Its finally Spring 2013!

Hi everyone.
Sorry for being away for so long.

This has been a crazy few months. Getting a new job, working a lot more and continuing to grow my photography business.

But, I'm ready to do some gardening for 2013.

Let's go down the list on what I have started this year.

Seeds - Sprouting

Three kinds of leaf lettuce
Garden beans
Cherry tomatoes
Sweet peppers

Growing

Meyer Lemon tree (with one lemon on it!)
Banana plant
Green apple columnar tree
Red apple columnar tree
Aloe vera

I'm hoping to do cayenne peppers and jalapenos as I did last year as they did very well.

Last year I got very carried away, so I'm trying to cut back a little and take better care of some of these plants.

I had a tremendous pepper crop last year and my tomatoes did well as well.  But, my cucumbers didn't do much and my banana plants did ok, but didn't grow as much as I would have liked.

Strawberries - all got white powder mildew
Figs - didn't grow much
Blueberry plant - didn't grow much

I'm going to stay away from berry types this year as there are tons of birds around here.

ALSO, I WILL HAVE A FULL CONTAINER GARDEN THIS YEAR. NO IN GROUND GARDEN. ALL MY CONTAINER PLANTS THRIVED LAST YEAR.

Photo coming up soon!

My musa basjoo update 11/18/2011

This is just a quick update of my musa basjoo. It has been growing slowly as it is getting cold here, but it is growing. This one is more hardy then the SDC so I'm hoping that it will continue to grow most of the winter.  Here is a picture of it trying to grow another leaf.

update on my two basjoos!

There is snow on the ground today, but my basjoos are doing well indoors.
Actually most of today it has been around 68 degrees in my sunroom.

These are a couple pictures I took today to show their growth.

This is my Basjoo #2. It seems like it finally got comfortable in its pot, grew some roots and now is getting ready to grow a leaf.  If you recall I did a video a couple days ago and there was a hint of a sprout there, but now it is very easy to see the growth.

This is my basjoo #1. You can clearly to see the small leaf trying to grow. Now that my second plant is also well established lets see which one grows faster.

about my Banana plants! Video!

This is a video that gives you an intro on my banana plants.
I've had them a total of 3 weeks now.
My newest basjoo I"ve only had for one week now.

Enjoy, and feel free to respond/comment.

basjoo #2 arrived!!

I got home 20 minutes ago and my basjoo was waiting at my front door.
I opened the box and inspected the plant. It looked very healthy although a little damp as it was warm out today, but overall very green and healthy.I have potted it and placed it.

This plant should do well.
I will post a picture tonight.

Here is the pic. It has four healthy leafs on it and is a little taller than the first plant.

SDC plant update.. another leaf!

It's crazy but those two very sunny days we had really made a difference. My two Super Dwarf Cavendish plants are doing very well. My plant #2 has opened up a leaf and is growing its next stock.

Now a day after that one opened my plant #1 is getting ready to open it's own leaf.  I believe this one will give it 12 leaves!

The weather is starting to cool a bit, but the plants seem to be doing well in my sunroom.

Here is a picture of its newest leaf that its trying to open.

Now had it been nice and sunny today it may have opened, but it's been cloudy the last couple days.

Here is a peek on my plant #2 which just grew a leaf. The center stalk "new leaf" looks very healthy.

My Super Dwarf Cavendish Update 10/8/2011

Today was abnormally warm and I wanted to take my plants out on a field trip. So I set them up outside for  about three hours so they would have direct sunlight.

Honestly I think they liked it.

Here are a few pictures I took today as they were basking in the sun.

Plant #2 is growing well is about to open its new leaf.  A couple more sunny days and I'm sure it will open completely.

Sounds silly, but I really like this picture because the leafs are starting to get creases in them as true banana plants do. This all happened from yesterday to today. They seem to be pinching near the middle of the leaf and creating folds.  This is evident on both plants.

This is a close up of the new leaf that is about to open on plant #2.

They are really doing well and seem to like where I have placed them.

I also picked up a misting bottle, so when i'm not sure if they are thirsty or actually need it I am spraying them with a little water mist.

Update: 8/10/2011

This is that same leaf which opened last night.

Bananas.org 5 STARS!!

I have been inspired and also learned a lot from this Forum community.
There is banana species info, care, history, photos, forums, q&a, and some great information.

I even found some other people on there from New England who had great success with some of their banana plants.

Also, in addition to that people actually check and answer your post.

I've been on other forums before and once you introduce yourself you get lost in the shuffle or they say go read other posts.

In this one people are good about replying, sharing experiences, knowledge and even pictures if you ask.

It looks like some of these people have been part of the forum for years and trade/sell/give banana plants to each other.

Also, the forum is very well laid out so its easy to find things and each topic/thread/category is very easy to get to.

It also keeps track of all the pages you have been following and replying to.  And you can set it to alert you if someone posted after you.

It is easy to become a banana addict from being part of this forum and I can see how you can spend a few months and find yourself with four or five kinds of trees.

Great, great site!