Note: I am a novice at banana plant cultivation, just had pure luck and love of the tropical plant
SITUATION: I will be giving 2 hardy banana plants to my cousin, and it didn't work out for this past spring/summer, so it might be November/Thanksgiving when I bring them to her, and I'm wondering if that is a bad idea. If it is okay, what is the best plan?
She lives in Philadelphia zone 7a, and ultimately wants these banana plants to be permanently planted in her summer home at the NJ shore zone 7a.
(I think these zones are correct)
I am thinking of digging up the corms after the growth dies, and either letting them dry out, or else putting them in a large plastic pot surrounded by soil, and not sure whether to water or dry out. Then transporting them to her. I am not sure whether to suggest that she plant them first in Philadelphia garden for the winter and then transplant them next May/June when they look strong, or directly plant them in the ground in December during a warm week? None of this sounds ideal. Or she could keep them in the pots in the basement over the winter and then plant them after frost at her beach house?
HISTORY: I bought my little 12" hardy banana plant from Home Depot for $8 in about 2005, (I assume I have a musa basjoo, but not sure) and was surprised at how it needed NO care and each year would grow 2' taller, until I had a 16' tall plant. I unintentionally planted it 2' from my townhouse foundation, which it seems to love.
After the first couple of years, each spring it would send out pups in May, that I would carefully dig up and give to local freecycle people and to acquaintances. I don't mulch it at all, just cut it down when it dies. I hadn't even put the dead banana leaves on top of it, but good idea I read here! I had used this website as advice when I first began to divide corms:
Banana plant
One year, I had given away about 5 corms/pups with shoots in May, but one small slice of a corm of the pie/pup was left on my stoop untaken, sitting in a cheap plastic pot, with barely any soil. I noticed it about a month later, because it was growing!!! So it has seemed very strong and easy to transplant, yet also fragile when dividing the corm into slices.
ADVICE NEEDED:
These plants I want to give my cousin were pups and grew to be 3' tall and healthy this year. If I dig them up after they "die," put each in its own pot with soil, then what should I do? Should I water them or let them dry? Should my cousin try to winter them in the pots and plant in the spring, or should she try to grow them in a sunny window in her home over the winter? Should she put them in the ground in a warm spell in December at her beach garden?
I do not want to dig them now and plant them in pots, then grow indoors in my home. I don't think they will survive: I have little to no sunny windows, and then then the two 4' plants will be difficult to transport to Philly in November in my car if they were to survive. So I think corms are the way to go.
Finally, I think she is planning on planting them out in the open, where the wind will affect them. She says winters are mild there. Should I advise her to plant the first ones closer to the house foundation, so they get a good start?
Sorry for all the questions, but it seems complicated to do this in the winter, but it didn't work out this summer.
Thanks, (first time posting).. I'm going to try to attach a photo
- Etana
Assume this is a Musa Basjoo
