Allwine

Hello,
I am new to the world of growing bananas and have been trying to find informations about good cold hardy banana trees that produce good fruit and can be grown in our garden we are in a zone 8. IF you have any tips on the right kind of tree for this area or any websites or info that could help, please let me know.

Thank you
Mandey

dablo93

a great banana for you is the musa Basjoo, very easy and roothardy in your zone.

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Allwine

thank you for your imput. I guess i forgot to say that i was looking for a banana tree that would have edible fruit. IF anyone else has any suggestions please let me know.

Thank you again.

chong

Welcome Allwine!

And hello! I live in Seattle, just west of the south end of Lake Washington, up the hill. I have overwintered most of my bananas in the greenhouse, though for the most part, it is unheated. The Dwarf Orinocos, one "alleged" Lady Finger from TX, another Lady Finger from San Diego, 3 "alleged" Texas Star (out of 5) are edible varieties that stayed green throughout the past season. Balbisiana and Thomsonii also stayed green.

The reason I say "alleged" is that the Seller sold them to me with those names. The Lady Finger from TX came with 3 other Lady Fingers that didn't look like the one that stayed green. Those other 3 didn't(stay green). It appears to me more and more now that it might be a regular Orinoco, since it grows so much faster and taller than the other 3.

The 5 TX Star I got from from a Seller in TX, was just rationalizing that they are Texas Star bananas, but she wasn't sure. She has shown photos of the fruits from the mother plant, and they looked like Dwarf Orinoco to me. But then, the photos of fruits of Texas Star and California Gold that I've seen looks like the Orinoco to me anyway.

I don't know about the Dwarf Lady Finger from San Diego. But I am impressed that it stayed green all this winter, even though it was just as close to the perimeter glass as the Dwarf Orinoco, while the leaves of the Dwarf Lady Finger from TX, which are further away from the glass, have turned black.

I have found that in the Seattle area, if you can keep the Orinoco from getting too wet during the winter, you can keep it outside. But if you want it to produce fruit though, you'll have to keep them warm (at least 60°F) and give it some supplemental lighting. Supplemental lighting is important because our solar index is the lowest in the country, even in the Summer. It just gets worse during the winter. The plants need a certain level of lighting to continue growing.

Allwine

Chong,
yay someone from the seattle area! I used to live in seattle, but now i live on the peninsula.
Thank you for the information about the banana plants. Now do you think i would get fruit even though i don't have a greenhouse? what would be my best option with the banana plants for the winter? Any other information you are willing to give would be much appreciated.

Thanks again.
Mandey

Bob

Welcome Allwine I'm glad you found Chong he'll be a great resource for you. Good luck with your growing.

I was going to PM Chong but since you're Allwine here goes........I was browsing one of the local liquor stores and found a stash of Snowqualmie wine. I was under the impression they were out of business for some time now. Many years ago I stumbled out of the winery after a long tasting session with someone named Cher( no not that one) and was drinking their Gewurztraminer for a while after. Anyone know if their back in business or is that why the bottle of white tasted a bit off? Thanks, Bob

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chong

Bob,
I don't know if this winery is the same company, but this one is alive and kicking. They're apparently the biggest organic winery around. Here's their "Naked" Gewurztraminer:
http://snoqualmie.com/pdf/2007_Naked_Gewurzt.pdf

I still have a case of Columbia Winery's 2001 Gewurztraminer. Leftover from the several cases I bought for one of my son's wedding that never happened. It is reminiscent of Liebfraumilch that was my staple in the late 60s. In mid-1970, I was able to buy 16 cases of Cabernet and Chardonnay for $0.97 per bottle, from two WA wineries that were closing down. Going back to the Chablis and Burgundy after that was like drinking stale beer.

Allwine

This place has the BEST dessert wines (and others) the spiced blackberry wine is our favorite. they are a local Washington orchard out of Enumclaw. Just thought i would share that.

Rockridge Winery and Cidery

Allwine

Hello Bob!
I guess my name is kind of misleading, although i do love wine... Allwine is my last name i use it as my screen name everywhere so i can always remember it! so sorry but i am not sure about the Snowqualmie wine.

Bob

Sorry about that. Wine was on my mind when I wrote it.

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seattlefiggirl

both my dwarf orinoco banana and cavenish died last snow storm. Some webiste said cold hardy 8A some say only to 9a. Well it is 9A and not 8A. I see its been many years since the first post. Wondering what is new with your banana trees since then have you successfully fruited any? I wouldn't recommend any that is taller than your greenhouse ceiling. since you will have to bring them in to protect from frost. I would stick with dwarf varieties. Or keept them planted outside with very good protection. To answer Allwine question there are the 3-6 ft varieties you would probably need near window and grow light to keep in pot inside house.i think logee sells them.

Yug

May want to check on the last posting date of the thread you're in - the post prior to yours looks to be over 10 yrs old.

just sayin...