone 4/5) so I'm hoping this method will work.
Here is the method in more detail:
First I piled a layer of about 8 inches of mulch (cedar mulch) and hammered in 4 large (5 foot) stakes about 3 feet away from the banana clump.
Then I tied the pseudostems togather. Some I covered with frost cloth, others I left uncovered (to see if this makes a diference).
Then I strung the xmas lights around the largest pseudostem.
Next, I placed 2 jugs full of water right next to the clump (on top of the slight mulch layer).
Then I piled mulch up to about 1.5-2 feet all around the pseudostems, within the area bordered he stakes.
Then attached a layer of frost cloth around the stakes to contain both the mulch and the 3 feet of leaves with which I filled the enclosure.

Again, not sure that this will work, but I sure hope so!

Paul, you've done a lot of work. Thanks for details.

Last year, a poster (forgot who...sorry) lost a very tall palm (9 or 10 feet tall) when he wrapped the Xmas lights against the stem around the trunk. Apparently the Xmas lights burnt/overheated the stem because there wasn't a layer, say, of burlap, wrapped around it first. Musa stems are fleshier than most palms, which could be good or bad.

There are many musa "overwinterers" on PN; how about a few pics.

I'm disappointed at Y.rostrata cage temp early this a.m.
Outside temp 1 C.
Inside 2 C...barely a difference without heat.
Howling winds last night almost dismantled the thing!
Barb

Barb I would suggest heat lamps to keep things warm. The same lamps used to keep chickens warm during winter. You can buy a three socket landscape lighting system at any hardware store. Each bulb will give you about 4c increase in temps so when it gets really cold you can turn on the other two or three to be safe giving you about 15c better than outside temps. I used these last year with my palms and the radiant heat they give off is better than any normal incandescent light. A remote thermometer is a must also.

John

John, infra red bulbs?

If I recall your pyramid pics last year, the bulbs heated the ground around the palm.

Instead of hanging them from the top of frame.

Barb

Barb the infra red heat lamps heated the ground as well as the whole enclosure. You will have to be careful so it doesn`t get to warm in your enclosure. A good remote thermometer will give you peace of mind.

John

Good point Barrie.

You folks are gonna call me crazy... 😆 😆
but a few days ago I chickened out.

Yup...I dug the bugger out of the ground and potted it into a 20 gallon pot, adding very little water to the pot (just at the outside edges).

Why? Well, the xeriscape area is 200 feet from my house.
A remote thermometer doesn't go that far. 😆

This poor rostrata will either croak from being moved every couple of weeks...
or it'll be THE most adaptable plant. 😕

Anyway thanks!
Barb

It will be ok 😀 Plant it next spring. 😀

New spears are still emerging from its two rosettes.

The rostrata seems to like cool weather as much as the T. fortunei and nainital.

Or maybe it's all the "handling". 😆 😆
Barb

So it grows when handled? 😆

Aaron, it oughta be a foot taller tomorrow then. 😆
The poor thing.
Barb

Sounds like it is in good hands. 😀

Barb I think you did the right thing by waiting till next spring to plant it. At least you`ll get a good nights sleep until next winter. 😆
John

John, that's it exactly...my peace of mind.

At what temp/where are you keeping your 15 gallon rostratas?
In the garage?

As soon as temps drop to below freezing, mine will go inside the barely-heated building (kept at 45 F).

Barb