Will you protect your basjoos this winter?

[Chad]

I will let basjoo take its chances. The others will get cut back hard, be fleeced and covered with an upside down plastic dustbin. Last year that didn't work and everything was cut to the ground though despite wrapping.

Chad.

[Sat]

I tried last year to protect my stem with staw filled in fleece bag, but they did not make it.

However lucky for me they both shoot up form the base and grew to max 4 - 5 ft. Not great but still good.

So decided this year not to protect at all, too much effort. Hopefully they start again from the base next year.

I do have question, do I just leave as is or after first frost and snow do I cut the stem down?

[musa_monkey]

This year I am going to dig up the largest one i have in the ground and try over wintering it stored dry as they do in some areas of the USA under the house. Obviously i cant quite do it the same way but will emulate it by storing on its side in the garage.

Given it gets cut to the ground outside every year anyway i figure there is nothing to loose so this should prove an interesting experiment.

[derrick]

Have to let us no how it goes Musa how about Lasiocarpa can you dry them out .I got all my stuff in the garage to protect them .Timber and steel frame a roll of polly and timber frame foil plus insulation .We use Tlx and Protect Foil for timber frame houses at work started doiing alot of Eco homes insulation gone crazy some lots having 450m plus Celotex .

[Panama Pete]

What do you do with the roller on its way out ?

Ive snapped the other leaves to the stem and will be leaving them on the plant inside the structure. Ive put canes all round it, followed by chicken mesh, and lined the wire on the outside with fleece. The straw is at the ready however im waiting for a while as its mild again here in the midlands.

Im using polythene on the top, but pegging it over into the ground with some parts exposed for airflow, will post you a pic when the time comes.

If anyone can tell me about the roller it would be appreciated?

[derrick]

Mine had a little room to grow with lid on but started to grow february its way to early now to protect i covered my plants they had some airflow but not alot you only need a little cold to get in and frozen

[boybeck]

I protected some of my plants and left others exposed to the cold. By July they were all the same height even though the unprotected ones were cut to the ground. I'm not going to bother protecting because the shelters look unsightly.

[derrick]

Thats true Boybeck my Trex and Washingtonia also have covers my Basjoo dont grow that fast if cut to the ground i have now 8feet stems without the leaves