Banana disaster.

[karl66]

Looks like my first year planting musa basjoo & sikimensis has been a diaster , the two i had planted out have now just turned to mush, my only remaining one is an ensette maurelli which was overwintered indoors. Both the planted out ones were protected & wrapped well but obviously not enough.

[harryc]

Leave them be, they will re sprout in another month or so, well the basjoo will, not sure of the sikki. Just cut back all the mushy stuff until you find some firm plant.
Mine were cut down to the ground in the horror winter of 2010 and still came back

Harry

[Dave Brown]

Established M basjoo will keep their stems to -6C ish, but newly planted or moved M basjoo will lose them at higher temps.

[Yorkshire Kris]

You should have protected the pseudo-stems if you want to almost guarantee keeping the height.

(That's for basjoo. sikkis are very variable)

[karl66]

Whats strange is that the basjoo started to show signs of pushing a roller about 2wks ago but this afternoon i looked & the stem had collapsed in the middle. when i cut it down to about 4inches above soil level, its full of water & all mushy.karl.

[karl66]

You should have protected the pseudo-stems if you want to almost guarantee keeping the height.

(That's for basjoo. sikkis are very variable)

Kris, as i said the both had industrial 6 inchdownpipes around them plus double fleece bags over the pipes. karl.

[Yorkshire Kris]

You should have protected the pseudo-stems if you want to almost guarantee keeping the height.

(That's for basjoo. sikkis are very variable)

Kris, as i said the both had industrial 6 inchdownpipes around them plus double fleece bags over the pipes. karl.

Sorry yes I did read that I found that they need much better protection for their first winter or so like using lots of straw.

[GREVILLE]

I imagine you'll soon get pups appearing with all this warm sunny weather, Karl, particularly with basjoo. If they were only in their first year can dig up the rootstocks and keep them inside if they will be warmer there?

[karl66]

In the matter of 1 day my large ensette maurelli's leaves have collapsed!!, its only been put back outside for about the last 1wk, it was perfect yesterday & i wonder whether last nights frost has done the leaves as i've been keeping it well watered? i've just cut the leaves back for now.

[Yorkshire Kris]

In the matter of 1 day my large ensette maurelli's leaves have collapsed!!, its only been put back outside for about the last 1wk, it was perfect yesterday & i wonder whether last nights frost has done the leaves as i've been keeping it well watered? i've just cut the leaves back for now.

Sorry to say it but I wouldn't have planted out ensetes yet. There's a chance that you can get away with it in prolonged mild springs but this is unlikely in most years. Wait till May for most parts of the country or even June.

It's very different getting a frost and several cold days in spring compared to autumn. In autumn they are fully extablished in the ground and can take a bit of frost etc. In spring they are just getting used to being outside and do not have a good root system then WHAM a cold spell hits them and the sulk and possibly die.

[karl66]

Kris, i did not plant the ensette out , i had been overwintering it very well then i simply put it outside in its container?. Its the sikkimensis & basjoo that are planted out. karl.

[Yorkshire Kris]

Kris, i did not plant the ensette out , i had been overwintering it very well then i simply put it outside in its container?. Its the sikkimensis & basjoo that are planted out. karl.

The frost may have affected the roots then if still in a container outside. Also if it had not been "hardened off" to life outside then this may cause the leaves to suddenly collapse as they may be losing more water through the leaves than they can soak up through it's roots.

[mushtaq86]

In the matter of 1 day my large ensette maurelli's leaves have collapsed!!, its only been put back outside for about the last 1wk, it was perfect yesterday & i wonder whether last nights frost has done the leaves as i've been keeping it well watered? i've just cut the leaves back for now.

Any leaves on banana plants that have grown inside over winter months will always collapse,when the plant is put back outside as they aren't strong enough for outside conditions,until new growth,as long as the corm and p-stem feel solid i wouldn't worry about it.

[daftbanana]

Ensete definitely won't like being outside yet, potted or otherwise.