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View Full Version : Best way to wake up dormant bare root bananas


siege2050
11-22-2014, 03:36 PM
I have Tall Orinocos and a small saba(Not sure what I was thinking on that one) under the house in the crawl space. When should I start waking them up? How long does it take for them to show signs of growth, and how do you plant them? Do you just dig a hole and put them in it, do you need to brace them up? I have access to a shop with very tall ceilings that stays at least 10 degrees warmer than outside. Would it be good to start them about a month or 2 early in the shop by planting them in tubs to get a headstart? I was thinking maybe about march 15th when temps try to stay above or around freezing outside. Usually may 1st is safe to plant here, it would be nice to plant them with a leaf or two emerged. Oh and also, should water be light at first?

cincinnana
11-22-2014, 08:56 PM
Starbucks...:lurk:

siege2050
11-22-2014, 08:59 PM
I need starbucks lol

Pancrazio
11-23-2014, 08:35 PM
I dig an hole and stick them in. But i use the opportunity to ameliorate the soil.
At the beginning of spring, i do prefer to give them all the care I can, since i do recognize that the plant is incredibly stressed, and till the moment it starts to grow, pretty much anything wrong can kill it.
I suggest to avoid the excess of moisture till the temperature are high enough. Also keep in mind that the soil is cooler than the air at the end of the winter. I plant only if a couple of week of sunny, relatively hot time is forecast. And i water with water that has been heated by the sun, to give maximum heat to corm and roots (useless probably, but who knows).
I have done this only two times, so talk even to someone more experienced than me.

I would advice against planting too soon. I plant mine with daily temperatues around 17C and night temps at 8-10C. Dwarf Namwah and Orinoco do grow with such temperatures, but anything less seems dangerous on a stressed plant. Once you lose the pstem, game over.
Take a look here:

http://www.bananas.org/f15/dwarf-namwah-overwintered-bigdog-method-20645.html