Topher,
It depends. You have to either have a good part of the rhizome (where the roots develop from), or a section of the mother corm with the pup. If you slice down too close to the pup vertically, sometimes you miss the all-important root-forming part and just get a cut pseudostem. So you be the judge by looking at the base of the pup.

You may want to keep your pup in semi-shade (out of hot sun) for a while and reduce the number of leaves to only the emerging one. I've dug dozens of basjoo pups and most usually make it.

This diagram indicates why it's important to not make a vertical cut right next to the pup:
{{gwi:408371}}

Thanks so much for posting that illustration. I copied a treatise on planting pups from banana.org and including that graphic would have been very helpful in understanding why they recommended the shovel angle. Do you find it necessary to do the pot-in-the-shade part? We have so many pups and would love to spread them around our pool area (where the two "mothers" are) which is full sun. I guess our central VA heat would be too much for them?

Hey Dave,

Do you know where that image came from originally? That's really helpful I'm saving it.

Laurence

Hey dave
great illustration thanks alot !
I realy don't think it made it but i did find a very nice ice cream banana tree on vacation.

here's some pics
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{{gwi:410712}}
i was thinking that if i put it in water it would grow roots like a pineapple but it's been declining since i
did.

Topher,

Bananas are susceptible to root rot and should never be subjected to standing water such as trying to root in water.

I've also heard that you shouldn't try to root pineapples in water either but a lot of people do and are successful.

Laurence