Jay- Nice pics. I don't think there are too many pics. Its always fun to have pics to look at. Thanks for posting them.

About that coconut though: Have you been having any trouble with it at all? Where did you buy it from? I know they're supposed to be very hard to keep up north.

-Ryan

Ryan - I bought it at Lowe's. Last July. Surprisingly it's taken everything in stride. I never thought it would do so well either. It just has a tiny tiny bit of browning on the tips. I mist the hell out of it, water it when it feels too dry, and keep it in front of that window and its fine. It finished opening up a frond right after I brought inside for the winter and pushed up another since then. If it stays healthy the only problem is going to be when it gets too big. LOL! Heres how it looked the day I bought it.

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Great shots, Jay

How long ago did you bring the bananas back upstairs? They look really nice already. Also, I'm thinking of trying ginger this summer, did you just leave it in the pot? I've thought of outplanting it in the summer then potting it up like bananas after the freeze kills the foliage. I'm hoping that way to force it to flower at some point.

ps I got my new McCurtain in the ground yesterday and shot a photo this morning. Can't wait 'till April!!!!

Alan

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Wow Alan! Thats a nice sized McCurtain for a 3 gallon. I actually got the shell ginger a few weeks ago at the supermarket. for $6.99!!! You can see it looked like crap when I got it. It was mostly OK but had a lot of yellow and brown mixed in. I think someone in the produce department over watered it. That baby's going in the ground with everything else. I think thats a good idea you have for the ginger. I want to try to start some ginger root from the grocery store.

I brought the small (thin) bananas up on Jan 15th. The one with the 2 large leaves took off. Another one rotted. You win some you lose some. The two large (thick) ones I brought up Feb 20th. They started to push up out of the center with in 2 days. The short one is growing slower than the taller one but I'm amazed how fast they started. Heres yet another pic of them the day I brought them up. They'll have a nice head start before they go into the ground. Thanks for the compliments. Jay

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Great pictures, thank you for sharing. Makes me imagine about warmer days ahead. Unfortunately I have a blizzrd to drive home through in 30 minutes.

We're supposed to get some of that crap later tonight into early morning. Thanks for sending that S#*T my way jerk! LOL! Really though, thanks for the kind words Andy. It'll all be over soon.

The shell ginger will only bloom on 2nd year growth. If you cut it back it will not bloom.
The grocery store ginger also needs old growth to bloom.

Here is a link that might be useful: shell ginger

I just want them for the foliage. I just think it would be cool to start one from a tuber at the store. Thanks for the link though.

Thanks for the info, cactusfreak - on to plan b, and if that doesn't work I'll just be stuck with the beautiful foliage.

Jay, my icecream has sat all winter with one leaf and no new growth. I've withheld water though, it's probably time...

Alan

Hi Josh,,

I was wondering. You winter your plants obviosly. They look beautiful. I know that Palms and the like,even the coconut tree are notorious for spidermites. Have you had a problem with so many plants grouped together like that, and if so, what do you when they hit so many plants at once? I am afriad to get these plants or have so many at once for this reason. Yours look so nice!!:-) What is your secret? And your view of possible mite infestation?

Hi sissysimone. First of all thanks for your compliments. As far as I can tell. I've had no mites at all. I've hit all the plants with neem oil a couple times to knock back the gnats. I mist them evryday with a spray bottle and thats about it. I guess I've been very lucky. Knock on wood. I've posted pics in the past and quite a few people ask about mites. Well, Ive only got about a month to go. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Thanks again sissy.

Jay