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| The only snowballs I want to see |
At least I have plants, even flowers inside, and singing
birds. How any gardener survives winter
without houseplants is beyond me. And I strongly recommend a singing canary or
two for winter pleasure.
One thing snow does is insulate plants. If the wide weather
swings that are being predicted actually occur, deep snow may help preserve
some plants. When we get to late February-early March warm weather gets things
growing and coming out of dormancy faster than when we had warm weather in December-January.
Then if artic cold sneaks back there’s a lot of damage done to plants. Snow
covering the plants slows down the awakening.
At least we gardeners can be dreaming about and planning new
gardens to keep occupied. I am shopping for some new dahlia bulbs. But don’t start
those seeds too soon. It’s much too early for tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers,
pumpkins, squash, marigolds, zinnias, cosmos, and many other plants in zones 6
and lower. Zone 7 maybe. Early April is
a much better time to start those seeds in zone 6 and lower.
Beware of what winter storms can do to your trees and
shrubs. Evergreens may become loaded with heavy snow and be bent or splayed
out. Carefully remove the snow- you can
break the branches easily. If the
branches are ice covered there is not much you can do. Leave the shrubs or trees alone or you may do
worse damage. And be careful that larger
limbs don’t drop on you. After snow or ice is gone you may have to prop or tie
up some plants to help them regain their shape.
If tree limbs break trim the broken area off to leave a
clean cut. You don’t need tree paint on the stumps. Be very careful working
around large trees after a bad storm. You can easily be killed or seriously
injured by falling branches. Dangling branches can fall in unexpected ways if
you tug at them and one branch falling can start a cascade.
Stay warm and stay safe.
Every grocery store you walk into has a display of bananas
in the produce section. Bananas are the most consumed fruit in the US and
available all year round. You may have wondered if you too, could grow bananas,
like you grow other food crops.
Bananas and plantains are one of the top food crops in the
world. In the US we eat “desert” bananas, about 26 pounds per person per year.
They come from a number of countries. However, 80% of the bananas consumed in
the world are consumed locally, and most of them are plantains- bananas that
are cooked as a starchy vegetable.
What we call bananas have soft, sweet flesh when mature and
are easy to peel. They are generally eaten fresh, and uncooked. Plantains have
firm starchy flesh like a potato and a tough skin that’s not so easy to peel
off. They are eaten like potatoes, boiled, fried, mashed and so on. But both
plantains and bananas have the same parents, they were just selected for
different traits.
Bananas are distantly related to gingers and the bird of
paradise plant. There are many species
of bananas but two species, Musa acuminata and M.
balbisiana, are responsible for almost all of the edible forms of bananas.
They have been hybridized and selected for thousands of years.
More recently some species of bananas are being crossed and
selected to produce ornamental types of bananas for gardens and to use as
indoor plants. Many bananas are now
grafted on to dwarf or hardy rootstock also.
Bananas are native to Southeast Asia but were shared with
Africa very early in human history. Shortly after bananas went to Africa, they
also spread to South America (around 200 BC). Bananas are now grown in most
tropical areas of the world. In some areas they are a major food source. Banana
leaves are also used for fiber and to wrap food or as a plate in some
countries.
Bananas are a very nutritious food, and easy to digest. They
are high in potassium, magnesium, B6, Vitamin C and fiber that can aid
digestion. They also contain tryptophan, which can elevate your mood. The best
stage to eat desert bananas for nutrition is when peels are all yellow with
brown spots. Just don’t eat the peels, they often contain high levels of
pesticides. The inner flesh is generally
free of pesticides.
Americans started getting shipments of bananas from Cuba in
1804 but they were scarce and a novelty. Most bananas sold in the US now come
from Central and South America, with Ecuador being the top banana producer.
They are picked green and then treated with gas to begin the ripening process.
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| Banana Musa basjoo Credit-https://www.brighterblooms.com/ |
The banana is not a tree, even though some can become quite
tall, up to 30 feet. It is an herbaceous
monocot plant. The “stem” or “trunk” of
the plant is not really a stem, it is a series of leaf bracts packed on top of
each other. Leaves begin growing from the roots and push up under each other,
each new leaf slightly above the last. In horticulture this is known as a pseudostem.
Care should be taken not to damage these stems.
Banana leaves are generally large, broad, thick ovals,
although there are species with narrower leaves. Some bananas have variegated
leaves, leaf color ranges from green to red. The banana has a fibrous mat of
roots. In horticulture/agriculture the
whole banana plant is referred to as a “mat.”
The flowers of bananas are quite unusual. Most are purple or
maroon. There are separate male and female flowers on the same plant. The
blooming sequence goes like this. About 15 months after planting the flower
stalk develops in the center of the “stalk” and pushes out near the top. A slim
oval bud emerges from the flower stalk and opens up to reveal 15 stacked, round
rows of tiny, tube shaped flowers, which by the way, hummingbirds (and some
bats) love.
