Posted by Phil Long on November 29, 2003, 7:35 am
I have a banana plant grown from seed that is now about 7ft tall. Over the
summer it grew well producing several large leaves. It now appears to have
stopped growing and looks rather unsightly with a bare stem and three
yellowing leaves at the top. It is presently in a heated conservatory but I
am considering hiding it away in the greenhouse and hoping it will survive
the winter.
I have been told that I could cut the stem at the base and new growth will
appear next spring. This seems rather too good to be true! Does anyone
have any experience of this? Also would it survive if it was planted
outside? I live in the Midlands.
Phil
Posted by PK on November 29, 2003, 8:40 am
Phil Long wrote:
> I have a banana plant grown from seed that is now about 7ft tall.
> Over the summer it grew well producing several large leaves. It now
> appears to have stopped growing and looks rather unsightly with a
> bare stem and three yellowing leaves at the top. It is presently in
> a heated conservatory but I am considering hiding it away in the
> greenhouse and hoping it will survive the winter.
> I have been told that I could cut the stem at the base and new growth
> will appear next spring. This seems rather too good to be true!
> Does anyone have any experience of this? Also would it survive if it
> was planted outside? I live in the Midlands.
> Phil
You can take a bread knife to it and cut it down as hard as you like it will
regrow quite happily. The "stem" is not a true stem but is the bases of old
leaves growing from the centre the proto(?) stem is in the basal area and
only grows when the plant wishes to flower.
Outside? Depends on variety. Do you know?
pk
Posted by Franz Heymann on November 29, 2003, 11:20 am
> I have a banana plant grown from seed that is now about 7ft tall. Over
the
> summer it grew well producing several large leaves. It now appears to
have
> stopped growing and looks rather unsightly with a bare stem and three
> yellowing leaves at the top. It is presently in a heated conservatory but
I
> am considering hiding it away in the greenhouse and hoping it will survive
> the winter.
> I have been told that I could cut the stem at the base and new growth will
> appear next spring. This seems rather too good to be true! Does anyone
> have any experience of this? Also would it survive if it was planted
> outside? I live in the Midlands.
My memory says that the banana growers in South Africa cut the plants down
to ground level every third year in order to encourage fruiting.
Franz
> Phil
Posted by Jaques d'Alltrades on November 29, 2003, 2:50 pm
> > I have a banana plant grown from seed that is now about 7ft tall. Over
> the
> > summer it grew well producing several large leaves. It now appears to
> have
> > stopped growing and looks rather unsightly with a bare stem and three
> > yellowing leaves at the top. It is presently in a heated conservatory but
> I
> > am considering hiding it away in the greenhouse and hoping it will survive
> > the winter.
> >
> > I have been told that I could cut the stem at the base and new growth will
> > appear next spring. This seems rather too good to be true! Does anyone
> > have any experience of this? Also would it survive if it was planted
> > outside? I live in the Midlands.
> My memory says that the banana growers in South Africa cut the plants down
> to ground level every third year in order to encourage fruiting.
Not the same variety though. This one was grown from seed......
--
Rusty Hinge http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/tqt.htm
Dark thoughts about the Wumpus concerto played with piano,
iron bar and two sledge hammers. (Wumpus, 15/11/03)
Posted by Sacha on November 29, 2003, 1:24 pm
Phil Long29/11/03 12:35
pmp.long@btinternet.combqa3q0$lqj$1@hercules.btinternet.com
<snip>Also would it survive if it was planted
> outside? I live in the Midlands.
No. It wouldn't survive with us in South Devon. I know of only one person
who has managed this and he has a very small, walled garden, near the sea
and with its own micro-climate - David Poole - a former contributor to urg.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
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> Over the summer it grew well producing several large leaves. It now
> appears to have stopped growing and looks rather unsightly with a
> bare stem and three yellowing leaves at the top. It is presently in
> a heated conservatory but I am considering hiding it away in the
> greenhouse and hoping it will survive the winter.
> I have been told that I could cut the stem at the base and new growth
> will appear next spring. This seems rather too good to be true!
> Does anyone have any experience of this? Also would it survive if it
> was planted outside? I live in the Midlands.
> Phil