TommyOBananas

I saw many threads on this topic, but mine was a little unique and thought I would start a new one to get some advice. Apologize if my terminology below on the plants are not technical right, but hope it makes sense.

I have had my series of bananas for several years now. I live in NC, zone 7a/b. Each year, I have wrapped my bananas in blankets and bubble wrap, and overmulched at their base with more blankets. I have done this so I can keep the height and not having to start from the ground in the Spring. It is a lot of work, but felt it was worth it. This year, two of my taller ones sprung a flower and fruit, but although cool for the first time, I did not want to lose those stalks.

My issue now is that I have seen quite a few people who have bananas in this area who do nothing like I do for theirs, they just let them die to the ground. But, each year, theirs explode and have much taller trees than I do even though I started with the stalks. Plus, they have many more stalks than I do, more like groves. Now, I do have other plants around my bananas, so maybe that is why I am not getting many more stalks popping up, but I do not get the multiple stalks like they do.

So, the question I need help with is, is it better to let them die to the ground, mulch and winterize than do all the work like I have been doing? I was told by one person to cut the stalk at 12" off the ground at an angle and mulch up to it. Again, I just do not know what to do. My goal is nothing about the fruit. It is about getting the tallest and most plentiful bananas plants that I can get, and ideally as early as I can get them after the first freeze.

Thank you so much for the help.

Tom