Hi John,
Mine are doing the same here in Wichita Ks,zone 6,altho very dry here there still growing,even with temps falling to the high 20's here at nite,but next week will bring 60's during the day and 40's at nite,so more growth will continue,just about to poke heads out of protection too!

Mine are the same, and I was meaning to ask the same question. I am also wishing I had tried to get them through those few days of cold and not just assume that winter was here! I would still have big green banana's to look at instead of the ulgy leaf cage thing I built to try to save the stems that are again growing from the horrors of this "horrible" winter. I have seen pics of green banana's in december/january here in the PNW/costal bc area, wish mine were, next year maybe.

As jrork asked though, is this a risk for the plants to be growing again, as the cold will come back? I was thinking I would just cut off any stalk/leave that grow out of the protection once it was killed back by the next frost, or is that a bad idea?

Can someone please tell me what "fleece" is and, also, what other materials could be used? Thanks, geekgranny

Hi granny. I just used an old fleece coat that I didnt want anymore for one small one and then bought some fleece material (cheapest I could find) for the larger one. This will be my first try with this but others on the board have had good success with it. Happy Thanksgiving

Well it looks like the growth will be stoped this weekend, lows well below zero are forcast. Can any one reassure us that this stop/start/stop growth will not be any issue. I figure it will not, just because of the way these grow and the way that they can be cut back and will regrow from that point, if you can avoid rot (my understanding). I have added mulch, but all of mine have what would be a new leaf pushing out from the where they were cut back to, in some cases this is about 6 inches tall. The biggest is already black on the tip, but very green and firm below that. I plan (unless I hear otherwise) to cut it back after this cold and hope that it stays dormant until spring. Am I worrying to much about this?

This warm/cold issue has always been a reoccuring problem for me too. We've had one or two nights that dipped into mid 30's; most nights between 45-60F with days in mostly 70's and even in 80's and sunny. This will continue through December if temps are normal. (Last year we had a freak several days in early Dec where temps got down to 13F.)

I've asked on several boards about the wrapped bananas "frying" as we have mostly sunny days throughout the winter and few freezes and many warm days. I can't remember ever getting a "to the point answer".

This is the first year my basjoos and absynnian in ground. All dwarf's and smaller, and zebrina, and chinese yellow in greenhouse in pots. I'm planning on plastic around matt on ground and over top, but using clear plastic for sure to avoid as much sun heat as possible, wrapping with fleece, cage with leaves and straw.

Question: Do I put the fleese over the top of stems too or just wrap the stems?

Last year I cut potted basjoo's 9ft stems down to 4ft and kept in GH. Most babies off first and into GH. Basjoos kept on growing all winter pushing up against 8ft GH top.

This summer they formed really nice matts with lots of pups. Because they are so tall and many leaning outward I'm thinking I'm going to have to cut some height off of some so my cages won't have to be 8ft in diameter. Some of last years pups, in ground this summer, are now forming their own pups. Sure hope the pups do okay as I don't want to disturb mother corms.

Maybe now that we have several people having this warm/cold issue and talking about it on the forum we will have enough experience accumulated next spring to be able to advise people in the future. geekgranny

Yep, It's now miserable cold (for Western Washington) with the lows in the low teens or possibly single digits. I'm like Andy, nice new green growth already black again from the cold. Suppose to really get cold tonight so I put another layer of fleece over the top to get them through this before it is suppose to warm up to the more typical high 30s and low 40s. Sure hope they make it.

John

I have not looked to see what is happening since the snow and cold. Thought better to leave it be and keep as much of this crazy cold out as possible. I figure the top few inches will be lost. Well by next year we will have experince with this and can tell the next set what to expect! I also have a Musella lasiocarpa that I am more worried about. I cut it back to a stub, and is under mulch, a pot and now six inches of snow, I guess I will know in the spring.

I'll keep my fingers crossed Andy. If both of ours make it through this they're gonna look awesome by next summer. Is it snowing up there now? We're supposed to get 6" tonight and then it's gonna warm up to the mid 30s here.

for sure they will! I think we are done with the snow, raining now, a few degrees above zero. Hope it stays this way! I cannot wait to have a look and see how my protection worked to keep the Banana's from freezing.

This has been an awful winter already. One day upper 40s to mid 50s and tremendous rains and then the next thing you know, killer frost and cold..... Sure hope my babies are okay out there.
Definately not typical Washington weather

They're alive, they're alive. Wahoo!!! Both made it through their first winter and I have two shoots coming off both. Can't wait to see how big they get this year. These are the first I've ever have survive. The fleese worked! Thanks everybody

I can see you jumping up and down in excitment ~grin~.. congrats on your babies making it!! Gives me hope for mine next year.