WindyCityzen

It's my first year with my Musa basjoo in the ground. Trying to get my fall game plan ready. Has anyone every used one of these? Or one designed for roses to winterize their hardy bananas? I'm in zone 6a, live in a condo (I take care of the small yard) and want something that isn't completely unattractive so my neighbors don't have anything to say about it.

I came across these today...
https://www.gardeners.com/buy/pop-up...xoCASMQAvD_BwE

anyone?

cincinnana

The tent protection works well for tender rose canes.
In your zone and mine the ground freezes up to 8 inches deep rendering the tent ineffective for a banana plant.
If you were in a warmer zone like 7-9 it would be much more effective.

4 +bags of inexpensive mulch will work for insulation for your plant and your neighbors won't even know its there.
Looks like a small bump and is attractive the next season as mulch.

Here is a link of something similar that has been used in the past, further in the thread it was revealed it did not work as planned for the grow zone.
There are also some good DIY Youtube videos on building wraps and boxs for your plant if you want to proceed.

.Permanent banana shelter for winter and spring

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WindyCityzen

Bummer. I planned to mulch as well, was just hoping to save as much of the pseudostem as possible by filling this with mulch. I wanted big plants this year and I'm afraid if it dies all the way to the ground, it won't be as big as it could be next year.

scottu

no have not seen it before! looks like it could work, good price, you can be the Guinea pig, just over do it where you can and let us know how it works out!

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Viva La Banana

George Webster

I also live in zone 6. The most important thing, to keep the corm from rotting is to keep it dry during winter and until the ground starts to warm. A little mulch then a tarp does it for me.

beam2050

for lite frosts and small plants I use a garbage can.

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npk of wood ash 0/1/3 to 0/3/7

npk of banana leaf ash 1.75/0.75/0.5

SoCal2warm

I used something similar as a cover for hardy citrus.

I did some measurements and it was only about 2 degrees (F) warmer inside the enclosure than it was outside at night. Though it could also act like a greenhouse during the day, and the temperature difference could be much greater in the middle of the day in full sun (up to 14 degrees hotter inside).

I'm not sure how effective they are. Probably can make just enough difference for something to survive when it would be very borderline conditions outside.

It was not enough to keep my mangosteen from dying over the Winter in zone 10 Southern California.

cincinnana

Bump

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kokomojk

I tried leaves and plastic and it rotted in the ground. If you dig them up and place in garage or basement they will restart at the height removed in the spring. Some even cut them at 6 foot then bring them in and they restart from that spot. I did a 15 footer and it bloomed out with 3 hands on the 3 year.

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