ok... I don't know where to start! you have definately maximized your space as best and beautiful as you can! to start that Musa Orinoco that flowered and fruited looks bad ass and u did very good to keep the ants and instcts away! All of your bananas looked perfect that black thai large one or ones are nice! the cacti/ yucca agave area has grown over the years soo much! I thought I was crazy digging tons of bananas and tropical palms up each year haha look at that work great job Mr. Jim! nice pics!

Hey Jim, so the banana's survive the winter by digging up the root ball and bringing them inside. What else do you do to keep them well?

That Musa Orinoco that flowered and fruited, did you save the fruit on the stalk so it would ripen and bring the whole plant inside?

Planting the agave by the property edge is wise to stop plant stealing... ouch#@!

Wow! To see your yard from spring to now is so amazing. The plants have grown so much! Your yard is getting so tropical looking. Really great job and great proof of the warm summer we had! I wish it was still warm outside, but it looks like summer of '10 is definitely a goner! I dont know about everyone else, but I am already planning next year's yard like crazy!
Thanks for sharing! Your pics are an inspiration!
-Alex

Thanks guys/gals

Greg,I don't do anything to the Nanars,there they sit until spring(-:

Yea,that Agave will make you think twice before diving into the yard-wish I could keep it in the Cactus shelter!

Flowering Banana is still there.

Thanks TP8

Planing for next year too Alex-

I will have more Bananas/plants!
Next year a Banana forest instead of Castors!

You had an amazing year for sure. This winter I now your goona get the bug to buy more new additions for next year. Your yard has grown together so well. I love the size of the maurelii. I have two half that size in pots, I guess I will put them in the ground after seeing yours. I would love to see how big the saba gets next year.

jim everything looks great the red asbyan bannana grew so big. where did you get seeds for the purple caster beans

Hey Mike-

The Saba should be great if it makes it through the winter.

You will have a lot of fun with the Abyssinian next year,
probably be as big as mine got-or bigger next year!

Dennis

I got them off e-bay,I may have a bunch if they are ripe,I can let you know if you want some.

Probably be the only kind I will grow next year
as the bananas are going to take up all the room!

Jim'
It looks like your getting ready for winter.I saw the same pictures on another gardening forum today.I was surfing the net today,it looks like a international forum.I was looking up info.on T.princeps.There are some people on there that have very big ones.It's, good to get a jump on winter.Hope you don't have a very cold winter,like last year.How do you plan on protecting your Tree Ferns,don't they need water even in winter?Good luck :)
Randy

Lot's of insulation and a Thermocube that keeps them between 35-45f.
They will be watered anytime it's warm enough to pop the top(-:

They won't really lose much water from
the soil with heavy mulch but keeping the leaves from drying out is another story.
I am trying to save the leaves for at least the first season to give them a better start next year-fingers crossed(-:

Hello jim,

Those flowers are absolutely beautiful...I love everything!!!

The jade is a favorite of mine...and the Sequoia has to be very special to you!!!

The bananas are the best that I have ever seen as well!!

Congratulations on a first class summer garden...I really enjoy all of your pictures!!!

Take care everyone!!

Laura in VB

Heres what the Sabal minor and basjoo look like today.

{{gwi:1175281}}

And heres a pic of the new Butia eriospatha I ordered from jungle music. It is going straight in the ground this spring. Is very very green. My regular butia is a light blueish grey color.

{{gwi:1175282}}

and lastly the T. wagnerianus

{{gwi:1175283}}

Beautiful yard mike! I really love the coloring on that sabal minor and the waggie looks really really nice! How long have you had it for now?
-Alex

Thanx alex I had them oth since 2007 I believe. There was 2 sabal minors across from each other but one died.

Thanks for posting those Mike(-:

Looks great!

Boy that Waggie sure is a monster,one of my favorite Trachys for sure!

God ...Those are GOREOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GORGEOUS!!

Jim, is there any info you have written in the past to limk me up to how you winter most of those plants, especially the Bananana?

How in the world did you get your jade to flower?

Simply amazingly beautiful...It looks like my yard in the tropics! Please let me know..Maybe I will try a bannana and finally get my jades to flower..

Thank you!

Mike

Hey Mike everything gets covered,the bananas,well,you can see the deal there-right into the basement until spring.

Here's a winter pic of the yard-Day/Night

{{gwi:595741}}

Goodness Jim....You are amazing!

One more thing if I may..

How do you keep the top from collasping from snow? This looks like something I would love to do...Did you buy that set up, sort of like a cover port for a car in a box, or did you make it from scratch your self. Do you use a space heater inside that?How do you keep warmth in there or at least the sub freezing temps out?..Fantastic work and in your area..;-)

Thank you in advance..

Mike

2 1500wt space heaters,never really use the second as snow or ice adds 10f to the protection.

I arched hog panels(they are wire fencing),since it's an arch it is pretty strong,it's not even supported

It warms up 20-30f over the outside temp on a sunny day,more in late Feb-I only heat when it drops below about 10f

Jim I LOVE looking at your yard photos...I wasn't sure what to do with my Basjoos...I think I'll cover one and cut the other one down to see what happens.

I'm going to use tomato cages around those and my palms so I can wrap them if/when I need to and lay leaves on the ground around them.

I would LOVE to be able to drive by your home to see your yard in the Summer..What a sight THAT would be :)

Just really nice!!!

knotz

Hey Jim..Thank you so much..

I am up at my Aunts this weekend and her computer shows a lot more detail than mine does .All we can say is wowow and thanks! With our team effort, I think we can do it..She certainly has a lot of open spaced land here....She also says thanks for helping..

Thanks guys,

Good luck!

Beautiful, Jim! Everything looks spectacular! Did you grow the Abyssinian banana from seed? Love the lighted containers in winter too!
Hi Caren! this will be the first year for me overwintering 2 musa basjoos. Keeping my fingers crossed.xxxx

Theresa

I bought the Abyssinian off e-bay for $20,it had
one leaf and was a foot tall last year in May/June.

They really grow fast!(-;

To Jimhardy,
As everyone else has already said..."WOW".
It is now summer 2011, and I was wondering how well your yard looks now? I too am from Iowa (Des Moines) and in the past have had some small banana plants in a pot and started growing elephant ears in the ground.. This year(or next) I am thinking of planting the bananas in the ground and digging up in the fall. Do you just cut off the leaves and store them? Are they better to cut the leaves off to preserve their energy?...if still in a pot? and should I store them in the basement and not water them? They are only about 3ft. tall, but I hate to lose them. and as I can see from your past pictures, you dig up the whole plant and store it, do you water them at all?
Thanks
Jim

What kind are they???

The Basjoo(they are the ones near the porch)are left
in-mulched-and resprout every year.

All the rest are dug up(if large enough)and stored.

They were never watered in the basement as it stays(guessing)
between 45-55f.