I did have my bananas covered and protected but when I took all the covering away they looked aweful this spring. I cut them back a few times tiill they were even with the ground and they still were rotting more so I thought they are dead for sure. I ordered a few more fom sandy here on bananas.org and counted it as a learning expirence but I sure did learn they are tough as hell and maybe to never count them out until the very last rotted piece compost itself. My others have never came back though so Im probably lucky with this little guy. I am planting this one in the front of my house in a protected area that get lots of sun and I can water easily and I may give him another try as an expirement to see if in that location I could have them survive our winter.