Thanks for all the suggestions guys, and Barb, I am laughing as you call us the banana kings and also becuase you suggested exactly what I plan to do. I am leaving the big banana mothers in the ground and taking all the pups in the house over winter...

Guys I am also attaching a pic of someone's garden down the street from me who grows bananas. He doesn't even mulch his over and has had them for ten years. His are huge and come up like a friggin jungle every year. I remember when I was younger my family used to wrap their figs etc...but mine grow with no protection and I never wrapped one in my life. So I guess I am just saying that it depends on the gardener'e preferences. Enjoy the pic....

BTW ....He is a scruffy old Polish man who doesn't say much or give much advice with gardening. HE scared the hell out of me the other day. I was in my front garden working under the umbrella of my insanely huge crape Myrtle and as i turned around I see a man standing 6 inches from me to my rear. HE looked at me and just said, "Congratulations!" throwing his arms up to show he was pleased with my garden. It was great. A nice complement from an old timer. He knows his gardens well and even gives me homemade buffalo grass vodka..Woohoo!!
Mike

his banana trees

see a man standing 6 inches from me to my rear

Creepy!
😆 😆 😆
Maybe he doesn't speak much English.

Free vodka...now that's a great neighbor.

Your bananas can race his next year.
I'm betting on you, Mike.

Mike,
your neighbor is a champ! I can't imagine how he does it. Must learn.
I have a friend around here who has similar success but he is always evasive when I ask him how he does it.
Maybe if I ply him with vodka....
--Erik

Erik, ply us all with vodka, we'll come up with something. 8)

How about goat meat as a bribe?
I'll have lots in the freezer soon....
As for cocktails, I'm into mojitos lately to try to get rid of peppermint. 😆
--Erik

U guys are too funny....

@ Erik, Send me goat meat anytime, I totally dig it! I have so much pepermint too: it smells so good when I cut the rear lawn. It grows like a weed.

I'm leaving town again fr 2 weeks on Tuesday and hope to be amazed at my nanas when I get back. Chat soon everyone. Enjoy the last few weeeks of AUgust!
😆

Chat soon everyone...
Mike

Have fun on your trip Mike!

Free vodka cool neighbor to have too. Nice nana patch he has going there. Funny you mention figs as this year I've found some very large specimens all over the place. I never noticed them until this year for some reason. They need to be wrapped here though, much longer cold durations up here.

Bill

Have a good trip Mike.

Barb

Thanks guys...yeah figs are all over here too. They are so delicious too. I love to butterfly, grill them and throw on a dollop of ricotta cheese and drizzle some honey..Yum!

You three are the banana Kings.
Whatever you're doing, it's obviously working.

Mine's heading to John's place before I kill it.

It'll be interesting to read what you're planning, Mike.
Maybe overwinter one, and dig up/repot the other one for the house in the Fall?

Barb

Barb is this your flickr account??

http://www.flickr.com/photos/southslope/

Yup, that's it, Mike.

There had recently been a big to-do that people who had a paid Flickr account STILL weren't giving the website the "proper credit" when pics were posted to an external site. Even tho' I didn't know what the hell they were jabbering about, thought it prudent to place that permanent signature link and not violate their dumb rules.

Barb

Yup, that's it, Mike.

There had recently been a big to-do that people who had a paid Flickr account STILL weren't giving the website the "proper credit" when pics were posted to an external site. Even tho' I didn't know what the hell they were jabbering about, thought it prudent to place that permanent signature link and not violate their dumb rules.

Barb

Your pics are great Barb. I have a flickr acct too
Good stuff...
Chat soon
Mike

Great looking Musas Mike! and funny story about your neighbor by the way 😆 he's got some nice ones going as well! I'm attaching a photo of one of mine, a before and after pic. It was planted July 12th and the after pic was taken today Aug. 30th. Sounds like your hot hot weather is the same we had this summer and we had only 0.6mm of rain for the month of July so I was outside watering like crazy!! Due to the water restriction I did have to cut back. Here's the pic to show you how much growth we have here in Vancouver in one month. I really think if we had more rain it would have been taller....so I'm a bit disappointed it wasn't bigger, as I've seen them sky rocket bigger in that short time!

Oh and I just trimmed a couple of leaves off to clean it up a bit and see the stalk. I guess it's just personal preference.

Heidi

PN now has a Musa queen...attagirl Heidi.
Barb

PN now has a Musa queen...attagirl Heidi.
Barb

Too funny Barb! 😆 I'm really proud of the nanas! Now to get the neighbors to come over with some Vodka! 😀

Mike - I hope to see some new growth pics when you're back!

Heidi