What is the best was to save your P stem on a basjoo

[sanatic1234]

I have been told that wrapping the P stem with fleece and stuffing straw inside works well is this true? Mine have finally reached about 2ft now and i would like to try and keep that height really, If i do lose the height would it just grow back faster next year with an even bigger height?

[sanatic1234]

I also mean without lifting it, i would like to keep my basjoo planted.

[becky]

we lost our stem last year to the ground , they have grown back about 2 ft , not sure about wrapping them this is something i would like to know too

[sanatic1234]

I wish i could remember the website i went on now but on the pictures it showed this man cutting off all the leafs and only leaving the roller and then wrapping the hole of the p stem then packing the fleece with loads and loads of straw he also put some straw round the base of the basjoo as well. If i remember the name of the website i will post the link.

[Dave in Warrington]

Seen plenty of methods but I'll be using my old rolled carpet and bubble wrap method again. Everything cost nothing and worked in many winters past.
I didn't do this last winter

Photos and description are in this thread

http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk/forum/v ... 6&start=15

[Dave Brown]

Thing to remember is that any freezing weather starts to damage the pseudostem, and the colder it is the quicker it will freeze right through killing it to ground level. However even -1C for a couple of days will still freeze it right through. I am normally fine here, but last winter lost all but 2 stems. It was not the temps but the length of freeze time that did it

Really anything that stops the freezing air getting into contact with the stems will do. From carpet, to newspaper, to straw, to fleece etc

[sanatic1234]

Yeah the big freeze was dreadful and damage was bound to be caused to most plants hardy or not. I hope this year will be a better one. I will certainly try the fleece and straw as a method. I would use carpet as well but have chucked my old carpets away when i re - decorated my place. I certainly don't want to lift them as i want them to get as settled as possible.

[becky]

cheers for the tips guys, i might try the carpet method with them and see how it goes

[dk]

It gets a bit colder where I'm at and the frost can last longer, but I found an interesting low cost method of using fallen leaves packet tightly around the stem secured by a netting and covered by a water proof top. But if all you get is a few degrees below that might be a bit excessive?

I've read that syntetic insulation doesn't work as good, and might do more harm then good. Anything organic, straw, leaves etc. will work just fine I'm told.

[Alexander]

It gets a bit colder where I'm at and the frost can last longer, but I found an interesting low cost method of using fallen leaves packet tightly around the stem secured by a netting and covered by a water proof top. But if all you get is a few degrees below that might be a bit excessive?

I've read that syntetic insulation doesn't work as good, and might do more harm then good. Anything organic, straw, leaves etc. will work just fine I'm told.

The same technic I use here. It works well and costs nothing!
And the leaves you can compost after winter.

Alexander

[Andy J]

Ive been a bit ruthless with my Basjoos after going well over the top with protection initially. I have an old duvet and its wrapped when its cold and unwrapped when its mild. Ive found more damage is done through rot than by cold. If its going to be above freezing for any length of time then keeping it unwrapped allows the air to the stem and it stops the dreaded rot. If lots of rain or snow is forecast then i just slip a bin bag over the duvet to keep it dry. Ive found this works for me although last winter was a cracker and i did lose the main stem that was around 4ft tall but a couple of smaller stems survived albeit with a loss of about 50% of the stem.

[dk]

Andy, could the rot have anything to do with using syntetic insulation. A good organic material will "breathe", not trapping the humidity and condensation between the stem and the material...

[CW01]

Hi San have a look at this it may help, i follow this method of insulation http://www.urbanjungle.uk.com/blog/temp ... asp?id=111

[Nathan]

Chimney pots (or drainage pipes) stuffed with straw work well, remember to put a "roof" on top to keep the rain out, but allow ventilation too...
My stems don't get cut back by frost here, even last winter, but I keep losing my tallest ones as they keep flowering & then die

[musa_monkey]

I used fleece last year but it hit -12c here and it couldnt cope with that so i lost the stem. Going to try hessian this year for a change.