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#1
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Shortening a Bannana Plant
Hi,
I have a bannana plant (Musa Bajoo) in a pot that has grown so long that it is taller than the patio it is on. I feed it on loads of chicken poo that it loves. Can I shorten it and when? |
#2
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Shortening a Bannana Plant
"Bookworm" wrote in message ups.com... Hi, I have a bannana plant (Musa Bajoo) in a pot that has grown so long that it is taller than the patio it is on. I feed it on loads of chicken poo that it loves. Can I shorten it and when? Yes take the extra 'n' out and I'd advise doing this as part of your next post. Be careful which one you remove though as you don't want to choose the wrong one when thinning out. :-) Sorry....... I just couldn't resist! :-) Stephen |
#3
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Shortening a Bannana Plant
"Bookworm" wrote in message ups.com... Hi, I have a bannana plant (Musa Bajoo) in a pot that has grown so long that it is taller than the patio it is on. I feed it on loads of chicken poo that it loves. Can I shorten it and when? The "trunk" of the banana tree - which is actually an oversized herb, merely consists of compressed old leaves. It performs no real function in terms of keeping the tree alive - nutrients and water don't travel up the "trunk". Each new year's growth grows up through the middle of these old leaves - rather like a perennial leek would grow. The entire trunk can be cut back as hard as you like, but at the end of the growing season. If you did it now, you'd kill off this years growth as well. The only danger then might be increased exposure to frost from above , (although presumably frost danger to the roots through the pot would be the same ) and so maybe the potted plant could be moved to a frost free site - the garage etc over winter. michael adams .... |
#4
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Shortening a Bannana Plant
michael adams wrote:
"Bookworm" wrote in message ups.com... Hi, I have a bannana plant (Musa Bajoo) in a pot that has grown so long that it is taller than the patio it is on. I feed it on loads of chicken poo that it loves. Can I shorten it and when? The "trunk" of the banana tree - which is actually an oversized herb, merely consists of compressed old leaves. It performs no real function in terms of keeping the tree alive - nutrients and water don't travel up the "trunk". Each new year's growth grows up through the middle of these old leaves - rather like a perennial leek would grow. The entire trunk can be cut back as hard as you like, but at the end of the growing season. If you did it now, you'd kill off this years growth as well. The only danger then might be increased exposure to frost from above , (although presumably frost danger to the roots through the pot would be the same ) and so maybe the potted plant could be moved to a frost free site - the garage etc over winter. michael adams ... Many thanks, very interesting. I shall cut it back in the autumn, wrap the pot in bubble wrap and take it into my cold greenhouse where it usually overwinters. Is this OK? |
#5
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Shortening a Bannana Plant
"Bookworm" wrote in message ups.com... michael adams wrote: "Bookworm" wrote in message ups.com... Hi, I have a bannana plant (Musa Bajoo) in a pot that has grown so long that it is taller than the patio it is on. I feed it on loads of chicken poo that it loves. Can I shorten it and when? The "trunk" of the banana tree - which is actually an oversized herb, merely consists of compressed old leaves. It performs no real function in terms of keeping the tree alive - nutrients and water don't travel up the "trunk". Each new year's growth grows up through the middle of these old leaves - rather like a perennial leek would grow. The entire trunk can be cut back as hard as you like, but at the end of the growing season. If you did it now, you'd kill off this years growth as well. The only danger then might be increased exposure to frost from above , (although presumably frost danger to the roots through the pot would be the same ) and so maybe the potted plant could be moved to a frost free site - the garage etc over winter. michael adams ... Many thanks, very interesting. I shall cut it back in the autumn, wrap the pot in bubble wrap and take it into my cold greenhouse where it usually overwinters. Is this OK? .... Apparently musa bajoo is the hardiest of the bananas. However the tops are said to be less frost hardy than the roots. Which makes the survival of the foliage in a cold greehouse over winter up until now a bit of a surprise. What sometimes happens is that the foliage is hit by a particularly hard frost and dies off, the owner panics, and is then relieved to be told that it only needs cutting back, to regrow again from the base the next year. Although the roots are supposed to be fairly frost hardy, no harm will be done by wrapping the plant in bubblewrap as you suggest. michael adams .... |
#6
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Shortening a Bannana Plant
"michael adams" wrote in message ... "Bookworm" wrote in message ups.com... michael adams wrote: "Bookworm" wrote in message ups.com... Hi, I have a bannana plant (Musa Bajoo) in a pot that has grown so long that it is taller than the patio it is on. I feed it on loads of chicken poo that it loves. Can I shorten it and when? The "trunk" of the banana tree - which is actually an oversized herb, merely consists of compressed old leaves. It performs no real function in terms of keeping the tree alive - nutrients and water don't travel up the "trunk". Each new year's growth grows up through the middle of these old leaves - rather like a perennial leek would grow. The entire trunk can be cut back as hard as you like, but at the end of the growing season. If you did it now, you'd kill off this years growth as well. The only danger then might be increased exposure to frost from above , (although presumably frost danger to the roots through the pot would be the same ) and so maybe the potted plant could be moved to a frost free site - the garage etc over winter. michael adams ... Many thanks, very interesting. I shall cut it