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This is a follow up to my question here, hopefully I can get some insight. About a month ago I cut my basjoo as instructed and brought it inside for the winter. But since that time there is about seven inches of new growth. I am concerned that this plant is growing back now, instead of the spring. Please help. It breaks my heart to saw this beautiful plant, and all of the pups in the pot died when it did that. What should I do?

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ychirea1
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2 Answers2

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I grow a lot of these sort of plants that are 'subtropical' and bring them in. I think you need to either:

  • Provide a relatively warm place with lots of light

    This will allow it to grow properly during this period.

  • Provide a cool to what-you-may-consider cold (though not freezing or below) area where light is not as much of a concern (though it won't matter much)

    This allows the plant to go dormant, and when warmth comes in the Spring, it will shoot out and grow nicely.

You have it in what looks like a warm (I see baseboard heaters) and dark (I see no large window (south or west facing) nearby. This can mean it will send out shoots, that are unable to photosynthesize (make it's food) and it will be drained of resources all winter. It may not make it.

Eric Deloak
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Leave it alone. I wouldn't have cut it back. The banana draws those nutrients back into itself as the leaves fade away.

Escoce
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    I used to cut ours down, but they were too big to bring inside, and we'd get frosts. So I'd cut them to about 4ft, then wrap them up. One year that gave us fruit (in North Texas!). Yours is still alive, still growing. You're indoors, so it won't get frosted - just let it grow! They'll get big, of course... – winwaed Dec 03 '15 at 14:13
  • but is it too soon to let it grow? i had to cut it back to bring it indoors. i am wondering if it is too warm in here and whether it will try to come back before spring – ychirea1 Dec 03 '15 at 20:08
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    It's already spent some energy to push those leaves up. Let the leaves do their job and collect some light so the corm doesn't get starved. It's just going to keep trying and get weaker and weaker if it can't convert some light and co2 into sugar – Escoce Dec 03 '15 at 20:10
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    IF they fade away. My base just a stump until early March or so. I watered every few weeks. It looked dead. Come march these little plantlets started up around the edge of the old root. I kept them watered and had a plant over 4 feet high by planting time in early May. It was close to 10 feet by September. Also several smaller plants formed which I tore away from the root ball and put at other places in the yard. One made it past 5 feet in summer, the other, smaller one, growing at the back of my compost heap made it over 4 feet. – Wayfaring Stranger Dec 04 '15 at 00:12
  • That's what i want to happen! So should I let it grow or cut it again? I am getting different answers here. If I water it and let it get light it is going to think that it is spring up here. – ychirea1 Dec 04 '15 at 04:06
  • There is only one answer here. Comments don't count. I stand by my answer. – Escoce Dec 04 '15 at 13:44