Musa and Ensete - keeping them growing indoors overwinter

[Stevo]

In the autumn I dug up from the garden 2 x 5 foot tall Musa basjoo and 1 x 1 foot tall Ensete maurelli and potted them up to bring indoors to keep them growing over the winter. The Musa normally stay outside but I was moving them anyway so thought I'd keep them indoors as they were already out of the ground.

I kept them fairly dry - I think I watered them 3-4 times over the winter and they carried on growing very slowly. They are now growing well and are now being watered more regularly. I started to harden them off about a week ago ready to be planted out in a few weeks when in warms up.

So far this has been a success story, but I have just joined this site and read a post about trying to store them dry/bare root and in the loft as people have had trouble overwintering musa and ensete indoors. Is this true? Have I been very lucky managing to keep them growing without rotting at my first attempt?

As I had managed to successfully overwinter my Ensest maurelli indoors I have just bought a fairly large one. I'm now concerned I may have trouble overwintering this coming winter.

What are your thoughts?

I thought I had read inthe past that sone people kerp Ensete as house plants which suggests it's fine.

Thanks for your help!
Steve

[Kristen]

You might want to read Dave's thread's about his Ensete - starting here (and the earlier/later pages in that thread) http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/v ... 49#p252049

And this thread: http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/v ... p=374#p374

And this one! : http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/v ... 713#p84713

[Stevo]

Thanks Kristen! I appreciate your help.

S

[pdid]

Ensete are fine as houseplants as long as they have enough light and enough warmth, the problem of rot comes with being wet and low temperatures.

I had one in my conservatory years ago before I knew anything about them. It was neglected and i`d forget to water it and the leaves would crisp up and dry out. I found as soon as i started watering again it would grow as if nothing had happened.

[Stevo]

Ensete are fine as houseplants as long as they have enough light and enough warmth, the problem of rot comes with being wet and low temperatures.

I had one in my conservatory years ago before I knew anything about them. It was neglected and i`d forget to water it and the leaves would crisp up and dry out. I found as soon as i started watering again it would grow as if nothing had happened.

When you say "low temperatures" how low would you say is a problem?

Thanks pdid!

[Kristen]

When you say "low temperatures" how low would you say is a problem?

Dunno about Ensete but I had some Musa sikkimensis in my unheated conservatory over winter, in their original pots from last year [grown from seed].

We had -11C (outside!) in 2nd week of Feb. I put a small 2kW greenhouse gas heater in the conservatory that night and the Max/Min thermometer, within a few feet of the heater, registered -0.5C, the Sikkis were nearer to the outside wall of the conservatory, several metres from the heater, and over following week or so their leaves went crispy brown. Pseudostem was fine though, and they have grown new leaves and look healthy (still in conservatory as I want growth, and currently still have space to house them)

[jezza]

I do the same as you stevo but i have a fully heated greenhouse that stays at 8c - 10c all winter and the nanas get full light all year round.