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

Great pics as usual, Jim!

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

Wouldn't it be great to be Jim's neighbor and have that view? 8)

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! 😯

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

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

:salute: :salute: :salute: :salute: :salute: :salute: :salute: :salute:

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

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

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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.

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).

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!

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