The first 5 rows of flowers are fertile female flowers with little ovaries attached that are shaped liked bananas. The next 10 rows are fertile male flowers and some sterile female flowers. In natural species the male flowers pollinate the fertile females and fruits begin to grow filled with seeds. Bats often help with banana pollination in the tropics. In domesticated varieties the female flowers at the top begin to fill out and become fruits without pollination and produce no seeds. Male flowers fall off after pollination.
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| Unopened flower of 'Ice Cream' banana https://www.willisorchards.com/ |
Each flower becomes a banana fruit called a “finger” and
they grow in clusters called “hands”. (Technically banana fruits are actually
berries.) Bananas usually flower in late
summer and it takes several months for fruit to mature and ripen. You can have
bananas at all times of the year in stores because bananas are grown in
different countries, with different seasons and because growers are able to
manipulate flowering to some extent.
If you come across a true wild species of banana and try to
eat the fruit you would be amazed at the large hard seeds it contained. Most
edible bananas are now sterile, the seeds don’t develop inside the fruit. The
tiny black specks in the center of a banana are what is left of the seeds. They
will never develop into a plant. You cannot start bananas from grocery fruit.
Most bananas are reproduced by division. Bananas produce ”pups”, little shoots at the
base of the plant, which are separated from the mother plant and then planted.
Bananas as a fruit crop
Most of the gardeners reading this are not going to be able
to grow bananas as a crop. It is possible to grow edible bananas indoors in a
limited fashion, but not the type of bananas you find in the grocery store. Even
some dwarf varieties that can produce small edible fruit inside are difficult
to get to flowering stage.
If you live in southern Florida the Cavendish, Ladyfinger
and “Apple” type bananas, the sweet edible types, are marginally hardy (zones
9-10). A frost or freeze that occasionally hits these regions can kill the
plants or ruin the fruit. Bananas have been grown commercially in Florida, but
usually for local sales.
If you live in southern Florida and want to grow bananas for
their fruit outside, this bulletin can guide you. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg040
Most other areas of the US cannot successfully grow bananas
commercially because they lack either the heat or the humidity that bananas
need.
You can grow the commercial type bananas in the garden in
colder zones too, just don’t expect them to make fruit. If you could move them
into a large, heated greenhouse in winter you might have a chance.
There are many types of bananas you can grow in gardens-
even in northern gardens, for their wonderful tropical appearing foliage. Some
bananas can even be grown as houseplants. There are a few varieties that will
provide a few small edible bananas indoors if you are lucky. There are some
dwarf ornamental bananas that are great as houseplants.
Banana plants can provide interest and height in the garden,
bringing a tropical look to sunny northern gardens. They can be planted
directly into the ground in warm soil. Potted bananas can make quite a
statement on the patio or around pools with their broad handsome foliage. Usually,
ornamental bananas are treated as annual plants, they can quickly grow quite
large. But they can be overwintered or
treated as houseplants too.
One type of banana plant is said to be root hardy to zone 5 if heavily mulched. It will die back to the ground and then regrow in warm weather. Hardy Banana (Musa basjoo), will take temperatures down to 0 at least, and growers in zone 5 have been successful with it. It can also be grown indoors.
Good bananas for indoor pots are Banana ‘Truly Tiny’ which has some red variegation on it’s leaves and tiny but edible bananas, Banana ‘Super Dwarf Cavendish’ (Musa acuminata), will also produce edible fruit in the right conditions at 3-4 feet tall.
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| Siam Ruby https://www.plantdelights.com |
Other ornamental bananas are ‘Siam Ruby’, which has red leaves
with lime green splashes,( https://www.plantdelights.com) ‘Zebrina’ which has
blue-green leaves with red markings, Musa velutina (Pink Velvet Banana
Tree) is hardy to zone 7b, grows about 6 feet tall with green leaves and lots
of inedible but pretty small banana fruits with a velvety pink peel.
Musa 'Ae Ae' (Ae Ae Royal Banana) is a rather rare species
with green and white variegated leaves and edible fruit in warm climates. Musa 'Ice Cream' (Blue Java Banana) has sliver
blue leaves and blue tinted fruit. There are dozens of varieties of bananas to
choose from.
Be aware that banana plants die after flowering, the main
stalk will die back and a pup or pups will grow in it’s place. When you are
keeping them as houseplants they will live for a year or two and then you will
need to propagate them or get a new plant. It is relatively easy to propagate
them from pups. Garden plants may just regenerate on their own.
There are some species bananas that can be grown from seed,
but seed germination is hard to accomplish and can take months. It’s unusual to
find banana seed offered for sale, beware of scams. You cannot grow the typical
grocery type bananas from seed. It’s recommended that you start with young
banana plants propagated from cuttings.
