Over wintering Maurelii

Bananaman · Post by **Bananaman** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 9:16 am

I built 4 frames and lined the inside and outside recess with PVC sheets. It is then bolted together and anchored to prevent the wind moving it. It is very heavy indeed but after 3 winters with no problems at all the high winds at the beginning of the year took the roof. Inside it stays about 3-4 degrees above the outside temp, but more importantly during the day it heats up really quickly. In late spring the temprature gets into the late 20's early 30's giving the bananas a much needed boost. During the winter I have a couple of flood lamps which give off a good heat and I manage to keep last years foliage green and unfrosted

In the summer it is dismantled back to the 4 panels and put away. It is a bit over kill but I can get them to flower from september to July with this method

Post by **Dave Brown** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 4:17 pm

BM you go to a lot of effort then. I found my Basjoo and Ensete both kept their leaves in my covered courtyard. I just put a polycarbonate roof over a 3 sided courtyard, and put purpose built sliding doors on over the winter/spring. Unfortunately no room for big bananas now as many more tenderish plants in there. My main problem is oversummering my bananas especially with a hosepipe ban as last year.

This is my garden on 30th December 2006. The covered courtyard did not have the doors on at that point. They were not added until 23rd Jan just before the fist snow.

Post by **Dave Brown** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 4:21 pm

Mixie,

One of your Maurelli has a problem. Both were doing fine and then today one has wilted badly, and the new leaf collapsed. As they are in the same pot it can't be a watering issue. The other one is fine.

Bananaman · Post by **Bananaman** » Wed Apr 11, 2007 7:44 pm

Looks really good Dave, I was admiring your Washingtonia in another thread. Mine is very small but then it only cost £2.99 from tescos.

I do love my bananas and its nice to see them growing the other side of the screen. What I need is an automated dome to come over the whole garden when the temperature goes down.

mixiepalms · Post by **mixiepalms** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 2:43 pm

Dave no worries bout other nana. I am grateful to you for looking after it for me. The arums are rapidly growing now, They grew massive last yr but I have some in my pond so as said before they are yours.

I have an indivisa, slow growing but so diff from the other cordys, they loose the orange tinge after a couple of yrs.

What did you buy from Simon Vic? I am going back to see him later in the yr if I get the chance. Pixie and I are going up for the day and then a few beers and b n b.

Vic · Post by **Vic** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 9:13 pm

Mixie, picked up an indivisa along with some summer bedding in the form of a musa sikkimensis "red tiger" apparently better colouring than the standard?