EPIC Winter Gardening Preparations - Ensete, Gunnera manicata, Cannas & More Tropical Plants!

Today's video is part one of an epic winter preparation and protection special about overwintering some of the big leaved tropical plants in my UK exotic jungle garden - Gunnera manicata, Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' and Musa basjoo banana plants plus Cannas, some of which come inside over winter, others in the polytunnel / greenhouse and others receive winter protection from leaves and fleece. I look at winter care tips for a lot of these tropical style plants and how I protect them from frost and deep cold. I also have a look at some of the gardening tools I find really helpful for overwintering - a spade, Mora knife, Felco secateurs, a dehumidifier - check them out along with some other helpful winter care products like fleece and my greenhouse heater of choice through the affiliate links below!
Fiskars Garden Spade - the BEST spade I've ever owned...
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Felco 2 Large Secateurs - AMAZING, definitely worth the money!
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Mora outdoor knife, great for garden tasks
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EcoAir Dehumidifier, a worthwhile investment for overwintering Ensete, has a very efficient Turbo drying mode, works in cold environments like sheds and garages plus it can help dry washing the rest of the year! Not cheap but if you want one, the reviews do the talking!
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My greenhouse / polytunnel heater. An investment but lasts years, circulates air well and can be precisely set on lower power modes so it only uses the minimum expensive electricity to keep the environment frost free. Cheaper heaters cost a LOT more to run, I'd save up and buy this one again if I needed another!
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A great, strong overwintering fleece, the best one I've used and economical in large quantities.
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Frost protection fleece jackets for individual / potted plants - large and other sizes available
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Haxnicks Medium Frost Protection Jackets
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Haxnicks Large Frost Protection Jackets
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Bargain LED head torches, so helpful for nighttime garden winter protection (there will always be last minute protection!) - less than a tenner for two so a spare one for your house / car!
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Hori Hori - not an affiliate link but a very helpful tool!
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0:00 Intro
2:19 Epic gardening tools for overwintering
5:25 Gunnera manicata winter protection
6:38 Chopping back Gunnera Manicata
8:05 The biggest Gunnera plant leaf in my UK tropical garden
8:36 Protecting Gunnera manicata crowns with leaves
10:58 Overwintering Ensete, dry storing vs. growing as a houseplant
11:50 Ensete Maurelii winter care & overwintering tips
12:50 Digging up Brugmansia for overwintering
14:05 Overwintering Cannas in the ground vs. in a pot (musifolia)
15:12 Cutting back and digging up Cannas for winter storing
17:10 Canna musifolia rhizome growth rate and winter care
17:50 Echium pininana hardiness and winter care tips
18:39 Overwintering Musa basjoo & winter care for small plants
19:39 Preparing the Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' for overwintering
20:25 Chopping back the Ensete leaves
22:40 Digging up the Ensete banana plant for overwintering in a pot inside
24:45 Drying out an Ensete for overwintering using a dehumidifier
25:44 Saliva 'Amistad', DA tree fern, Trachycarpus princeps hybrid and Schefflera taiwaniana winter protection methods
If you've enjoyed my content and would like to say thanks for the price of a coffee then please head over to my Ko-fi, any kind donations would be appreciated and put towards creating more exciting content: ko-fi.com/georgesjunglegarden​​
Thanks,
George

[@mltthorn]

As always. Brilliantly done. I'm not bothered by wind noise. I do like the added music, adds another layer to video.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much Michelle! I invested in a new microphone and that’s really helped to reduce the wind noise but it was bad out there in person. Thanks for the feedback, I’ll definitely work more music into these kind of vids going forwards 😃

[@YorkshireKRIS]

Epic intro 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Kris, it was a good autumn day for some falling leaf shots!

[@ioleromeo919]

Non avevo visto foglie così grandi !!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Quest'anno sono ancora più grandi: incredibile da vedere!

[@TropicalGardening]

That Manicata is a real giant! Fantastic! 😁👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you! Yes, it’s sizing up nicely! Have you seen the size of the ones in Trebah though, crazy…

[@TropicalGardening]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Yes, that's a complete forest, awesome!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@TropicalGardening It is, a field of them, we went a couple of years ago and it’s definitely one of my favourite gardens!

[@Labraxsquad20]

All them tree leaves George make great insulation and superb feed for the Gunnera.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

They will do indeed, I'll be tidying them straight up onto the borders! Topped off with some manure for a nice rich lasagne of goodness!

[@thelovett4282]

Fantastic again George! im not too far from you i think & your tips help massively!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Nice one, thanks, I appreciate it! Are you in North Lincs too?

