Bananas.org

Welcome to the Bananas.org forums.

You're currently viewing our message boards as a guest which gives you limited access to participate in discussions and access our other features such as our wiki and photo gallery. By joining our community, you'll have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload photos, and access many other special features. Registration is fast and simple, so please join our community today!

If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us.

Go Back   Bananas.org > Banana Forum > Cold Hardy Bananas
Register Photo Gallery Classifieds Wiki Chat Map Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Cold Hardy Bananas This forum is dedicated to the discussion of bananas that are able to grow and thrive in cold areas. You'll find lots of tips and discussions about keeping your bananas over the winter.


Members currently in the chatroom: 0
The most chatters online in one day was 17, 09-06-2009.
No one is currently using the chat.

Reply   Email this Page Email this Page
 
LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 02-19-2009, 01:55 PM   #1 (permalink)
 
Location: Vancouver BC
Zone: 7
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 80
BananaBucks : 16,257
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 57 Times
Was Thanked 18 Times in 11 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

To any lower mainlanders,

Where do you find your banana plants or any others for that matter?

I don't have a greenhouse (yet!) so I am wondering where to find some nice plants without spending $100's . Thought I would ask before the season gets started. I am sure I have lost most of my plants this past winter, a large Australian Flax, elephant ears went to mush etc. Need to replace and add more!

Thanks
__________________
Click for Pitt Meadows, British Columbia Forecast
bananabeginner is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To bananabeginner

Join Bananas.org Today!

Are you a banana plant enthusiast? Then we hope you will join the community. You will gain access to post, create threads, private message, upload images, join groups and more.

Bananas.org is owned and operated by fellow banana plant enthusiasts. We strive to offer a non-commercial community to learn and share information. Receive all three issues from Volume 1 of Bananas Magazine with your membership:
   

Join Bananas.org Today! - Click Here


Sponsors

Old 02-19-2009, 02:33 PM   #2 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
chong's Avatar
 
Location: Seattle, WA
Zone: 8-9
Name: Chong
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,851
BananaBucks : 96,735
Feedback: 6 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 1,309 Times
Was Thanked 1,701 Times in 758 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 991 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

There are several commercial greenhouses in BC that supply banana plants and other tropicals to Home Depot, Lowes, and other large hardware stores, here in the Seattle area, with a garden section. So, there should be outlets for them there in BC. One company is called Burnaby Lake Nursery. Understandably, they are strictly wholesalers, but I'm sure that your bigger hardware/garden outlets would carry them there.

If you talk to the garden center manager of any of these stores, they can tell you when they will be ordering tropical plant materials.

The most common bananas that they carry, most recently, are Basjoo, Abyssinian, and occasional Super Dwarf Cavendish.
chong is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To chong
Old 02-19-2009, 04:37 PM   #3 (permalink)
 
Location: Vancouver BC
Zone: 7
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 80
BananaBucks : 16,257
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 57 Times
Was Thanked 18 Times in 11 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

Thanks Chong. I did buy my first banana from home depot. It didn't make it through the first winter. I will ask like the manager when they will be arriving. I hit it lucky when I bought mine.
The nurseries around here are crazy expensive for bananas etc $50-$100 and up for one small to medium size plant. Sorry, I can't pay the much with the luck I have with plants, my husband would kill me! hahaha
__________________
Click for Pitt Meadows, British Columbia Forecast
bananabeginner is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To bananabeginner
Old 02-19-2009, 04:50 PM   #4 (permalink)
Bob
Orang Puteh
 
Bob's Avatar
 
Location: Washington Twp N.J.
Zone: 6a
Name: bob
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,528
BananaBucks : 205,024
Feedback: 12 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 9,537 Times
Was Thanked 4,058 Times in 1,694 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 565 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

50$-100$ what are they thinking? I'd post a want ad here when the weather warms a bit. You can also try ebay or some of the many sites on the web. My best plants though have come from members, I'm fondest of those as well. Good luck.
__________________
Click for Morris Plains, New Jersey Forecast
Bob is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To Bob
Said thanks:
Old 02-19-2009, 05:21 PM   #5 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
chong's Avatar
 
Location: Seattle, WA
Zone: 8-9
Name: Chong
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,851
BananaBucks : 96,735
Feedback: 6 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 1,309 Times
Was Thanked 1,701 Times in 758 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 991 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

Quote:
Originally Posted by bananabeginner View Post
Thanks Chong. I did buy my first banana from home depot. It didn't make it through the first winter. I will ask like the manager when they will be arriving. I hit it lucky when I bought mine.
The nurseries around here are crazy expensive for bananas etc $50-$100 and up for one small to medium size plant. Sorry, I can't pay the much with the luck I have with plants, my husband would kill me! hahaha
Home Depot and Lowe's and others sell banana plants in 5-gallon pots for $15 - $20 around here. On sale, they go as low as $12.95. The 6-inch pots are $5 - $10. Sometimes, they may have 8-gal sizes, 3 to 4 foot tall plants for $39. Those same plants when Costco has them, they go for $20. Unfortunately, I haven't seen banana plants at Costco in the last couple of years here in the Seattle area. In California, 2-1/2 years ago, I saw those 8-gal sizes for only $15 at Costco.
chong is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To chong
Sponsors

