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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. |
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12-06-2008, 03:17 PM | #1 (permalink) |
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My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
Don't say I didn't warn you!
Bags are 3 mil contractor bags, filled with leaves that the thoughtful neighbors left on the side of the street for me. One hole in the bottom of the bag, one hole in the top, no hole in the top of the top bag. Musa itinerans var. itinerans From left to right: M. itinerans, M. sikkimensis 'Red Tiger', M. 'Helen's Hybrid'. Total cost = Whatever I paid for 30, 42 gallon contractor bags (on sale) at Home Depot (I forgot how much they were). And it is effective! I've been using this method for years. |
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12-06-2008, 04:54 PM | #2 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
Very interesting...I would just be concerned that the wind or neighborhood varmant might try to climb it and push it over???....I keep thinking that pipe insulation would be worth a try..but I have not found any with a wide enough diameter...I will keep looking...it certanly would be easier to put up and take down....
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12-06-2008, 05:31 PM | #3 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
I suppose that could happen, but it hasn't yet. They have stood up to some pretty strong winds too. Sturdier than it appears. Pipe insulation is much more expensive than this method!
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12-06-2008, 05:40 PM | #4 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
Good job Frank, when you come up with something easier and less costly please post
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12-06-2008, 06:05 PM | #5 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
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12-06-2008, 06:32 PM | #6 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
Nice, Frank! How about adding some Christmas lights to those bags for some decoration?
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Austin Arkansas River Valley Average January Low: 31°F, Average August High: 92°F Extreme Winter Lows: 5-15°F, Extreme Summer Highs: 100-112°F, Annual Precipitation: 52 inches |
12-06-2008, 06:45 PM | #7 (permalink) | |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
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Thanks, Austin! |
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12-06-2008, 08:25 PM | #8 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
Hey, Frank! I have been doing the same thing here! (except some have cages...some have bags) It seems to be working well.
I might use white bags on some of the larger ones to have a winter-long snowman (sharpie on the nose and eyes, buttons, poke in the arms, done deal!). Ha! |
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12-07-2008, 01:19 AM | #9 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
That looks incredibly easy!! I'm going to try that next year. I notice alot of dried nana leaves at the base. What temp. did you let it get to before you cut them down to cover?
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12-07-2008, 02:52 PM | #10 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
I do the cage thing and throw in oak leaves....but my little patch of bananas is now 13....thats a LOT of leaves......I may try the bag stacking method next year. thanks for sharing...
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12-07-2008, 11:53 PM | #11 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
I just covered them up this past week, and I've already recorded 12F at my house (15F at Knoxville airport (TYS)) and many, many 20+F readings. It's cold here tonight too, so I'm glad they're covered now (19F a few minutes ago). I hate to throw out the leaves, so I use them as mulch. They look uglier than hell, but it is my backyard, lol.
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12-08-2008, 12:15 AM | #12 (permalink) | |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
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Are you storing any of your nanas under the house like you did last year? |
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12-08-2008, 09:19 AM | #13 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
Last year I did the cages filled with straw and covered by a tarp ( a real PITA ) , this year I did the bag deal as well . I did cover the bags with a tarp to help shed some water .
I didn't have to buy any bags or take time to fill them , the thoughtful neighbors took care of that for me ... |
12-08-2008, 08:10 PM | #14 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
"I didn't have to buy any bags or take time to fill them , the thoughtful neighbors took care of that for me ..."
Brilliant!!!!!!! |
12-08-2008, 11:59 PM | #15 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
Thanks BigDog. What a great, simple idea. I plan to try it next year.
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12-09-2008, 08:02 AM | #16 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
Looking kind of sculptural too, Bigdog.
I must admit, that's a quick and easy method. I'm sure it works for you in knoxville, but here in Europe I geusse our winters are longer. Many people here say they have bad experiences with leaves tarped in plastic, especially Sikkimensis and its hybrids. Inner rot seems the case many times. Bigdog, did you ever got problems with inner (or outer) rot? Do you spray with fungicide? Do you also make pictures in spring? Maybe a good idea, post, for us all in the future. Taking pictures when the nanners are unwrapped, the different locations and temps, and making comparison in results. Thank for sharing those images Bigdog. |
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12-10-2008, 03:02 PM | #17 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
I am not sure I understand how your made the leaf bag totem pole. j/k.
Excellent idea and you can save your bags from year to year. I have learned that the larger thicker contrractor bags are much easier to use and save. Nice work. |
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12-10-2008, 04:01 PM | #18 (permalink) | ||||
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
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I don't spray with a fungicide, but that's not a bad idea. I have taken some pictures in the spring. I'll have to dig one of them up and post it when I get home. The Musa itinerans that I covered last year was already growing when I took the bag off! Thanks! By the way, we have just had some really heavy winds here for the past couple of days, and my trash bag totems are standing tall! Maybe I should decorate them... |
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12-12-2008, 12:37 PM | #19 (permalink) | |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
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You can decorate them to look like actual totems with some bear, eagle, and other shapes, cut from plastic and attached to the bags. Or you could just spraypaint images onto the bags using several different colors paint. |
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12-12-2008, 05:44 PM | #20 (permalink) |
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Re: My Winter Protection in Knoxville, TN. Warning! This is REAL Complicated!!
Very cool totems!! Reminds me of when we lived in Gig Harbor, WA and they had big totems in town. The only thing I could do with trash bag totems though would be a snow man.
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