[@missdimples1982]

Blooming eck... those leaves are mahoosive!!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

They certainly are! They get even bigger than this too…

[@db6625]

Excellent and informative video👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much, I'm pleased it was helpful!

[@B4dlands]

I've just rescued my canna/banana leaves from the recycling bin - cant wait to see what you do with yours on the next video - excellent watch again George!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

It’ll probably be next week for that vid as I’m working this weekend but they’re used back on the soil, it really helps 😃 Good on you for getting them back out! Thanks ☺️

[@DatuinChannel]

Friend, what great is your work, happy here, viewing.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much, that's kind of you!

[@Islandgirl4ever2]

OMGGGG!! Just found your channel.. LOVEEEEE your tropical garden.. It would be my DREAM to have a tropical garden like that.. Well, you've inspired me.. So, I'm glad to see about those tree ferns being hearty outdoors, I would like to try... Thanks for your very informative video.. I live in central France.. I have learned a lot about gardening over the past two years..

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Ahhh thanks, that's so kind of you! Thanks for watching and great to hear you're aiming for your own tropical style garden! I don't know how cold your winters get but I'm sure there's plenty of really amazing exotic plants you can grow. Happy to help where I can!

[@shineamenmbs3107]

6:50 I'm sure you put some (superb) music so we can't hear the Gunnera crying.... Huge leaves! Even bigger next year? You look so tiny holding that leave! ^^ Yes, the tittle suits, EPIC! It could have been also "The Works of Hercules" Great job, advices and video! Thank you George!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Haha thanks Bernard! I'm not sure the Gunnera is happy with the situation but at least it's snug for winter now. The leaves are massive this year for sure, the biggest they've been so far! I appreciate you watching and I hope all is good with your plants.

[@shineamenmbs3107]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Thank you very much. We have a minus 1°C episode. I take the Rhus lancea and Schinus molle inside for the night, not a big deal as long as the pots are still small...but they are growing very fast! Take best care.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@shineamenmbs3107 ​ Hopefully they get tougher with age and it isn't too bad a winter. Thanks and look after yourself too!

[@OssyDL]

Great video again George. Seems like yesterday we was waiting for the last frost so we could plant out lol. Hopefully next season starts sooner.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Danny! It does indeed, I'd rather have a start of May to end of October season than one 5 or 6 weeks later! Have you got all of your stuff in yet?

[@OssyDL]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden yeah iv managed to squeeze it all in my pvc greenhouse but cant move in there now so might need to build more shelter and move some hardier stuff out. The problem is this is the time when the good bargains apear lol cant help myself.

[@johnsandham1415]

Excellent video George. Very helpful as always especially at this time when overwintering our plants is so new to many of us ( well me anyway 🤦). Left my Ensettes for as long as possible but tomorrow is the day. Looking forward to thw next video, much appreciated 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks John, I was worried it was a bit late to be helpful but I didn't want to bring mine in too early for the sake of a video! Good luck with yours, how many have you got to bring in?

[@o000omusico000o]

Hi George another fab vid and them Gunnera leaves are massive .always breaks my heart having to do the chop ,of bananas and plants am over wintering ,but i know has to be done, and my your cutting knifes went from small to large did make me giggle ,looks like you defo got your work cut out for next few days for sure love the music ,looking forward to next vid kay.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much! They are indeed, I don't really mind the chopping as it suddenly makes the garden seem more manageable at this time of year. Yeah, the machete is a bit of a gimmick but one of those tools that's fun to use! I don't have a day off until Sunday so that'll be my next day in the garden but I've got another vid to put together over the next few days...

[@o000omusico000o]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden oh sunday cutting it fine got galeforce winds and ice winds they are saying atm

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@o000omusico000o I’m working 6 days so it’s my only day 😂 Everything really tender is inside, the rest should be able to a dip to freezing without too much damage (hopefully!)

[@missdimples1982]

Looks very majestic!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks, it certainly is a majestic plant! 😃

[@missdimples1982]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden makes you wonder how big leaves got during the Jurassic era

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@missdimples1982 Definitely! A lot of insects etc. were supersized then so there may have been some primitive but massive plants like cycads 😮

[@wesleyhackney]

Nice job. Glad where I live here in northwest Florida close to oven for my ensettes is just chop back the leaves when we get colder weather about 4 feet from ground and cover with a fleece bag. Cannas we just too to ground same with elephant ears too.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks! You’re definitely a different climate to us but good to know you enjoy growing the same kinds of plants! It’s our cooler and wetter winters that make overwintering tricky here for a lot of plants, not just the dips to the absolute low temperatures that might harm them. I imagine your winters are a good bit drier and your daytime temperatures usually recover well?

