RandyGHO

I am trying to plan ahead for the coming winter here in zone 8b. I have several years experience protecting citrus and pineapple in the ground but this will be my first year wintering banana trees in the ground.

I have a Ice Cream banana plant and a Manzano banana plant.

I can build a green house like thing around it to protect the stem with C-9s for heat or build an enclosure that would not allow any light the stem.

The problem with 8b is it gets cold but it also can be 80 in January.

Will growth star back with say a week of 70-80F?

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RandyGHO

Maybe I should rephrase my question.

Will a dark enclosure keep a banana tree dormant even though the outside temperature is warm?

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Dalmatiansoap

no

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Bob3

If you're looking for "dormant" when all other conditions are saying "grow", starving it of water will probably be the closest you would get.
There are several decent posts on the forum about over-wintering and/or cold hardy species:
Getting ideas for winter?
Musa Blue Java hardiness

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RandyGHO

Bob, it is my intent to leave my banana trees in the ground and save the growth to maximize the chance for fruit. I am not worried about protecting the pseudostem from the cold. I know I can do that. I am more worried about those days when the temperature gets into the seventies and eighties during the winter.

I had hoped keeping it in the dark would help it stay in a dormant state. Winter is our wet months so keeping the ground dry around it would be difficult.

I know I can do this, I just want to educate myself so my design of the enclosure will have the best chance for success.

I have read a lot of post and articles on protection that seem to conflict in advice. It became obvious the advice was very much climate zone oriented as well as the final goal of the builder.

Right now I see the design criteria as:

1. Keep the pseudostem and root system above 35F.
2. Keep the stem dry.
3. Have air movement inside the enclosure when warm to prevent over heating.

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