Did I accidentally kill them?
 

Hi all,

This is my first post on this site. Yay! :2123: Question: I had two banana trees that I left out during the winter. They were in pots with a thin layer of mulch and ivy (only as decoration). I went out this a.m. to cut back the leaves and discovered that the ball (?) is all mushy. Does this mean the plants are a goner? I bought them last summer and had great success with them in containers; I live in a townhouse and they afforded terrific privacy. If I need to purchase more, I will and will make sure to stash in the garage this winter. However, if this is part of the resting process, please let me know. This was the first time I've grown them and was the envy of my neighborhood. I bought them from a big box retailer, and I know they'll go fast. Many thanks in advance. I live in Atlanta; I think that's Zone 7.

Re: Did I accidentally kill them?
 

Hi Bluefairies,
Welcome!

Wait till you have fruit hanging, then they'll really envy you!

Unfortunately, a mushy corm sounds like it may not have survived.
How bad does it stink? lol
See if you can find any sign of life in the center of it all... cant hurt to dig it up, wash it off in the grass with the hose, clean it up and see what you can do. Try to keep it as free from rot as possible, removing rot helps it from spreading. But anyway it sounds like bad news.

Re: Did I accidentally kill them?
 

Thank you. I suspected the worse. I also made the same mistake with two of my elephant ears. The perils of a newbie plant lover. I'll know not to make the same mistakes again!