Bananas.org - View Single Post - Need advice to grow a banana plant indoors all winter

Olafhenny · 10-28-2011, 01:49 PM

...this discussion about wintering and watering is taking place here and now, so I will risk crowing prematurely.

I brought the two Ornatas in on or about October 11. They have shown some positive growth since then,
and I defy anybody to show me healthier looking bananas this time of the year, or any other time for that
matter. The first picture below was taken on October 14th. I had posted it before in an other thread, but
am doing it again for comparison. The second photo was taken this morning, exactly two weeks later,
before the daylight got too bright and would interfere with the definition of the picture.

The little ‘spike’ you see in this picture has grown into that fully developed leaf, which is sticking up
highest in the photo below

The new spike is probably not quite as tall as the previous one in the top photo, but it is safe to say,
that the full growth cycle of a new leaf was 15 days, - not much different from summer.

Here is, what I did:
• I selected two nice big pots; 15 litres (4 gal) for the little one and 35 litres (9 gal) for the larger plant*
• Tossed a few rocks in the bottom, which I covered with fly screen, before I added the soil
• The soil consists of roughly equal parts of compost to which I had added previously some sand and peat moss
• I water whenever the top ½ inch feels “dryish”
• Due to the covering basket, the actual bottom of the soil is roughly the same height as the rim of the catch tray
• No artificial light**

*IMOEO many of the bananas pictured in this forum often appear, at least judging from to photos, to be in pots,
which are too small for proper root development

**I live at 49^ 27’ N. Therefore there are only few people in this forum with even shorter daylight hours in winters.

10-28-2011, 01:49 PM	#8 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 255,236 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Eighteen days indoors do not a winter make, but… ...this discussion about wintering and watering is taking place here and now, so I will risk crowing prematurely. I brought the two Ornatas in on or about October 11. They have shown some positive growth since then, and I defy anybody to show me healthier looking bananas this time of the year, or any other time for that matter. The first picture below was taken on October 14th. I had posted it before in an other thread, but am doing it again for comparison. The second photo was taken this morning, exactly two weeks later, before the daylight got too bright and would interfere with the definition of the picture. The little ‘spike’ you see in this picture has grown into that fully developed leaf, which is sticking up highest in the photo below The new spike is probably not quite as tall as the previous one in the top photo, but it is safe to say, that the full growth cycle of a new leaf was 15 days, - not much different from summer. Here is, what I did: • I selected two nice big pots; 15 litres (4 gal) for the little one and 35 litres (9 gal) for the larger plant* • Tossed a few rocks in the bottom, which I covered with fly screen, before I added the soil • The soil consists of roughly equal parts of compost to which I had added previously some sand and peat moss • I water whenever the top ½ inch feels “dryish” • Due to the covering basket, the actual bottom of the soil is roughly the same height as the rim of the catch tray • No artificial light** IMOEO many of the bananas pictured in this forum often appear, at least judging from to photos, to be in pots, which are too small for proper root development *I live at 49^ 27’ N. Therefore there are only few people in this forum with even shorter daylight hours in winters. __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.