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View Full Version : Cool Soil Temps


austinl01
10-19-2008, 09:38 PM
Good evening, everyone. I searched around the site for my question but couldn't find an answer so here's my question...

I just dug my 6 foot high Veinte Cohol banana and potted it in a 15 gallon pot. The pot is black, and I have placed the plant in full sun. Lows are getting to 45 to 50 degrees at night with highs in the mid-70s. I'm concerned with root development of the potted banana. When I dug the plant, I separated a pup and some roots got chopped off of the main plant. At what temperatures does root development cease? I'd like some new roots to form on the plant before winter. I want this plant to be as healthy as possible for a nice overwintering and a great start next year. Thanks!

pitangadiego
10-19-2008, 11:30 PM
In San Diego I generally do not take pups after the nighttime temps dip below 60F, even if daytime temps are into the 80s, or sometimes into the 90s (this year as an example). That generally means Oct 15, plus or minus a week or two, is my cut off date.

Cooler weather means less growth, which means less water uptake, less root development, etc. That makes water control more critical to avoid rotting.

Also, plants in pots have cooler temps in their rootzones that in-ground plants. It is much easier to cool off the soil in a 15 gallon pot at 50F, than around an in-ground plant, so the affect of low temps is magnified, and mortality is higher in potted plants.