When planted in the garden bananas need full sun, and deep
fertile soil that is mildly acidic 5.5-6.5 pH.
They will need consistent moisture, so place them where they can be
watered easily. And most important they need some protection from wind. Wind
rapidly tatters and tears the huge banana leaves and makes them look unsightly.
Put them against a fence, hedge, or in front of buildings that block the wind. They will survive wind better if planted in
blocks of 3-4 plants spaced 2 feet apart instead of as single plants.
Bananas like humidity so they won’t be good plants for those
in dry desert type climates. Indoors you’ll want to keep the humidity up around
them to 50% at least. If grown in pots they need large deep pots to counteract
the heavy top growth. The pots must drain well, root rot is common in potted
bananas. Use a soilless potting medium indoors.
Indoors banana plants may need supplemental lighting,
especially in winter, if they don’t have a warm southern window they can
snuggle right up against. Any grow light suspended overhead will work.
Bananas are heavy feeders and should be fertilized frequently. Young growing plants may need monthly fertilizing. Use a balanced fertilizer such as 8-10-8. Organic matter like compost is appreciated and a deep mulch around plants is also good.
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| Banana in flower bed |
If you are trying to get flowers and fruit or if you want
the strongest, largest stems and leaves on your plant, keep the banana pruned
to one main stem. Just cut off the other sprouts/pups that come from the roots,
unless you want a pup for propagation.
Banana growers say the best pups for starting new plants or
to leave to grow a new plant are those with narrow, upright leaves when they
are young. For propagation these should be removed when they are small.
Propagate in potting medium, not water.
Bananas grown in northern gardens and indoors do not have
many disease or insect problems. Snails and slugs may eat the leaves. Occasionally
plants have trouble with aphids, especially indoors.
Gardeners can grow bananas in their garden and even in the
home. If you are lucky you may get to see the unusual flowers and even some
fruit.
Daffodils are different
Daffodils and narcissus often have a crown shaped structure
in the center of the flower, called the corona.
It’s often colorful, the same color or a contrasting color to the petals. Until recently it was assumed that the corona
was a modification of flower petals, possibly to aid pollination. Recent research has determined that coronas
are not modified flower petals.
Genetic analysis along with the study of developing daffodil
flowers led researchers at the University of Oxford, Harvard University, the
United States Department of Agriculture and the University of Western Australia
to conclude that coronas are a separate structure that develops after the
flower petals and sexual organs are fully formed in the bud. Coronas are
genetically similar but not the same as the stamens, or male sexual organs, of
the daffodil.
So, what is the function of the corona? Since daffodils and narcissus typically bloom
in early spring maybe they are an extra layer of protection from the cold for
the sexual organs of the flower. They may also serve to guide early spring
pollinators to the right spot.
One other plant that I can think of, Hymenocallis (Peruvian
Daffodil, Spider Lily) has a flower structure similar to daffodils and since it
too flowers in spring, it may be another case of flowers evolving to suit the
environment. However, Hymenocallis is
native to places where conditions are somewhat warmer than where daffodils and
narcissus grow. We may find out in the
future that coronas have some other function.
Plants make people happy
Could the answer to curing the stress and depression so
often associated with inter-city life be simply to plant more trees and
grass? A new study suggests that it
would definitely help. Dr. Kristen
Malecki, assistant professor of population health sciences at the UW School of
Medicine and Public Health has analyzed the results of a health survey done on
Wisconsin residents. She compared satellite data showing how much vegetation
was in any census block of the survey with data showing how many people in that
block were depressed or had other mental problems.
She found that the “greener” an area was the less likely it
was to have a high percentage of unhappy, stressed and depressed people. Race, age, employment, income and other
factors were all taken into account and still the happiest, most mentally
stable people were in the greenest areas.
The study results were recently published in the International Journal
of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Many studies have found that children who spend some time
outdoors each day in a natural environment were able to concentrate better when
solving mental tasks and were less likely to be depressed. They coped better with the minor problems of
life. Maybe the issue of bullying that
everyone is so obsessed over now could be solved by making children take a hike
in the woods every day!
I know that when I’m angry, when my mind is racing, and I’m
upset I can get calmed down by simply going outside and weeding a garden bed or
finding a quiet place to bird watch. When I need to make a tough decision or
think on a pressing problem working in my garden always helps.
Wouldn’t it be great if all schools had a green spot to send
kids who seemed depressed, who had anger issues or were just too full of energy
to sit still and concentrate? A nice, secluded
courtyard garden or even a greenhouse could work because in this day and age we
certainly wouldn’t want to send any kids outside into the actual woods, would
we?
"Advice is like the snow. The softer it falls, the
longer it dwells upon and the deeper it sinks into the mind.”
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Kim Willis
All parts of this blog are
copyrighted and may not be used without permission.
And So On….
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