Hmm... thinking about lights like that for my nanas this winter. Did you turn them on only when it went below a certain temperature or did they run 24/7? Also I was thinking of just wrapping the stems with lights and not using any other covering. Maybe they could double as Christmas decorations, kind of how you wrap tree trunks. That would keep the temperature up.... right?

Those look great, what a season you will have with those starts.

Here is a link that might be useful: Photos

Wilson1963, last year was our first year with a banana plant. We now have four pups coming up similar to your pictures. Do we separate the pups and if so, when and how? Thanks for any advice.

Thanks for looking, to answer the above question, the lights were left on pretty much 24/7 except for unseasonably warm weather during the winter, then I would turn them off and sometimes uncover the top to let heat out because it would be so warm inside.

You are off to a great start. You should have some big ones. I would like to see an end of season pic this fall.

I've heard of several people using the lights with success. My question is; Don't you have to use the older type lights? I don't think the newer LED type give off much heat. Am I right?

hey guys,

there is really no need for all that work and lights. It's the corm that you want to preserve. The corm is rock hardy to -20f with mulch. You don't gain a thing with all that work by preserving the stalk. The plant will get just as big cut to the ground in spring.More importantly to the basjoo is a regular watering and fertilization to obtain the largest plant.

I quit doing anything to mine about 3 years ago. I cut it to the ground each spring and it grows to about 12-15' each year.

Good luck to you all!

Boca Joe

Boca Joe,

Thanks for the input. The question as to the height was my biggest one. I used the mini lights to answer the question posted above yours. One reason I did it was just to see if I could. I was really surprised those mini lights made enough heat to make a difference but the stalks without them went "mush" to the ground. Since the ones froze to the ground are all growing, I will be looking forward to seeing how they do compared to the ones preserved. I do agree with you that come later this summer it won't make much difference, but when June is here, I'm betting on some nice tall banana trees. :)

Boca Joe.

Question for you, if you don't mind.

It has to do with our 1st experiment the winter just before this one just past.

That summer before, we planted a pup that was about 5' tall or so. We over wintered it the first year. That spring, we didn't see anything until (if I remember correctly) until mid to end of May. Last summer, it stayed stunted and didn't grow past 3 feet (not even as big as it was the summer before when planted first).

it is planted in an area that only gets morning to
about noon(ish) sun

This year, there's been a nice green shoot for about 2 weeks or so. (this was its 2nd winter).

Here's my question. Do you think that it will grow tall this year since it's now had 2 successful winters?

Or, will it stay small because it doesn't get full-day sun?

Ideas?

Blondboy47-

I had the same experience when I tried Musa basjoo in a partial shade -it died out. My main plant 50 ' away has alwasy done fine.

The big thing for everyone to understand, is that they need tremendous amounts of water and fert to reach the tallest heights. Most people do not water or fert nearly enough. and the soil should be amended to nice garden soil as you would for a garden.

Check out my friend's tropical garden last Sept- to show you how thi sstuff can get. All of the green banana plants you see are Musa basjoo. The cannas are huge too.

We both live just outside of Wash DC to the NW.

And this was the result during a DROUGHT summer!

We all use Milorganite about 3 times a season, lots of compost, and maybe some liquid spray-and-feed fert once a week or so.
This is the result.

Here is a link that might be useful: Panama John's Tropical Zone

mindysuewho; Last year was our first year also, we have left the pups as is and will let them grow. From the looks of some of the plants on this site that have longer stalks and such, appear to be grown close together like pups. We did take one pup last fall and potted it, it's about 2' tall.

I think I'm gonna use christmas lights this year to try to protect the stem. (our winters are often mild in comparison to the rest of the states) My question is, if I simply just wrap the pseudostem with the mini lights, do I run a risk of burning the pseudostem??

Zach