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RayZeR14u
10-27-2008, 12:15 PM
Hi guys. I live in central South Carolina (Zone 8b) and have Red Iholene and Raja Puri bananas that I would like to leave in the ground during the winter months. Both are said to be hardy in my area, but I am wondering what I should do to help protect them. Should I cut the plant back and mulch them like I do my canna's?

stumpy4700
10-27-2008, 02:03 PM
If your goal is to keep as much p-stem as possible then I'd build a cage around them and fill with leaves,straw or mulch, and then cover with a tarp or something to keep out the water to prevent the roots from rotting.

RayZeR14u
10-27-2008, 02:09 PM
Thanks for your speedy reply stumpy.
I really just want to keep the root alive. I'm hoping they will grow a new stem next year. I planted them in mid august and they grew quite fast, right now the stems are bigger that a 20 oz. plastic bottle and they are 4 foot high. If I cut the stem down and mulch them will they grow new stems next spring?

Simply Bananas
10-27-2008, 02:19 PM
I can only speak to Raja puri since I have those.
Here is what I do in Charleston......










...nothing.

Don't cut it back unless it turns mushy in March...mine never did last year.

RayZeR14u
10-27-2008, 02:26 PM
Thanks porkpi.
Do I cut off the the leaves next spring? the last leaves that have grown in oct. look like crap.

stumpy4700
10-27-2008, 02:32 PM
If the leaves wilt and fall down to the stem I would leave them as it will be one more layer of protection until spring.

stumpy4700
10-27-2008, 02:34 PM
Then in the spring cut anything that looks dead or turned mushy.

Simply Bananas
10-27-2008, 02:35 PM
I leaf them on.
But in uncontrolled experiments have found it to make little difference.

RayZeR14u
10-27-2008, 02:46 PM
Thanks guys!! While its easy to find growing info for my area, wintering info is hard to find.

stumpy4700
10-27-2008, 03:43 PM
There are lots of threads here on the website. just go up to the search tab and type in overwinter and you'll have hours of reading....Good Luck

RayZeR14u
10-27-2008, 06:51 PM
There are lots of threads here on the website. just go up to the search tab and type in overwinter and you'll have hours of reading....Good Luck

I already did that. Unfortunately the majority of the posts involve digging up the plants and storing them for winter because they are being grown in colder climates than my own. I'm interested in planting and keeping them in my yard year round. Thanks though.

Lagniappe
10-27-2008, 11:18 PM
I don't do anything at all and only lost one plant , a Goldfinger, out of many Mats. All of my bananas come back without any problems and I'm in 8a. I didn't have time to dig up my Siam ruby tonight so It'll get its first taste of frost as well. :0493: Perhaps that'll be the second plant I lose.

stumpy4700
10-28-2008, 12:18 AM
OH NO!!!!!!!!!!! not the Ruby. Keep us posted on how it reacts to the frost and cold. :waving:

:lurk:

Richard
10-28-2008, 10:58 AM
RayZer14u,

Care to give us some insight over here (?) : http://www.bananas.org/f9/explain-your-screen-name-5256.html

tophersmith
10-28-2008, 11:16 AM
I don't do anything at all and only lost one plant , a Goldfinger, out of many Mats. All of my bananas come back without any problems and I'm in 8a. I didn't have time to dig up my Siam ruby tonight so It'll get its first taste of frost as well. :0493: Perhaps that'll be the second plant I lose.

I'll hopefully have several make it through the winter, so maybe we could trade this spring.

JCDerrick
10-28-2008, 12:11 PM
I don't do anything at all and only lost one plant , a Goldfinger, out of many Mats. All of my bananas come back without any problems and I'm in 8a. I didn't have time to dig up my Siam ruby tonight so It'll get its first taste of frost as well. :0493: Perhaps that'll be the second plant I lose.

Well the pup from your Siam is doing well, so it'll live to fight another day, just a few hundred miles away. If the worst happens to your Siam I can certainly ship one back to you.

Next year I'm going to have to be bold and try a bunch of mine outdoors like you do. I just want to make sure I have a pup from each as insurance :ha:

Simply Bananas
10-28-2008, 12:19 PM
When it comes to survivability, I have found that the thickest plants do the best.

JCDerrick
10-28-2008, 12:49 PM
When it comes to survivability, I have found that the thickest plants do the best.

That should be good news for Saba, Praying Hands, and IC then.