back in the autumn, wrap the pot in bubble wrap and take it into my cold greenhouse where it usually overwinters. Is this OK? ... Apparently musa bajoo is the hardiest of the bananas. However the tops are said to be less frost hardy than the roots. Which makes the survival of the foliage in a cold greehouse over winter up until now a bit of a surprise. What sometimes happens is that the foliage is hit by a particularly hard frost and dies off, the owner panics, and is then relieved to be told that it only needs cutting back, to regrow again from the base the next year. Although the roots are supposed to be fairly frost hardy, no harm will be done by wrapping the plant in bubblewrap as you suggest. michael adams ... Various sites are now proclaiming that sikkimensis is as hardy if not hardier than Bajoo. I turn these to mush each year with absolutely no regrowth. Too wet I believe. Very nice as an annual. Bajoo lived in the garage without protection but lost the leaves and started growing again a few weeks ago. If you happen to have a spare Musa Ae Ae or two I will swop for a small Bajoo:-) |
#7
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Shortening a Bannana Plant
Rupert (W.Yorkshire) wrote:
"michael adams" wrote in message michael adams ... Various sites are now proclaiming that sikkimensis is as hardy if not hardier than Bajoo. I turn these to mush each year with absolutely no regrowth. Too wet I believe. Very nice as an annual. Bajoo lived in the garage without protection but lost the leaves and started growing again a few weeks ago. If you happen to have a spare Musa Ae Ae or two I will swop for a small Bajoo:-) Could the 'turning to mush' be because you are in W Yorks and I am in South Worcs? |
#8
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Shortening a Bannana Plant
There appear to be several forms of sikkimensis sloshing around; some
quite hardy, but others are very tender. I feel that unless you live in the southern half of the country, it is definitely one to bring under cover in winter. This past winter has tested a lot of plants and it would seem that many have lost much if not all of their top growth. Down here, all forms are hardy enough not to require any protection at all and in mild winters retain some or most of their leaves. Go further east along to Southampton or beyond and plants need the 'trunks' wrapped. I planted mine as a 2ft. seedling in March 2000 and now it is a clump of about a dozen 'trunks' varying in height from 3 - 10ft. excluding leaves. By July the whole lot is up to 20ft. or more high. It resumes growth about 2 weeks later than basjoo, but soon catches up. I prefer this to basjoo since the leaves are less prone to wind-split, but on the debit side they present more wind resistance and it is not unknown for the 'trunks' to snap during violent summer storms. Rupert, Ae Ae is a very tricky variety to grow well and extremely hard to get. Much better to covet the variegated form of basjoo, but that almost never becomes available Bookworm, the way I grow these (basjoo, sikkimensis & balbisiana) is to provide a lofty canopy over shade-loving 'understorey' palms (Chamaedorea, Arenga etc.). You can't really stop them growing tall because that is the way they grow. If you need something that remains at around 6ft. or so, maybe you should try Musella lasicarpa instead. It really seems to do well in a pot, appears to be happiest when root-bound and makes a very handsome, tight clump of large, blue green leaves. After several years, the oldest growth will flower spectacularly - rather like a giant, golden yellow artichoke, which lasts for months on end. A big tub of this is far easier to protect in winter since the 'trunks' never grow much more than 3ft. high. |
#9
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Shortening a Bannana Plant
"Bookworm" wrote in message ups.com... michael adams wrote: "Bookworm" wrote in message ups.com... Hi, I have a bannana plant (Musa Bajoo) in a pot that has grown so long that it is taller than the patio it is on. I feed it on loads of chicken poo that it loves. Can I shorten it and when? The "trunk" of the banana tree - which is actually an oversized herb, merely consists of compressed old leaves. It performs no real function in terms of keeping the tree alive - nutrients and water don't travel up the "trunk". Each new year's growth grows up through the middle of these old leaves - rather like a perennial leek would grow. The entire trunk can be cut back as hard as you like, but at the end of the growing season. If you did it now, you'd kill off this years growth as well. The only danger then might be increased exposure to frost from above , (although presumably frost danger to the roots through the pot would be the same ) and so maybe the potted plant could be moved to a frost free site - the garage etc over winter. michael adams ... Many thanks, very interesting. I shall cut it back in the autumn, wrap the pot in bubble wrap and take it into my cold greenhouse where it usually overwinters. Is this OK? I was going to ask how you overwintered it but that answers my question. If you have successfully produced such a large plant it seems a shame to cut it back. Could you plant it in the garden (if you have one). It only needs a small amount of protection to keep the leaves and trunk OK during the winter. Even if the frost cuts it back it should resprout. |
#10
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Shortening a Bannana Plant
I was going to ask how you overwintered it but that answers my question. If you have successfully produced such a large plant it seems a shame to cut it back. Could you plant it in the garden (if you have one). It only needs a small amount of protection to keep the leaves and trunk OK during the winter. Even if the frost cuts it back it should resprout. It overwinters quite happily in a cold greenhouse with Bubble Wrap fitted inside walls and roof. Also Plant & pot is bubble wrapped and fleeced. I usually cut off the leaves down to about 1" of the stem befoe I do this. By spring the first leaf is usually trying to burst through the wrap. The reason for cutting it shorter is that it has grown out of proportion to the other 'jungle plants' that I grow on the shady patio. |
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