View Full Version : Had an idea about overwintering some bananas in pots and need some advice.
Starstryke
11-25-2015, 01:52 PM
Hello,
Joined up sometime earlier this year and have managed to acquire 4 different varieties of banana plants that I have planted in rather large pots. I live in zone 9 in SE Texas and we just had our first cold spell so I took all of the potted bananas and put them under the fluorescent grow light in the garage that I have used earlier in the season to start the garden. Note I did have to put several boxes under the legs of the light to get the required height. I have also not installed the basic timer I have for the light system. As 1 fluorescent does not take that much power I am tempted to just leave it it running 24/7. My question is has anyone done this before and if so did it help the bananas. Also the varieties that I am doing this with are Gros Michel, Blue Java, Pisang Ceylon, and a Dwarf Cavendish Mahoi. Most plants are 3 - 5 ft tall at this time. Any advice would be appreciated.
Starstryke
chris_zx2
11-25-2015, 10:22 PM
I have read that plants need rest. I have my timers on for 17 hours a day but I have 10 100 watt cfls about 2' away.
Starstryke
11-25-2015, 10:50 PM
Yes, I have searched around and found that some plants probably do require rest, but then again some do not. I do not know which category bananas would go under but since they are mostly leaf wouldn't more light be logically better ?
cincinnana
11-26-2015, 07:18 AM
As 1 fluorescent does not take that much power I am tempted to just leave it it running 24/7. My question is has anyone done this before and if so did it help the bananas.
Generally all plants can be manipulated to produce many outcomes when the required light is changed. Light manipulation can induce color change, seed production, and a bunch of other good stuff..
This is done commercially and in a few horticultural hobbies to produce desirable outcomes.
I use lights to maintain the health of a few of my plants. I use cfls as well as tubes to supplement light.....nothing scientific or expensive and the lights are on a wall switch which I turn on or off. At times I forget to turn on or off.....do not worry the world is not going to end the plants are just fine.
If you leave your lights on for extended periods of time it is ok. The level of light that you're using is low and your plants can benefit from the longer exposure.
Looking at your frost/temperature dates your plants will be inconvenienced for a few months that you maintain them indoors at the most they will get "ratty"
Keep in mind your plants are larger and the light/cost requirements to maintain them will jump exponentially.
A good source of lighting information can be found on Youtube keyword(dyi growlights )
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As 1 fluorescent does not take that much power I am tempted to just leave it it running 24/7. My question is has anyone done this before and if so did it help the bananas. Also the varieties that I am doing this with are Gros Michel, Blue Java, Pisang Ceylon, and a Dwarf Cavendish Mahoi. Most plants are 3 - 5 ft tall at this time. Any advice would be appreciated.
Your plants will respond the same at the size they are at but as they get bigger and you realize the larger footprint the plant will need your lighting needs to maintain them will change.
Most important......keep the containers on the dry side, if there is a time that you will kill them it will be in the next few months by overwatering them.
Starstryke
11-26-2015, 11:05 AM
Thank both of you for the info. As for watering, I am thinking 4 cups of water once a week to keep the soil moist for the winter months...
chris_zx2
11-26-2015, 11:37 AM
Personally I don't measure water that I add. I just kick the pot or stick my finger in the soil. If the pot feels light or the soil dry then I water till it starts coming out the drain hole.
Mark Dragt
11-26-2015, 12:19 PM
Thank both of you for the info. As for watering, I am thinking 4 cups of water once a week to keep the soil moist for the winter months...
Be careful with the watering. If the plants are not actively growing, 4 cups a week will be too much. Feel the soil with your finger. Poke in one knuckle deep. Does it feel dry, add water. Does it feel wet, DO NOT AD WATER. Dormant plant and wet roots= rotting roots. Soil a little dry is much better than a little wet.
Now if your plants are actively growing with a warm garage and your light setup, your plants would need a little more water. I would still feel the soil.
A lot of plants are lost during indoor winter storage due to overwatering. Be careful with that.
Now as for lighting, I have no idea. I may try your method in my garage and see what happens. I have a timer, and 4 8foot floresent fixtures. I could build some stands and place the lights on end in 4 places around the plants and give them some light. I like it!
My garage is not heated, but it is attached to my house and gets a little heat that way. I don't know if lighting up cold plants is a benefit or not. You got me thinking on this one.
Good luck with your plants!
:woohoonaner:
siege2050
11-26-2015, 06:19 PM
When I first started growing plants, I kept the lights on all the time. After a few months, I noticed that some plants started looking faded, pale, generally tired, and growth slowed. After turning the lights off for awhile each day, they drastically improved, so in my experience they need a rest period to perhaps do some things they can't do in the daylight while photosynthesizing. Longer than normal light periods are probably ok because the intensity is reduced indoors and this helps make up for it, but I think they need at least a 4th of the day in the dark. Be very careful with water in the winter, I just add enough to keep the soil barely damp, maybe just a touch dry even on the surface between waterings. Rot will very quickly send a plant downhill, I have also just discovered that a ailing plant with dead roots will recover pretty well if dug out of the pot, washed off, and replanted in damp (Just damp) sphagnum moss because it's airy, and sterile. I have saved several small banana plants and a xanthosoma that was almost rotted away like this.
Starstryke
11-26-2015, 07:13 PM
A while ago I added about 3 (old plant stake) holes full of water absorbing gel crystals to each of my pots. It helps when I either forget to water, or water too much as it absorbs the excess and then releases it slowly.
Starstryke
11-30-2015, 10:37 AM
Well, since I posted each plant has added a new leaf so I assume they do not mind my watering or the lights being on constantly. We will see if this last a couple of months.
Terri
12-06-2015, 12:01 PM
I let a few weeds seedlings grow in my potted banana. If the weeds look healthy in the winter I do not add much water. Though your bananas are larger than mine so they might be more "thirsty", and where you live your garage will be much warmer than mine!
Starstryke
12-06-2015, 04:22 PM
True, nights are really the only problem right now. 60 F during the day and 40 F at night.
Starstryke
01-25-2016, 11:54 AM
Well, we are currently in the last stages of what passes for winter down here. I will attempt to post a photo later but all of the bananas have done rather well since being moved into the garage. The only problem I am running into is that they are getting on the large side so getting the plants situated to where the leaves do not overlap enough to block the lights is getting tough. The other thing to mention is that apparently it stayed mostly warm enough in my garage that the plants never stopped growing. I would see new leaves pop out every time I looked at them. I watered once a week with 4 cups in each pot.
Starstryke
01-25-2016, 11:58 AM
I have a question regarding when I should put these bananas outside. The forecast for the next week has temps in the 60s-70s but lows from 43-50. What do the experts on here think ?
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