Gardening help sought!

OK - cannas are very tender and I think they need to be lifted and stored, though I have heard of people who just cover them in a deep mulch and they're OK. I don't think leaving them 'as is' in pots would be good or leaving them in the ground unprotected - they rot (in my experience) very quickly, I think I'd lift and store them.

The banana (Musa) is not hardy either, though the most common one (Musa Basjoo) can be planted out if protected during frosts. I think the best bet (if it's in a pot) is to cut it back to where the leaves start, wrap it up with straw (I used a an old towel last year!) and store it in the garage. If you simply bring it indoors (depending on how big it is now) it will carry on growing and they get BIG!

Great plants both of them!

Sorry can't help with the last question....

Oh thank God someone responded Fisbey and thank-you too!

I had that awful feeling I'd posted a topic that was so mundane and boring that no-one was interested in reading or responding!

Phew - o.k, that's good advice and makes sense.

I'll deal with the Cannas in the way you suggest and scratch mychin on the 'nana plant as it's absolutely glorious and I can't quite bring myself to hack off the leaves!

I'll see if any other Percy Thrower types have any advice on this before I act!

Cheers,
jon

The only year I grew Cannas I thought they'd be ok to leave in the pot - big mistake, even in the mild climate here in Dorset, so lift and store somehow.

Never tried a banana but one or two may make their way into the back garden when I get around to doing it. I spent a little time on Google (Musa basjoo winter care) and this site looked promising: http://www.urbanjungle.uk.com/bananas.asp?link=cat

If you like exotics, this book is well worth getting - I've got an earlier edition of it. http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1840006927/qid=1100116605/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/202-1723693-9912661

Steve.

It's a grand old team to play for...

Jon,
So far good advice, but it also depends on your soil type, if you have a free draining soil the cannas can be left in the ground I just cover them with a few inches of peat/mulch I have done this for several years now, and so far haven't lost any of them,
[ It's not so much the cold that kills plants it's a combination of cold and sitting in damp soil. If you are unsure of what to ,just treat them the same way as you would dahlia tubers, dry and frost free.The Banana needs to be either cut down and again stored frost free or if it's to be left outside trim the leaves back and wrap with horticulture fleese then then about 6" of straw all around the stem kept in place with chicken or sheep wire mesh.
The PROTEA will need a differant treatment though they, originate from South Africa, so hot dry conditions are required, to keep over winter they must be brought into either a cool[not cold] greenhouse or conservatory. With climate change and plant breeding giving us ever more hardy plants,there is not a hard and fast rule anymore some plants will survive in some protected gardens and a few yards away others will die if you are prepared to take a chance its suprising just what you can get away with. Older or more Mature plants stand a better chance than smaller younger plants.I live in Brighton on the side of a wind funnelled valley, soil type is thin top soil then chalk and I leave out unprotected over winter, Austrlian Vines, Palms including cycas revoluta and other non hardy types , South African Agaves, Cannas, Flowering ginger lilys, Echiums,15 Ft Cordylines, Lobelia tupa, and a few types of Libertia formosa.I supose one day a very hard winter will catch me out, but thats the price we pay for growing exotics in England.
If you want some very good advice on exotic plants that have been proven to over winter send off for Architectural Plants brochure its full of information on plants that they sell and which in their experience will over winter.It will cost you acouple of quid, but worth every penny either Phone and ask their advice[ they are very helpful] or e-mail them at: horsham@architecturalplants.com
best of luck
oldie.

Jon,
Put it down to old age or just plain senility, but I forgot to include Architectural Plants Phone No.they have two Nurseries the Main Show case at: Nuthurst the addresses as follows:
Archtectural plants, Nuthurst, Horsham. West Sussex, RH13 6LH Tel.01403 891772.

Architectural Plants, Lidsey Rd. Nursery, Woodgate. Chichester, West Sussex. PO20 6SU Tel. 01243 545008.
I hope this information will be of some help to you, if you are ever in the area I can highly reconmend a trip to the Nuthurst branch [Singapore comes to mind, if you get their brochure you will see why.]
oldie.

Thanks all - this is good advice.

I'll chop the Cannas back, lift, wrap in newspaper and store in the garage.

The soil here is clay based and the only thing it's good for is growing lillies to huge proportions!

Before I try the same thing with the Banana can anyone tell me if it will actually suffer if it is simply left in the conservatory over-winter?

As for the Protea, it's a small specimen and although it may take a cold winter I'll bring that indoors tonight.

Thanks again,
jon

A late reply, I have a banana plant in my conservatory too! - it was a 'baby' of the large plant. It is is a couple of feet tall at present and am leaving it in the conservatory over winter and I think it will basically just keep growing....

I had another banana - Musa Ensette, which is absolutley stunning, very shiny leaves - I grew it from a seed from Wisley, but sadly I didn't protect it well enough last winter and it died - if you like bananas I'd recommend that one, but keep it warm!

Thanks for this Fisbey - quick question for you:

how did you separate the baby from the main plant? I've 2 baby Bananas sprouting from the base of the main plant and am unsure as to how I should separate,(if at all).

Cheers,
j

Basically (well what I did!), was cut the 'baby' away from the 'mother' plant - the 'babies' were 7 or 8 inches tall, Not sure how big they have to be before you can separate them but the three I took are doing very well (I gave 2 away) - good luck - it's a good way to get more great plants cheap!

Thinking about it I would take the whole plant out of its pot and check that the baby plants have a fairly healthy set of their own roots before 'operating'.