Old 02-19-2009, 06:24 PM   #6 (permalink)
Member
 
john_ny's Avatar
 
Location: Staten Island, NY - southernmost county in NY State.
Zone: USDA7- Sunset34
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 2,014
BananaBucks : 605,122
Feedback: 5 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 1,057 Times
Was Thanked 2,284 Times in 832 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 37 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

Of course, you could contact the wholesale grower that Chong mentioned, and ask them who their distributors are, in your area.
__________________
John

john_ny is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To john_ny
Old 02-19-2009, 07:05 PM   #7 (permalink)
 
Location: Vancouver BC
Zone: 7
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 80
BananaBucks : 16,257
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 57 Times
Was Thanked 18 Times in 11 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

Quote:
Originally Posted by chong View Post
Home Depot and Lowe's and others sell banana plants in 5-gallon pots for $15 - $20 around here. On sale, they go as low as $12.95. The 6-inch pots are $5 - $10. Sometimes, they may have 8-gal sizes, 3 to 4 foot tall plants for $39. Those same plants when Costco has them, they go for $20. Unfortunately, I haven't seen banana plants at Costco in the last couple of years here in the Seattle area. In California, 2-1/2 years ago, I saw those 8-gal sizes for only $15 at Costco.
Wow! The USA is always cheaper than up here. We bought our boat and a camper down there and saved thousands on each. Car and boat dealers do the same and make way too much money from us Canadians. Unfortunately, we can't bring plants across the border or I'd be buying them down there!
__________________
Click for Pitt Meadows, British Columbia Forecast
bananabeginner is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To bananabeginner
Old 02-19-2009, 08:53 PM   #8 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
chong's Avatar
 
Location: Seattle, WA
Zone: 8-9
Name: Chong
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,851
BananaBucks : 96,735
Feedback: 6 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 1,309 Times
Was Thanked 1,701 Times in 758 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 991 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

Quote:
Originally Posted by john_ny View Post
Of course, you could contact the wholesale grower that Chong mentioned, and ask them who their distributors are, in your area.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bananabeginner View Post
Wow! The USA is always cheaper than up here. We bought our boat and a camper down there and saved thousands on each. Car and boat dealers do the same and make way too much money from us Canadians. Unfortunately, we can't bring plants across the border or I'd be buying them down there!
John has a great suggestion but, unfortunately, contact information on wholesale nurseries in BC are difficult to get. I know because I've tried. When I did find a couple, I was referred to a wholesaler in Seattle anyway, and they don't want you competing with their regular customers. You may have better luck over there, since you're closer. So, if you can't do that, the best way is to talk to the garden manager of a HD, Lowe's, or big garden centers, and ask when they intend to order tropical plants and whether they can include some bananas.
chong is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To chong
Old 02-19-2009, 09:02 PM   #9 (permalink)
 
Location: Vancouver BC
Zone: 7
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 80
BananaBucks : 16,257
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 57 Times
Was Thanked 18 Times in 11 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

I will give it a try. Thanks to all for the suggestions.
__________________
Click for Pitt Meadows, British Columbia Forecast
bananabeginner is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To bananabeginner
Old 02-20-2009, 03:17 PM   #10 (permalink)
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 127
BananaBucks : 18,844
Feedback: 5 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 0 Times
Was Thanked 31 Times in 24 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 4 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

try plantland at oceanparc.. I know theres one in south surrey ...likely elsewhere as well. I bought some 4 ft basjoo from there last spring. I think they were about $40 and grew huge over the summer in winnipeg.
cedardave is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To cedardave
Said thanks:
Old 02-21-2009, 12:46 AM   #11 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
Inoneear's Avatar
 
Location: Delta B.C.
Zone: Sunset climate zone 4
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 219
BananaBucks : 19,735
Feedback: 6 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 318 Times
Was Thanked 38 Times in 15 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 223 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

Call Ray @ Tropic to Tropic Plants Index
He's at 1170 53A Street, South Delta (Tsawwassen), B.C.
Inoneear is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To Inoneear
Said thanks:
Old 02-22-2009, 02:01 PM   #12 (permalink)
 
Location: Vancouver BC
Zone: 7
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 80
BananaBucks : 16,257
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 57 Times
Was Thanked 18 Times in 11 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

I will have to check out these places. I have found a website that is here in BC and was wondering if anyone has purchased from it. It seems a bit overpriced, what do you all think. Canada Bamboo World - bamboo nursery offering cold hardy bamboo plants

It seems to have all the types of plants I want. I guess I will take the long drive out there (on a nice day) just to see the place.
__________________
Click for Pitt Meadows, British Columbia Forecast
bananabeginner is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To bananabeginner
Old 02-22-2009, 03:30 PM   #13 (permalink)
 
jack hagenaars's Avatar
 
Location: Victoria,British Columbia
Zone: 8 a/b
Name: Jack
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 236
BananaBucks : 49,973
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 3 Times
Was Thanked 137 Times in 83 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 7 Times
Hiya Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

