Hi there. I have another query about my musa basjoo. It's in a pot outside waiting to be planted into the ground in the coming weeks. It is accompanied by four pups. Now, being the novice that I am, I don't know if these pups can be detached from the original plant, to live separately or whether these pups must always remain attached and this is how the plant spreads out. If they are able to be detached successfully, could someone please talk me through how and when to do this? It would be wonderful to have some baby plants to nurture. Thank you. Doris.
Clear the soil away so you can see the spot the point of origin, use a sharp knif, and cut straight downgetting as many roots as possible. dust the cut with fungicide, put the soil back around the mother plant. Remove any large or damaged leaves from the pup to reduce water loss. Pot it in a container,just a little larger than the root stock at the same depth as before. water, should keep it in a fairly shaded area, until it gets established. Carol JA
It's quite likely these off sets will have to be about 18" - 2' tall before there's enough established roots to support it on it's own. Often, smaller "pups" don't even have roots of their own, and feed from the mother plant. Severing them from the parent plant would not work. Carol Ja has good advise for potting up these small off sets. Cheers, LPN.
