Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Moved all that i could fit into my greenhouse im waitting for my orincos and golfinger cal gold waiting for frost for them im going to leave them as long as i can im going to put them into my storerage room where i will let my orincos and goldfinger go to sleep. im affaid that one of my orincos is close to blooming it is 9 foot tall and still growing i hope it waits till next summer.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

I just hope this leaf problem is a minor one and not some major problem.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

my plan for this year is to erect supports all around my plants then I'm installing plastic sheeting since my zone is so miled the idea is to keep all the leafs from this season going its kinda ambitious but i think it will get me lots of fruit early in the spring with out having to wait i have at least 4 plants that are on the verge of flowering and i don't want there leafs to die

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Michigan just got cold, and all my potted nanners took the trek indoors yesterday. I was hoping for another week or so, but with a forecast of low 30's tomorrow night and 20-40 mph winds yesterday, I figured it was about time. Right now, I just stuck the majority of them if front of a big ol' south facing window and am hoping for the best (I keep the house in the high 60's). Currently, I don't have any additional lighting. I'm a bit nervous: spider mites, unhappy plants, rot, maybe even, sniffle...sniffle, death?
Does anyone have any input on how to keep these guys happy throughout the bitterly long and cold Michigan winter? As a banana rookie, is there anything I should keep my eye out for. Thanks.

-Brad

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

well if you run low on light maybe you can crank-up the tanning bed for 15min = full day of sun lol..... Mine's for sale by the way.... lmao

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

I just started to pull some plants but I will leave the biggest till the end of oct. but when in doubt cut leaves for cold dark storage.......... I live in Zone 6 northern ohio...

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

When do your frosts begin?

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Hey jack, I just watch the weather if it spikes I will be out there digging. Our weather guys are usually full of it.. Living so close to the water, it tends to stay a little warmer. I did pull smaller plants and potted them up but the larger one's can take the cold little better. Plus I wanted to show them off for halloween. This was the first year I put them in the ground. Boy did I notice a difference in growth!!! From now on pots for winter & in the ground for summer...... Right now our temps are staying around 65f highs to 50-42f lows....with finally a little rain.......November is when you have to watch out for but you never now...if it stays warm I will leave them in... Or if I see there getting hurt I will pull them. This will be the first time I have plants big enough to bare root & see how they do..

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Interesting. :D I have much warmer weather here and am already afraid. Frosts can come very guick and be very deadly. :( Good luck with bare root storing!

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

jack, do think i should pull everything? I work outside for a living and it not bad out for cold? (for me anyways) I am kinda watching my canna's for leaf burning.... shouldn't that tell?????? Plus a good cold spell will put banana's to sleep for a while...... I have to cut leaves anyways to get down in my basement.....they are just to big.......

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

I don't know, my first naner winter too. :D

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

For those of us who are trying their first bare root banana winter, some questions. After digging, removing the dirt and leaves from the p-stem, should the plant be left outside to dry for a given amount of time before bringing it in? Once inside, should it be laying down, propped up at an angle, or straight up? Should the corm ever be misted throughout the winter? Should I shake some fungicide on the corms? Any other advice would be GREATLY appreciated, as previously I've potted up my nanas for the winter, and this is new for me. Thanks!

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Howard, I just dug up 2 IC at Mike's house last wkend. My 2nd time doing this. Get as much soil off as you can & drag it in garage or lay out to dry. Last time I layed it down & covered it for winter. This time they are standing in corner of garage. Laying down - standing, doesn't matter. DO NOT mist them or they will rot. I know it sounds weird, but they are better staying dry. Also, I only cut half of the newest/top leaf off to give it a better start in spring. Just something to absorb a little sun to get it started.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

I am a first time naner grower down along the south Alabama coast, so I don't think I need to dig mine. I have two ice creams that I planted out this last spring as 1 foot pups. They are now both some 10 ft. tall with three young, 3 to 4 ft. pups around each of them. I have a hen house full of dry chicken manure that has built up since last fall. I usually shovel it out every fall and dump it out on part of the garden to be plowed under. I was wondering if I should fill some large leaf bags with the manure and place them around the larger pups to protect them over the winter? The local gardening expert who writes for our paper says to cut the large original stem completely down and only try to save one fair size pup from each main stem. He says the older stem that grew this year won't fruit next year and not to try to save it, is this right? Should I mix any leaves or wood chips with the manure and should I keep it dry or would it be better to wet it down? I thought it might go through a composting cycle in the bags and be a good soil dressing for the plants in the spring. Thanks for the help.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

If main stem hasn't flowered there is no need to chop it off @ the base.. you can leave it as is if it don't freeze or you can cut 2 or 3 bags top to bottom and tape them up fill with mulch and save 8 ft of the main stem.. Or you can use a couple bails of straw or hay. :^) :woohoonaner:

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Hi guys. No im not death but i have a new hobby en its taking mutch time.
My new frend a Hungarian Pointing Dog . A Vizsla for the pro's.
Now im making a little time for my garden hehe.
We have 3 nights down Zero. -1, -2.
For next week min 5 degrees max 16.
Is it time for me to put nanas 2 sleep?
The non frosts are in the greenhouse.
I have cut the leaves of the basjoo.
Somebody have expierience withe the glasswool inssulation mat?
i have seen a video on yourtube.

YouTube - Fall Hardy Bananas


nice 2 c u all back.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Interesting video, but doesn't the insulation absorb moisture and hold it near the pstem and promote rot? Always wondered about using insulation against the pstem with it causing rot... Anyone tried this and did the insulation not absorb moisture?

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Well I guess the guy in the video did & worked...not recommended for very rainy climates thou... unless you protect from that... notice on how high he started to wrap.. drainage is the key....