Hey Beginner....Garden works sells them...also check out www.hawaiianbotanicals.com. They also have gingers,bromeliads and lots of interesting,some hardy stuff.
jack hagenaars is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To jack hagenaars
Said thanks:
Old 02-23-2009, 03:15 PM   #14 (permalink)
Junior Member
 
Location: Vancouver Island
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 99
BananaBucks : 46,397
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 0 Times
Was Thanked 38 Times in 17 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

Hi Beginner

I'm over on Vancouver Island and have been growing bananas and tropicals for 3 seasons now. I went through all the trials and tribulations of losing many plants over the winters in our cool, damp climate. I'm getting much more success now so if you need any tips send me a PM.

There are many places over here that offer Musa basjoo for reasonable prices. $15-$39. Some of these places also carry Red Abyssinian too.

Canadian Tire
Home Depot
Art Knapps
Walmart
Almost all the local nursuries carry them too.

Remember that even small plants will grow very quickly when the summer temps hit. You don't need to spend $100 on a big plant.

Also if you want to increase your Basjoo stock I've found that growing them in pots (ie. half-oak barrels) and feeding them high nitrogen fertilizer (Miracle grow 24-8-16) twice a week makes them pup like crazy. I have two half oak barrels with 6-10 pups in each. In the spring I divide and get lots of new plants for my ever-growing plantation.
sunsetsammy is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To sunsetsammy
Said thanks:
Old 02-23-2009, 07:03 PM   #15 (permalink)
 
Location: Vancouver BC
Zone: 7
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 80
BananaBucks : 16,257
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 57 Times
Was Thanked 18 Times in 11 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

Thanks I am sure I will be taking you up on the offer of your tips once I get some plants! I am still hoping the one I have will make it. How small could I purchase for outdoors (no place with proper lighting indoors) as I don't have a greenhouse?
__________________
Click for Pitt Meadows, British Columbia Forecast
bananabeginner is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To bananabeginner
Old 02-24-2009, 01:15 PM   #16 (permalink)
Junior Member
 
Location: Vancouver Island
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 99
BananaBucks : 46,397
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 0 Times
Was Thanked 38 Times in 17 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

Hi Beginner,

No greenhouse here either. Regardless we don't get enough light here over the winter anyway, the plants start looking bad inside no matter what you do. From my experience either leave them out or dig and store.

I have left 1ft tall Basjoo out over the winter with some good mulch cover and it came back the next year no problem. It did freeze to the ground though but sent up many new shoots (pups).

As long as your location isn't too wet then I believe that these plants do very well here outside with minimal protection.

My backyard (where I grow most of my bananas) gets very wet in the winter. I don't risk leaving the plants back there and simply dig them up and store them bareroot in the garage over the winter. Leaves are trimmed off and no light or water. They all come back fine.

Many people think I'm nuts digging these big plants out each fall but they really come out quite easily for me. Sink the shovel in around the base and the things pop right out. Don't worry about the roots. I use a dolly to wheel them into the garage to save my back

Talk to you soon.

Sam
sunsetsammy is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To sunsetsammy
Said thanks:

Join Bananas.org Today!

Are you a banana plant enthusiast? Then we hope you will join the community. You will gain access to post, create threads, private message, upload images, join groups and more.

Bananas.org is owned and operated by fellow banana plant enthusiasts. We strive to offer a non-commercial community to learn and share information. Receive all three issues from Volume 1 of Bananas Magazine with your membership:
   

Join Bananas.org Today! - Click Here


Sponsors

Old 03-11-2009, 12:57 PM   #17 (permalink)
 
martanzio's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 3
BananaBucks : 690
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 2 Times
Was Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

Bought tons of stuff through
Ray @ Tropic to Tropic Plants Index
He's at 1170 53A Street, South Delta (Tsawwassen), B.C.

This guy is awesome and will ship if you want, You live in Van and have to go and visit his place. You will think that you have gone to a tropical island. Ray is super knowledgeable and the nicest guy you will meet.

Good luck, M
martanzio is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To martanzio
Said thanks:
Old 03-11-2009, 07:51 PM   #18 (permalink)
Senior Member
 
Inoneear's Avatar
 
Location: Delta B.C.
Zone: Sunset climate zone 4
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 219
BananaBucks : 19,735
Feedback: 6 / 100%
Said "Thanks" 318 Times
Was Thanked 38 Times in 15 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 223 Times
Default Re: Buying Banana plants in Vancouver,BC

Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii'
Zebrina?

in at Home Depot.....small TC plants 8-10 inches $9.00
Inoneear is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To Inoneear
Said thanks:
Reply   Email this Page Email this Page

Previous Thread: search zebrina
Next Thread: Musa basjoo and -24 below zero





Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:55 AM.





All content © Bananas.org & the respective author.