[@alanhunter2009]

As always, George, very useful information. The content of your videos is full of practical advice which is sadly lacking in a lot of gardening programmes which spend too much time visiting stately homes and the like. Good luck with your onerous tasks over the next few days. I can sit here smugly as all my Aloes, Agaves, ferns, etc have been tucked away for several weeks!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Alan! There's a time and a place for all kinds of garden content but I think being helpful should always be the primary goal here on KZbin! Thanks, I bet you're relieved now yours is done! Everything else of mine will have to wait until Sunday but there's no subzero temps forecast so everything outside should be OK. Well, not enjoying it necessarily but OK!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

What Aloes do you grow by the way? They're an interesting group of plants!

[@alanhunter2009]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden Many different species. I have an Aloe aborescens that i bought about 50 years ago which stays in the greenhouse 365 days as it is too large to move. Also arborescens variegated, ferox, broomii, vera, ciliaris, aristata(stay out all year in semi-sheltered area), plicatilis, many multi-coloured small hybrids, etc. They are happy outside in the summer no matter how much rain they get but colour up reddish during dry spells? when they really look good. They can stay out until late Oct. ,unlike the Agaves which need to come in a month earlier in order for them to dry out a little, or else the winter dampness rots them, despite being in the greenhouse with min. temp.8 centigrade.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@alanhunter2009 That’s fantastic, what a collection! I imagine the sun and changing temps really helps them change colour too. Yes, I’ve found with lost hardy-ish Agaves, they can survive surprisingly low temps but as soon as they’re in a humid environment like a greenhouse with a lot of damp plants they absolutely hate it!

[@ARW.7]

That intro 👌🏼 nice editing! Those leaves are INSANE on those gunneras 😂😂 (John Hammond would be proud… 🦕) It’s always bitter sweet when having to cut back big leaves for winter isn’t it. Mad how mature your garden looks now. Oh and the machete made me LOL!!! Great vid

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much, I tried to get plenty of clips to get a nice intro together! And yes, they absolutely have that Jurassic vibe! The garden has definitely come on but plenty more plans for next year, I don’t mind having to chop the leaves back as it lets me see more of the space and simplifies things! But I know what you mean. Cheers! Have you got all your plants sorted for winter?

[@ARW.7]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden sort of - I’ve been so behind due to work and home life plus fevers etc but pretty much there. I’m going to wait for your next video though as I’m working out if I need to cut back my pink China.. I believe I do so need to get on it at the weekend. Musas wrapped up, tree fern crowns protected, gingers cut back and covered, just need to cut back my canna cleopatras which have now got way out of hand 2 years in 😂. Wish I had the space you have! Oh and I may need to move a young low tree fern i have that didn’t have a trunk to it when I planted it, (Although it does now have a trunk about 5cm.. winning at life 😂) I’m guessing they’re easy to move..

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@ARW.7 Your Pink China will naturally die back so don’t worry about that. Great to know you’ve got everything else sorted. I wish I had more space too, always the way 😂 I would try to avoid moving the tree fern if you can but if it needs to be done then it can be hard graft but it’s worth getting as much root as possible, especially for a young plant. I hope you’re OK anyway and don’t worry, I’m behind with everything too!

[@ARW.7]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden I may have to go for it, it’s basically about a foot from a tall fence 😂. Stupid location to put it. Seems very happy but the leaves get so big and end up against the fence. Noted on the roots, I really need to get better and planning 😂. I’m guessing this time of the year should be ok or best wait till just before spring?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@ARW.7 It’s up to you on the timing to be honest, there’s a good argument for either as long as it’s not a ridiculously cold winter, I suppose the bigger question is are you sure you need to move it?

[@JH-fv1gq]

I use the ole machete on the gunners too. A few near misses over the years 😨

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Ooops! Almost worth it for how satisfying a good stem chop is though!

[@Labraxsquad20]

Fiskars are what I use to, I have spinal slippage just above pelvis due to an accident many years ago and the fiskars are excellent, I've had mine about 15 years, the fork has dug up literally eveverything I've tried with it.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Nice one, that's good to know thanks Marc - I like their gear too. It takes a bit of a leap of faith to move from heavy solid tools to lighter ones but I'm glad I made the switch and they're so tough. Sorry to hear about your accident, I hope it doesn't interfere with your gardening too much.

