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Richard K
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 5:52 pm Posts: 325 Location: Saffron Walden, Essex, UK
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Where to go from here?
So I had a musa ae ae which was always poorly and has died. I also have this one which I got in September and I have managed to progress it to this condition...
It is not dead but sleeping... How best to wake it up without rotting it? Does it need any moisture at this stage? It's quite small, only about 3-4 cm across.
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Sat Jan 09, 2021 8:27 am |
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Martinnicklin
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2012 9:06 pm Posts: 2675 Location: Telford UK
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Re: Where to go from here?
I admire your perseverance with this plant Richard. This has been the case with occasional plants with me (I always give them a really good go) but in the end I sometimes admit defeat. I have had a Heliconia bulb for 3 years. it produces shoots. They wither. It produces more. They wither. A couple of months ago, it produced 5 healthy shoots from below the soil. Great, I thought. It's finally taken. They have now withered away. I am going to bin it after 3 years of effort and 3 years of false promises!!! if you do ever get it to grow, I offer my congratulations in advance. Congratulations for your faith and determination!
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Sat Jan 09, 2021 8:38 am |
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david feix
Joined: Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:54 am Posts: 3206 Location: Berkeley, California
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Re: Where to go from here?
I suspect it just needs more sustained warmth, such as a hot greenhouse might provide. Undermat heating coils might help too. My growing environment here in the San Francisco Bay Area can often be just as inhospitable for heat-loving tropicals. I stick with bananas that like my 13°C summer nights, and those Heliconia species like H. schiedeana that even push new foliage in mid Winter when nights are only 3°C and days only 14°C. Ensete ventricosum is also fine with these temps.
_________________ David Feix Landscape Design http://www.flickr.com/photos/20217462@N02/
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Sat Jan 09, 2021 1:42 pm |
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Springy Steve
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:10 pm Posts: 114 Location: Abingdon UK
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Re: Where to go from here?
I’ve been growing these for a few years now. The worst thing you can do whilst it’s like that is over water it. I’d put it near a south facing window at this time of year and wait. You may find that the main corm won’t re grow but will send out side shoots when it’s ready. I wouldn’t use heat either, just room temperature. There should be enough moisture in the corm itself to sustain it until it comes into growth again.
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Sun Jan 10, 2021 1:18 pm |
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Springy Steve
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:10 pm Posts: 114 Location: Abingdon UK
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Re: Where to go from here?
It’s hard to see from your picture but I would probably plant it a little deeper too, so that just the ‘face’ of it is out of the soil. From your description it’s a very small corm so it may dry out before doing anything BUT watering it at that stage could also increase rotting! It’s a difficult one to call but I’ve killed more at that stage due to rotting rather than drying out. Good luck!
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Sun Jan 10, 2021 1:24 pm |
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Chad
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:03 pm Posts: 2343 Location: Inland Cornwall UK
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Re: Where to go from here?
Steve I'm in awe of your success with this!
Not having anywhere heated enough to overwinter it I'm not even going to try this one.
Chad
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Sun Jan 10, 2021 2:47 pm |
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Springy Steve
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:10 pm Posts: 114 Location: Abingdon UK
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Re: Where to go from here?
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Sun Jan 10, 2021 3:24 pm |
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Chad
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:03 pm Posts: 2343 Location: Inland Cornwall UK
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Re: Where to go from here?
What is the coldest your 'south facing sunroom' gets through the winter?
I live in a converted stable and the winter inside temperatures reflect that!
Chad
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Sun Jan 10, 2021 4:16 pm |
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Springy Steve
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:10 pm Posts: 114 Location: Abingdon UK
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Re: Where to go from here?
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Sun Jan 10, 2021 5:00 pm |
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Chad
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 10:03 pm Posts: 2343 Location: Inland Cornwall UK
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Re: Where to go from here?
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Sun Jan 10, 2021 5:22 pm |
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Martinnicklin
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2012 9:06 pm Posts: 2675 Location: Telford UK
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Re: Where to go from here?
That's my kind of plant Steve. Been tempted several times by plants offered for sale in places like Thailand on Ebay but don't know how reliable the sellers are - though I have had some great variegated Agaves from there. For that kind of variegation but without the hard work and game of chance, I bought a Canna Stuttgart last year (after seeing a photo of a great clump of it in someone's garden on this forum). However, I don't know what size the Ae Ae grows to but a big plant must be quite a showstopper ... though I can think of one person who would remain unflinchingly unimpressed! Isn't that right Paul!
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Sun Jan 10, 2021 5:42 pm |
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Paul Spracklin
Joined: Tue May 05, 2009 3:55 pm Posts: 2564 Location: North Thames delta UK
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Re: Where to go from here?
_________________ visit my website - www.oasisdesigns.co.uk
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Sun Jan 10, 2021 5:54 pm |
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Springy Steve
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:10 pm Posts: 114 Location: Abingdon UK
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Re: Where to go from here?
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Sun Jan 10, 2021 6:36 pm |
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Martinnicklin
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2012 9:06 pm Posts: 2675 Location: Telford UK
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Re: Where to go from here?
Steve, I think yours is the one which inspired me, looking at that photo. Mine was a tiny plug plant and I would like more around the garden as I love it, so if you do split it, I will gladly pay for roots and the postage.
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Sun Jan 10, 2021 7:32 pm |
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Richard K
Joined: Tue Oct 30, 2007 5:52 pm Posts: 325 Location: Saffron Walden, Essex, UK
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Re: Where to go from here?
thanks for the replies and other comments, Canna stuttgart looks a great shout, I will be getting one of those this year! Be reassured that I did have mine planted in soil - just dug it up for the picture. I don't know if this is always the case but from what I've seen from my attempts with ae ae they mostly root from a ring near the top whereas they mostly rot from underneath, so I'm going to try to come up with a scheme to offer moisture near to the top while keeping it dry underneath. I reckon if I can get one going I should be able to offer it decent conditions, I've got an area in the house with a glass roof and grow lamps. I appreciate they are easier but I also have raja puri, maurellii and sikkimensis. Needless to say if anyone knows of a source offering a plant in the UK I am interested!
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Sat Jan 16, 2021 10:01 am |
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