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vol-vet
02-27-2012, 11:56 AM
THANKS TO ALL !!!

Thanks for all the great advice. Subscribing to Bananas.org was the best five dollars I ever spent.
I'm mainly looking for ornamental value but was thinking a fruit bearing banana was getting the best of both worlds. Looks like I'm out of the zone for that. I'm still psyched about having banana trees in my back yard !!!
I'd like to purchase several varieties of large plants from members and give 'em a try. Sounds like the best way to get bananas on your banana tree in middle Tennessee is to buy a stalk of ripe bananas and tie them to your tree. I may do this to mess with my friends !!!
I'll probably try the Orinoco and other varieties mentioned. If anyone has any larger plants for sale let me know.

Randy4ut
02-27-2012, 01:43 PM
Email sent!!! If you are willing to travel to my area when I pull pstems from under house, I should have a few extra to plant up your way!!!

Bob3
02-27-2012, 06:44 PM
With just a small amount of investment & work, a passable winter home capable of wintering-over a decent size mat of a "short" cultivar can be had.
Dwarf Orinoco lends itself particularly well because the fruit can be eaten both green (tostones!) or ripe.
:nanadrink:

<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=41253&ppuser=6797><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=39723 border=0></a>

There are a few posts in the forum here covering different construction details & materials and construction hints, tips, & tricks.

The ideal covering is pretty much accepted to be the "solar blanket" type swimming pool covers. Like bubble wrap on steroids!

In your area a small heater would be needed to keep the frost away at night.
This post may help: http://www.bananas.org/f2/bananas-ground-all-year-round-13418.html

stumpy4700
02-29-2012, 10:58 PM
Robert, I'm in Nashville and have had flowering ICE CREAM bananas for 2 years in a row now. It's not impossible in TN. And not in a green house, but overwintering in the garage and putting outside during the spring and summer. Check out my Gallery for pics of the Ice Creams

jeffreyp
02-29-2012, 11:07 PM
I'd suggest orinoco or saba (for fruit), sikkimensis or basjoo for ornamental value. Stick with corms when starting out is my advise. Tissue cultured banana plants take quite a while to develop a starchy root ball and that may not happen in one summer (if you plant a tissue cultured starter plant outside).

Randy4ut
03-01-2012, 05:44 AM
Robert, I'm in Nashville and have had flowering ICE CREAM bananas for 2 years in a row now. It's not impossible in TN. And not in a green house, but overwintering in the garage and putting outside during the spring and summer. Check out my Gallery for pics of the Ice Creams

Stumpy, have your IceCream produced edible fruit, or just flowered? Great job either way!!!

stumpy4700
03-02-2012, 02:07 AM
Randy, I have had both flowers and ripe fruit the last 2 years. The fingers are about the lenght of your finger, but I was amased they even ripened at all.