All dressed up and nowhere to go...

[LilithFair]

First big cold snap of the season is here...supposed to be about 34-35 tonight and anywhere from 26-30 tomorrow night...so I had to take precautions with my Ae Ae banana. I wrapped her all up tight in several layers of frost protection to preserve the trunk. The leaf will be history, of course, but the trunk is what matters with a banana plant. Send some good karma to her!

[CT]

A variegated banana..very cool..good karma thoughts on the way!

[Joyce]

She's taking really good care of it so I get the first pup.

Looks good Regina, very fashionable in it's winter sheath-style gown.
Maybe wrapped with some little white xmas lights will keep it warmer!

[MikeW]

Outside? Last time I priced those puppies they were, per ounce, more expensive than Channel No. 5.

Will think warm thoughts.

Cheers,

Mike

[Jerry]

Good job wrapping it.  My bananas have been blown to pieces. The temps are okay, warm days 40s at night.  They look awful.  The Poinciana and the Sausage tree look fine, wind and all.
Some areas in So Cal have less wind and their bananas look a lot better. Late March and early April will bring these guys back to their former glory

[LilithFair]

Mikey,
they are hardy in zone 8. I have a friend in Louisiana who has had them in the ground for years. But, I am JUST MAKING CERTAIN. I used to have it in the greenhouse, but it outgrew the ceiling. It was planted at a place where the roof slanted, and it hit the roof at about 16-17 feet. It also never pupped in the greenhouse. I thought if it was a little more "climate challenged" it might throw a few pups. Yes, there are very few available this year. But I have to say, its not the most rewarding plant I grow. I got it for free, it was a gift from someone who had a bunch, but still....

[Jerry]

Hi Lilith.  I have many dwarf canvendish pups.  I think they may be common, if not Id love to trade

[terri]

She's looking good in her new 'outfit'. 

[LilithFair]

Sorry Jerry, this plant has never pupped and its 3 years old.

[Jerry]

Hi Lilith  a member told me how costly that variety is, i had no idea.  Sorry to presume.
Cavendish are a dime a dozen! 

[LilithFair]

LOL Jerry, YES they are extremely expensive for a banana. Are they worth it?? I am not certain. They are finicky at best.
Ae Ae requires an acid soil to remain variegated (like a lot of variegated plants). The reason they are rare is that for each mature plant that produces pups, at times only 1 in 4 or 2 in 4 pups will have good variegation. I understand they cannot be tissue cultured. And, they are prone to rot.
As I said, mine is about 3 years old and has never even shown a sign of producing a pup. I have given it Miracle Grow (you laff, I know, but MG works for me for a lot of things)...10-60-10 water soluble, cow manure, Super Phos top dressing, and Jobe's Time Release Fruit Tree Spikes. No pups.

The friend who gave me this plant as a gift lost his tree in Hurricane Rita, and I had wished I could give him a pup back to replace his loss, but no pups.

For whatever reason, there are almost NO plants available this year, so I really hope I don't lose mine this winter. One of the reasons I decided to move it out of the greenhouse was that I hoped the stress would make it pup.

[Jerry]

I like Miracle Grow too.  Maybe for the wrong reasons.  I have a lot of plants and a big lot.  MG is easy to use and saves time.
Do you think a soil with a lot of tilth would encourage pups?