View Full Version : Overwintering theory/question
glued2it
10-08-2008, 08:54 AM
I have a small add on to the house I used to keep my banana trees in last year.The add on was poorly built and is is the coldest room in the winter and the hottest in the summer.
They were pretty small and I placed them on some small boards to keep the pots of the cold tile floor.
During last years ice storm, They stayed in that room during freezing temps out side and staying just above freezing temps inside for about 11 days.
They didn't even seemed to be phased to the cold temps. Even though it was a short time. They still continued to grow and seemed fine.
Now that they are way too tall to fit in that room, I figured I could just put them in the unheated garage. I figure as long as it never freezes they will survive as if they were just growing in a higher grow zone right?
It does get cold in there but it does stay above freezing.
I have some large pots that are 24" in diameter and 18" deep. I figure they would be sufficient size.
I believe they may be Orinoco's, But I'm not sure.They do see to be a cold hardy tree.
Any comments on this?
Bananaman88
10-08-2008, 12:27 PM
I would think that would work OK. If you are correct, and they are Orinocos, then you have that it your favor, as they are one of the more cold-hardy bananas. It wouldn't hurt to keep a small pup or two potted and in the house if you can find the space.
glued2it
10-08-2008, 01:58 PM
I would think that would work OK. If you are correct, and they are Orinocos, then you have that it your favor, as they are one of the more cold-hardy bananas. It wouldn't hurt to keep a small pup or two potted and in the house if you can find the space.
I will have 4 pups potted in the house as well as the 6 large ones in the garage.Just in case.
glued2it
04-11-2009, 08:02 AM
Well it didn't work out the way I wanted it to.
I tore some cartilage in my hip wrestling the large pots around and havn't walked right ever since.
I'm 32 and walk like I'm 82.
I thought maybe I would gain some growing time but didn't seem gain much at all.
Even on the coldest day this past winter it got down to about 38º inside the garage.
keeping the garage sealed all winter did improve utility bills though.
I think some of the problem I had was the choice of dirt used. Even the ones inside didn't grow as well as they did last year.
They have all seemed to survive the winter as far as I can tell.
Next year they are going underneath the house and some of them I will leave outside to see if they make it.
It was too much work with very little payout.
paula
04-11-2009, 08:13 AM
If they didn't grow much , Can't you cut off the leaves and take them
out of the pot and store them on the floor ? Then they would be much
lighter . I store mine in the basement it stays around 60 to 65 and they
do fine. In the spring my boys carry them back up for me. Works for me
glued2it
04-11-2009, 08:29 AM
I only poted them for the winter hoping to get a head start.
Since that didn't work as I hoped I may put them in the add on on the floor or under the house.
I have some new toys and really need the garage space anyway.
Unfortunatly I don't have a basement.
I'll decide that this fall.
They will all go into the ground from here.I hope to plant a couple today.
I'm sure by this fall I will have more than I can manage so that's why I want to experiment with a couple staying inside to see if they come back.
Being in zone 7 and having what I believe to Orinicos, I might have some succes.
I'm sure I'll have plenty of them by the end of the year.
I hope to see one them bloom this year.(3rd year)
Sorry to hear about your hip. I learned my lesson and bought a handtruck with some straps for the big pots. Hope to hear you get some fruits this year. Good luck.
Michael_Andrew
04-11-2009, 02:36 PM
So what did you say you put in your sauce?
Michael
glued2it
04-11-2009, 02:59 PM
So what did you say you put in your sauce?
Michael
Wich sauce is that?
saltydad
04-11-2009, 04:32 PM
With the exception of my Dwarf Cavendish, all of the others I've potted up for the winter hardly grow at all. I look to it more as winter survival rather than growth, which starts up again when planted outside.
Michael_Andrew
04-11-2009, 09:04 PM
The BBQ sauce!
glued2it
04-11-2009, 10:27 PM
The BBQ sauce!
I use different kinds of sauce for different types of meat.
Each have there own flavor profile and compliment each type of meat as an individual.
The sauces used for competition get even more extravagant.
The most common sauce used in the oklahoma area is "Head Country"
This has always been one of my favorites for an "all around" sauce.
I dropped a banana in BBQ sauce one time and it was pretty good.
I even re dipped it to try it again. It's not a recommended procedure but I might have something.
Maybe a BBQ sauce with banana's in it might be good.:ha:
Chironex
04-11-2009, 11:36 PM
Why not, they make ketchup out of bananas in the Philippines.
Michael_Andrew
04-12-2009, 08:06 AM
I kinda settled with a sauce I make starting with a cup of coffee. It works good as a marinade for jerky too. Never tried banana in it. BBQ'd banana don't sound too bad. Think it would hold up in the smoker?
glued2it
04-12-2009, 08:14 AM
I never cooked bananas in any form, So I'm not sure about that.
I guess there is only one way to find out.
Chironex
04-12-2009, 02:18 PM
This is still my all-time favorite recipe!
http://www.bananas.org/f259/christmas-tequilla-cookies-6711.html#post59174
glued2it
04-12-2009, 06:26 PM
I would amend the jose to patrone but an overall good recipie.
Well I planted 5 of the large b trees yesterday.
I just dug them out of the large pots and actually found a good healthy rootball on most of them.
That should help Oklahoma winds from blowing them over.(I hope)
Michael_Andrew
04-12-2009, 07:59 PM
I used to get BBQ on NE 10th Street there in OKC. There was a small restaurant run by a black family. It had a metal roof and red gingham vinyl table cloths that had the color worn off on the top. I think all they served was BBQ with sides of potato salad and baked beans. Good stuff. I always thought it was better than Van's down in Shawnee.
Michael
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