Best cultivars for storage
 

Maybe i missed it, but since i saw the bigdog method of overwintering plants, i have always wondered what are the cultivars of banana more capable of taking that kind of treatment.
Apparetly Orinoco stores well, but i haven't been able to gather much knowledge than that regarding cultivars that store well.
My humble experience says that also Dwarf Namwah stores well, while Cavendishes and Rajapuris don't. I kept mine about at 12C, in complete darkness, and while rajapuri rotted and cavendish did lose teir pstems, DN didn't even lose its leaf.
So i hopened this thread to get experiences about that: which ones are the plants that store better for you.

Re: Best cultivars for storage
 

I'm sorry to say I can't answer the question yet (I'm potting mine over winter this year, not storing them) however one big factor ya always gotta include is humidity of the space you're storing the bananas in. They need decent circulation of air, but most important during lower temps is the humidity must not be high, otherwise yes, you'll get rot.

I'd imagine most cold intolerant varieties might not take storage well, since storage is required with cool temps, and some varieties are pretty cool sensitive to begin with, but again, I've no true experience.

Re: Best cultivars for storage
 

that is the point of air circulation...yes you need humidity at the same time you need good air circulation..warmth from below helps to evaporate moister and keep roots from rotting,adding moister to air and so forth..just be careful, you might NOT need to water as much

Re: Best cultivars for storage
 

my Sabas seem to be bullet proof. Have good luck with Orinocos also.

Re: Best cultivars for storage
 

Maybe the sabas store well just because they are so big??

Re: Best cultivars for storage
 

In my humble opinion, much depends on the capability of the plant to withstand an arrest in growt.
Cavendishes seems just to start to rot if you don't let them to grow. At 70F (20C) they do just fine in my house, slowly growing and without any rot problem.
Some other plants aren't so sensitive.
This is the base of my idea when i started this topic; maybe bananas can be divided in two groups, those which can stand to remain still for several weeks, and those which, not matter what, don't stand it.

I formulate an hypotesys now, based on the few data i have. Since Saba (BBB) store well, Orinoco (ABB) stores well, in my little experiences also dwarf namwah (ABB) store decently, maybe the "storing capacity" is related to the balbisiana parentage? If this hold true, people will be able to actually make predictions on what kind of cultivars can be used for storing.

Re: Best cultivars for storage
 

Thanks. Caliboy has also been mentioning this same theory a lot lately. Makes sense to me...

Re: Best cultivars for storage
 

I didn't know that! You can say that I agree with him, then. Since B are said to be more resistant to cold, and when climate keeps cold bananas don't grow, this makes even more sense. Probably being "resistant to cold" implies being resistant to some time without growing.

Re: Best cultivars for storage
 

There are so many mixed results,I cannot seem to overwinter a basjoo out of ground,they all rot to mush.the basjoos I leave in ground die to dirt and then all season maybe get to a foot or two of height. I have been through many varietys that never seem to recover from the few months of cold,inground,inshed or potted in house,But right up the road 100 miles someone else may have perfect results.
This year I think I am over it except for maybe a few experiments,only the strong survive,no more digging and lugging trees around.

Re: Best cultivars for storage
 

In zone 8 u should be able to winter a basjoo no problem, there are tons of members in zone 5 that do it and save quite a bit of p-stem. Also 2 feet seems like a small amount of growth for a nanners over a full season. Maybe it is just in a spot it doesn't particularly like?

Re: Best cultivars for storage
 

My 1st year overwintering my Basjoo seemed fatal in the spring when I uncovered it but it grew back with four stems to about six ft. tall before frost here in Indiana. I cut out one stem and potted it mid summer for an experiment. I winterized differently this fall in hopes of a larger plant in 2013, check out my photos. All summer I watered near daily and used Miracle Grow every 3rd or so watering, it grew nicely. Good luck and I think down where you are you should have no problem overwintering Basjoo.

Re: Best cultivars for storage
 

When we lived in Ohio zone 4-5 winters were bad. freezing ground,wet conditions,below zero temps every winter. I never did anything for my Basjoo mat,just cut them to the ground and always came right back.

fishoifc - lives North of me 4hrs away down the coast. We both have sand for soil that's it,very dry and hot/humid.We don't just plant them in straight sand :) My Basjoo mats here don't seem to like the heat we have here on the coast. No matter how much I water. My other types all do great. They do like to be shaded more down here I noticed as the ones I gave my parents and neighbor's here,has them shaded and they are large.

Re: Best cultivars for storage
 

well sounds good but I have three basjoos now in ground in three completly different spots all same results. If i plant a new basjoo in spring it will grow rapidly but after winter to next spring nothing. I have tried them inground,in a crawl space and potted indoors they never recover.I wont give up yet I am on a mission to grow a large basjoo matt, if I ever figure out how to make it happen.
There is four Varietys in my yard now that are amazing growers they are,Saba,D Orinoco,Orinoco,and a unknown that is suppose to be Ice cream.
I have Three matts of Saba they overwinter perfect anyway i do it,as do the others,but the sabas for "me" can go through numerous light frost and stay green and even grow. Last season I had one continue to grow all winter.This matt was wrapped in plastic with christmas lights.
This winter I will leave in ground,Saba(3 matts) one protected with plastic and lights,D.Orinoco plastic and lights,orinoco no protection,Goldfinger plastic and mulch,Raja Puri plastic and mulch,Black Thai mulch,basjoo(3) stems three ways,D.C. no protection,and unknown green grower no nothing.

Re: Best cultivars for storage
 

Ya I find even here they like to be shaded from hot afternoon sun

Re: Best cultivars for storage
 

I agree.
Both store very well !!!
These are GOOD STARTER PLANTS if you want to try your luck with them.
In a container or out of a container these are truly good plants to try..
Any good experiences please post them .....
I keep Bordelons,Dc,Bloods,Balbisana,Basjoo,Ensetes in pots..for the winter.
I have good luck with all of them.