[@vincenzecalzone8666]

Great info mate. Love the chopping action with the Gunnera. However you missed the opportunity to firstly produce a small knife, immediately adopt an Aussie accent AKA Mick Dundee from Crocodile Dundee, turn to the camera and say "That's not a knife. That's a knife"..producing the machete. 🔪🔪🔪. Then scene moves to slow motion hacking of the Gunnera. Now that's cinema...

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Haha can't fault you there! If it was a bowie knife then that would have been almost impossible not to do! Next year I'll have to up my game and get a sword! A few slow motion chops would have been good but I was really against the clock this weekend, I'll try to inject and bit more 80s / 90s action and pop culture into future vids haha!

[@vincenzecalzone8666]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden 🤣🤣. Sounds great 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@vincenzecalzone8666 No promises but if there’s an opportunity it’ll be taken!

[@jimbailey3705]

I had to do all my overwintering in a bit of a compressed timeframe too. Started on the weekend and got what needed to come in inside etc. Got my banans wrapped up two days ago and cannas cut back and dumped farmyard manure on them for protection. One canna was just about to flower for the first time this season *sigh*. I cut off the bloom stalk and I will see if it will flower inside as a cut flower, but I doubt it. Worth a try though? Amazing gunneras. Leaves are as big as the ones in Trebah! Hopefully you can keep them all - if they end up growing tall so you can stand underneath the leaves that should be possible.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

I know what you mean about the compressed timeframe, it makes things tricky! Never mind, hopefully it’ll flower earlier next year. I wouldn’t have thought it’ll flower in water inside but it’s worth a try if it’s already on it’s way. I’m not sure mine are a patch on the plants at Trebah but I’d definitely be happy if they started to grow up more like them definitely! It’s fantastic walking under them 😃

[@DJSupaflyguy]

👌👌👌👌

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks! 😀

[@davidbanner9001]

Excellent video as always. How far from your fence is your largest Gunnera? I currently have a 1.5m wide bed that I'm going to extend next Spring. So was thinking about almost doubling it and planting my Gunnera in the middle.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much. Mine is about 1.5m away too, the other this side maybe closer to 1m from memory but due to the angle of the leaves I'm not too worried about the fence. That sounds like a plan, the only thing I'd say is not to underestimate the sheer space the Gunnera will take up where any other plants will be battling with it's leaves! They're a hard plant to plant around but any garden plan that involves deeper borders always gets my seal of approval! If it's a nice damp spot that'll really get it growing in no time...

[@davidbanner9001]

Thanks for the info. I have a baby, I bought from Heligan and will order another from big plant nursery. Ready for the Spring. They will be spaced about 3+m apart and surrounded by ferns of various sizes and varieties. A nice damp and semi shady spot.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@davidbanner9001 Fantastic, sounds perfect! Keep up the watering and improving the soil and I’m sure they’ll be monsters in no time!

[@stephenkeeble6857]

Hi George any advice on overwintering an Dwarf Cavendish apparently can't really take bellow 10°c! Picked up potted from my local B&M was thinking lasciocarpa "Golden Lotus" would have been a better option. Bringing inside isn't an option to avoid divorce proceedings 🤣🤣 was thinking heavily fleecing it and storing in the shed 🤞🤞any advice would be great 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi Stephen, the only 100% hardy banana for most of the UK is basjoo, lasiocarpa are also surprisingly tough though. As for Dwarf Cavenish, I had mine out until November last year and it saw temperatures as low as 4°c without any issue, 10°c is probably a bit of a rough guide but I suspect it won't tolerate much under 10°c for any length of time. In all honesty I think you might struggle with it in your shed, if you're doing it then keep it quite dry and I wouldn't necessarily cover it in fleece as that would restrict airflow and may lead to rot. In all honesty I'd say keeping it inside is probably the only reliable way of getting it through (sorry!)...

[@lindadevuyst9311]

Move to Cornwall…too funny

[@tedscott1478]

Cornwall is full. Sorry!

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

😂

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@tedscott1478 If I win the lottery can you find a spare valley leading to the sea with it's own private beach spare? Basically Trebah...

[@tedscott1478]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden I'll see what I can do! But you're in the queue behind me😁 Could you loan me £1,000,000, please to start the ball rolling?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@tedscott1478 Haha oh dear, I wish I could 😂

[@steverichardson4374]

Hi mate good info. Iv managed two get me a gunner the right one .its vary small wood you leve it in pollie tonally or house.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Steve and nice one! I'd probably go polytunnel. Is it frost free or unheated?

