Hardy Chicago Fig Tree is HERE!! 9/28/2011

Yay! I got my fig tree today.
It was a little dark so I had a little trouble taking this picture, but I'll make sure to take one in the morning.

It has four leaves growing and some very small sprouts looking to grow as well.

The shape of the leaves are amazing and this plant is so distinguished. Can't wait for it to grow some more.

A couple small branches are there as well.

I have it in a very small pot right now, but the roots have not outgrown in yet.

I have a larger pot to place it in a week or so whenever it starts to grow.

So far it looks very healthy.

I have a feeling this tree will grow rather quickly. So I'll keep an eye on the sprouts and the bare little branches as well. And I'll be ready to pot it. I have high hopes for this little tree.

Plant# 1 9/28/2011

My first plant is a step behind the first one when trying to grow new leaves.

It should bloom its new leaf about 50% of the way tomorrow.

This is what it looked like when I got home today.

I'll make another post over the weekend. I feel like the plant has grown an inch or so as well.

Plant #2 9/28/2011

I noticed that my plant was starting to grow a leaf this morning so I took this picture before going off to work. I was hoping it'd be open by the time I got home.

After work I checked and took this picture.  Can you believe this grew after only 2 days?

I will post an update over the weekend as I'm sure this one will open up all the way tomorrow.

Plant #1 and #2 9/27/2011

Quick update this morning on both my plants.

When I went to look at them and give them some light water I noticed that both of my plants were growing a new leaf. 

Plant #2 is looking very healthy and is further along in the process of sprouting another leaf.

I am thinking that by the time I get home tonight they will have both sprouted.

I took a couple pictures this morning and will take some later tonight and post them.

So pumped!

Just ordered a Hardy Musa Basjoo tree!

After doing a lot of research and actually finding a lot of members of www.bananas.org who had good luck with this kind of banana I decided to order one.

That website is amazing and extremely informative.

I found tons of pictures, tips, testimonials and general information on growing banana plants/trees.

Also, I found a lot of other people growing them in MA and other places in the Northeast where we are known to have blizzards from time to time.

One guy had over 12 basjoos in his yard at over 10 ft tall!  In Massachusetts!

I couldn't believe it. So I have decided to order one and grow it this fall and winter in my sunroom and by next season be able to plant it outside in my yard.

This particular strain can withstand cold weather rather well as long as it is mature enough.

So no more ordering for me. I will have my two Super Dwarf Cavendish banana plants, a Hardy Chicago Fig tree (which I plan on growing and putting in my yard next season as well) and a Musa Basjoo tree coming shortly.

This is going to be an amazing experience and I'll make sure to document their progress on a weekly basis if not more.

Upcoming Hardy Chicago Fig Tree!

I can't wait to get my small fig tree.
It says that I should be receiving it tomorrow.

I've looked in forums and found a couple other people from Massachusetts who have had good luck growing this strain.  Looking at their pictures it seems like these will grow quite well in this climate.

As soon as I get it in and have it potted I will make sure to take some pictures, and post online.

Plant #2

For some reason it seems like this plant is a little hardier than the first plant. Its "trunk" is more green and its leaves are a richer green as well.

Also, you can see that it is trying to form a new leaf.

It has really adjusted well to its new pot and location.

This picture was taken at night so sorry for the flash effect, but as you can see near the top it is trying to form another leaf.

Plant #1

Today is day 3 of having this SDC plant and it looks like it's relatively happy.
As you can see from the picture it seems more upright now.

Leaves are looking a little greener as well.
I will make my next post over the weekend as I watch it grow some more.

Super Dwarf Cavendish #2

I'm happy to say that I got in my second plant today and it's in good condition.
This one is not as grown as the first, but it is also 10 inches tall.
It only has 7 leaves on it, but seems to have survived the shipping just right.

Let me show you a couple pictures.

As you can see it is pretty healthy with one leaf a little yellow. I'm sure it needed some water.

More to follow probably near the end of the week.

My first dwarf banana plant. Plant #1

I ordered a Super Dwarf Cavendish Banana plant last week and it just came in yesterday. Well, actually I ordered two of them, but they were separate orders so the second plant should be coming in tomorrow.

I have always been a fruit lover, so I finally decided to see if I could grow a plant in my house.

I have a four season sun room where I plan to grow them as the winters here in Massachusetts get very cold.

I also ordered a fig tree which might do better, but that is for another post.

So yesterday I received my plant and was very happy with it.

It stands at about 10 inches and has 10 leaves on it and what looks like a pup on the side, but it could just be a branch or something.

As it came rather healthy I transplanted it to a larger pot and watered it.

I used premium potting soil and placed it in my sun room.

Today is day 2 and it still seems to be doing well with the leaves a mid green.

Here are a couple pictures I took yesterday.

Super Dwarf Cavendish

Super Dwarf Cavendish

Super Dwarf Cavendish

So as you can see the plant showed up pretty happy.

I got another pot today for the second plant which should arrive tomorrow and hopefully in similar condition.

I have been doing a lot of reading, joining forums and looking at youtube videos to see what works best.

I got some plant food today (liquid) and will be mixing it with water on a weekly basis.

As this room stays at about 75 degrees plus I think it will thrive for another month or two until it starts getting colder and then I'll have to adjust.

Currently I am not heating the room as it gets warm naturally having three sides of windows.

When I get my second plant and it is potted I will share that info and some pics as well.

Status Update:
9/26/2011

Plant seems to be a little more lively and is still doing well. We had a 88 degree day so I'm sure the plant was happy.