For The Banana Growers

[MagpieDi]

Just wondering what has caused this shredding of my Musa Basjoo leaves.  Does yours look the same ? Is it normal ?  We've had a few days of wind and rain, but not the usual storm force !




( Thanks to Dottie Pinks for kindly sending me one of her offspring  ;D )

[MagpieDi]

[Roy Bham UK]

Wind :o pardon me 8)

[Doris_Pinks]

Yup Di,  I agree with Roy, you have had a touch of wind! (You can get something from the Dr's for that! ;D )  Glad to see my baby is doing so well! ;D  ;D

[MagpieDi]

 ::)   ;D  Thank you both SO much for the diagnosis !!  ::)   ;D

No worries Dottie P, I'll still cherish it when it's totally in tatters !!  ;)   ;D 

So, when can I expect babies ??  :D  It's already at least 8 ft high, and I'm gonna have real probs carting it back into the conservatory this autumn !!   ::) 

[Roy Bham UK]

Di the way the weather is going you could leave it out till the end of November, no probs. then if there is frost forecast bring it in then, they love the outdoors, cause that is where they were born ;D

[MagpieDi]

November Roy ??  :o  We've normally got about a foot of snow by then up here in the Yorkshire Alps !!  ;)   ;D
Can I saw it in half to get it through the door then ??   ;)   ;D   I was hoping it would have babies, to grow on inside, then I could risk leaving big mum outside wrapped in a fur coat !!  ;D

[Roy Bham UK]

You can cut all the leaves (Paddles) off and just leave the centre rolled leaf but if it is really too tall for your conservatory you can cut the stem too, if you recall mine were vandalized and kicked down to ground level and I’m happy to say they are fighting back. 8) :P

Here’s a picky of 4 nanas (not the kids ;D) surviving a snowy winter in Brum. 8)

[MagpieDi]

Great !  Thanks for the info Roy.  Cool pic   ;)   ;D   Was wondering about your vandalised nanas. Good to hear they're sprouting again.   :)

[MagpieDi]

Hey Dottie P !   I do believe you're going to be a great-grandma !!  :D  ( and you don't look a day over 90 !  ;) )
Did some digging away around the base, as we impatient ones do !  ;)  and just look what I found !  Looks like a little shallot stuck on the side   ;D   What d'you reckon ?

[Doris_Pinks]

Wellllllllll  not knitting booties yet!  Could be roots, you are just going to have to be patient and see what develops! ;D

[MagpieDi]

 :'(   :(   :'(     I'm off for a second opinion !  ;)   ;D     Where's Roy the Palm and Narna Nut ??   ;D

[Roy Bham UK]

;D I agree with Doris they could be roots, time will tell, even if they were pups they are too small to sever. :o

Be patient and let the mother do her thang, you may have 18" tall pups come September :o If that happened and they were mine, I'd leave them to be togevver over winter (well wrapped or indoors) then separate next spring.

Did I tell ya I have at least 4 pups on my vandalised Nana's up the Lottie :P :-X ;D

[MagpieDi]

Did I tell ya I have at least 4 pups on my vandalised Nana's up the Lottie :P :-X ;D

No you didn't , and I wish you hadn't !!   ;) 

Need a pic please Roy, so I know what not to chop off !  ::)    My fingers are itching to chop away with that saw, so I can start nurturing some little babies  ;)   ;D 

[Roy Bham UK]

 :o Ouch! you sound like you are going to masacre those little darlings using a saw :o

I have my scalpel sharpened and at the ready as I have bigger babies here at home in pots just waiting for their umbilical cord to be severed, :o I will have lights camera and action very soon, ;D so for those of a nervous disposition I will mark the thread with an X certificate.  ::)  ;D

It will be a Banana Drama not to be missed and coming soon right here. ;D ;D ;D

[MagpieDi]

 ;D  Hahaha!!  ;D   

Ok, I'll forget about the chainsaw Roy!   ;)   Look forward to the pics, but might just have to peep through my fingers !!   ;D 

[Roy Bham UK]

 ;D I finally got round to separating the babies from their mum today with step by step gruesome images, :o here they are, believe it or not there are three pups and the mum. Water the soil an hour or so before the split. :) Click on the thumbs to enlarge. ;)

First knock off the pot with a mallet. :P

Then put a pruning saw to it and cut toward the mum cut again at 45 degrees so you have a large slice of cake. ;D

Then insert a small spade and gently press down cutting more roots until the segment falls away. :D

Like this. ::)

Then pot up, mother can go back in her same pot, sprinkle chicken poo at intervals when adding compost. :-X

Water well. ;D

Stand back and admire. 8)


I managed to severe the large pup and take a tiny pup with it, leaving the mother with the remaining pup, you can just see one on the edge of the large pot and one close to the young pup, so next year it will be happy families again. ;D

[MagpieDi]

Brilliant Roy!!  ;D   Many thanks, you're a gent !   ;D   I'm still waiting patiently.   ::)   
Btw your jungle is looking great !    ;)   ;D