[@steverichardson4374]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden un heated mate

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@steverichardson4374 It should be fine, maybe some straw or fleece in the crown when it’s very cold but don’t let the soil completely dry out either.

[@steverichardson4374]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks mate il do that nice one

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@steverichardson4374 No worries!

[@tedscott1478]

Good stuff again! Is the echium pininana a perennial?

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thank you very much Ted. I believe technically they're a biennial but they sometimes push into a 3rd year before flowering, I guess it depends on where you are and the weather. You definitely need a string of mild winters but once you get one flower there'll be seedlings everywhere! They're awkward things to plant though, they like to meander through borders with their brittle but coarse stems and grow wherever is most inconvenient for you!

[@tedscott1478]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden thanks👍 Maybe I'll have some more from the seedlings😃

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@tedscott1478 Hopefully! They are amazing flowers, well worth the wait!

[@TropicalJungleIreland]

2nd on the bread knives being used, serrated edges etc??????? 🤔

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

No problem with them being used really but if there's an excuse to use a machete, why would you not take it!?

[@stanleygladstone1210]

I liked the dark glossy green leafed plant behind the gunnera against the fence. Could you tell me its name please. Great vid thanks

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks Stanley, it could be the Rhododendron Sinogrande, it’s not the best specimen but hopefully settling in nicely now.

[@stanleygladstone1210]

@@GeorgesJungleGarden I really liked the look of it, almost like a houseplant. I'm going to look for one. Thanks very much for your time to reply, it's appreciated thanks.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@stanleygladstone1210 If that’s the plant Stanley then they definitely have that look, yes. If you look at google images you’ll see how big the leaves can get! They do slowly grow to be very large shrubs over time.

[@stanleygladstone1210]

I'm pleased to tell you I found one on Internet and ordered it. Don't think I'll plant it out till spring though. After I ordered it I put sinogrande in search on you tube. There you were. From about two months ago. I hadn't realised that was the same plant I had recently watched. Then I looked at your link below, and it's the same company I got mine from. Cheers George.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@stanleygladstone1210 Ahh yes, I remember the vid and I’m so glad you’ve managed to track one down, they have been in short supply from what I’ve heard. Yes, I’d keep it potted until spring and it’s important not to let them dry out completely.

[@Thumtwiddler]

Hi George, I have a small gunnera in a pot, what would you suggest for that? Taking it inside if hard frost forecast? Or chopping leaves and protecting crown. I think probably best putting it inside if hard frost forecast and not chopping off leaves as it's quite small, is that right? Thanks again for the vids, genning up on winter care again as I've forgotten it all from last year haha

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi and don't worry, I'm happy to provide a little refresher before it gets too chilly again! If it's a small Gunnera in a pot, I'd generally recommend bringing it somewhere frost free, ideally a polytunnel or greenhouse, but if inside is the only option then I'd leave the leaves on and keep it damp and growing away if it's a small plant. Chopping the leaves off is a way of protecting plants while the cold weather makes them 'dormant' but with younger plants and those kept in warmer conditions for the colder months of winter, I'd probably recommend keeping it slowly growing.

[@Thumtwiddler]

Thanks very much, I'll probably bring it in to my porch, it's the only inside space I have that's vaguely suitable. I'll do the same with the Musa Basjoo too if it forecast is for too cold. @@GeorgesJungleGarden

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

That sounds like a good plan, all the best with it!

[@novicegardner1783]

Great video as usual... Can I ask my musifolia is in my lean too that I wrap every year to keep plants in. Should I leave it in pot or take out. It doesn't normally get any colder than +5 in there. It's - 2 outside and +7 in my lean to.

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Thanks! It should be absolutely fine in there, leave it in it’s pot and don’t let it completely dry out 👍

[@novicegardner1783]

Thank you so much your a star 👍

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@novicegardner1783 No worries, thanks for watching and all the best with your winter gardening 😃

[@novicegardner1783]

Thank you for the great videos... As a beginner the videos you make are valuable to someone like myself starting out. 🤜🤛

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

@@novicegardner1783 Cheers, that’s kind of you to say, plenty more planned 😃

[@Margaret-hr3si]

Hi I have just put my 2 year old banana musata in the ground do I need to dig it up again or can I just protect

[@GeorgesJungleGarden]

Hi, if it's a Muysa basjoo then you can definitely leave it in the ground and protect in most of the UK without a problem. If it's a cold winter it may get cut back but you can hopefully keep most of the pseudostem height by enclosing it and insulating with straw etc.