Hardy Tropicals UK

Have you wrapped yours yet? I haven't touched my Basjoo's or Sikki's yet. Year before last, I wrapped with chicken wire and straw etc. with no success at all. Last year I tried hessian sacks with some success but I don't know whether to try something different again this year - maybe loft insulation? although it won't look very pretty, what works for you?

I've use loft insulation wrapped in bubblewrap with a clear plastic binbag over the top for the past few years and my psuedostem has always come through. The only problem is when I bought my loft insulation it was government subsidized so was only about £3 a roll whereas now you'll be paying close to £10.

me being me didnt and ive got a brown ventricosum this morning

Last year I just slipped a plastic drain pipe over mine on frosty nights, it takes seconds and left to the elements the rest of the time, they also have a leaf mulch for the roots. This year I have gone the extra mile and wrapped the pipe with YBS airtec which is aluminum coated bubble wrap used in the building industry.

Nope, leaving mine as is (Basjoos) If they go, they go.

What would be ok for the nanas is tree guards tight as is comfortable, I should have one somewhere.

jungle jas wrote:Last year I just slipped a plastic drain pipe over mine on frosty nights, it takes seconds and left to the elements the rest of the time, they also have a leaf mulch for the roots. This year I have gone the extra mile and wrapped the pipe with YBS airtec which is aluminum coated bubble wrap used in the building industry.

I did pretty much the same.I found some off cuts of plastic pipe in a skip on a building site,it is about 10 inch diam. so there is enough room to put polystyrene packaging chips inside the tube if it gets really cold.As you said it is so quick to put in place,you can remove it as soon as the weather warms up,to let your plant breathe.

I also used some stuff similar to pipe lagging,but larger diameter.It is used on building projects to protect edges and stairways etc. from damage.It doesn't absorb water and has good insulation.Worked a treat on my sikkimensis last year.

I don't wrap mine until the leaves have been destroyed. That will no doubt be this weekend judging by the temperatures. I will be sticking with my usual fleece wrapping which works well here for basjoo but is a bit hit and miss for sikkimensis. That often looks good and feel firm until the air warms up in spring then starts to turn mushy if it doesn't get warm enough for growth.

Half Hardy wrote:I found some off cuts of plastic pipe in a skip on a building site,it is about 10 inch diam.

Does this work if then plant has Pups, as they need to be "inside" the insulation too?

I think a pipe over the pseudostem, not filled with insulation, and then wrap around the outside of that would allow warmer air, rising from the soil, to come up the pipe and be retained by insulation, which should help after a freezing period to re-warm the inside of the insulated cocoon.

Yes.....I pop chimney pots on mine and stuff them with straw and put a saucer on top with some bricks to weigh it down

I reckon diameter of my main plant's stem, plus pups, is too wide for that

Long version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FC6TUHpsj8



Quick version

Wow, that was a thorough job!!
That banana must be feeling really toasty now!!!

Mine don't grow very much up here - probably not warm enough. For the last 2 years I have dug them up and put them in a bed in the greenhouse to overwinter - don't know if they will survive it this time but so far looking good.

Brilliant Kris..thanks!

Ive only left one in the ground but wrapped in loads of fleece the other day and covered in a bin bag. The rest are potted in my poky house. My enesets are lifted and drying before being green sulphured and put in the loft.