Wintering RajaPuri
 

Its summer now, but I'm thinking of ways to winter a rajapuri I just purchased. I watched a video from the University of Illinois that said for my zone I have to cut the pstem to about 3-4inches from the soil and place in a dark place 45-50 degrees fahrenheit. I won't get fruit that way so I noticed people on youtube cutting all the leaves off of the main pseudostem of a Musa Basjoo. The uploader left one emerging leaf at the top. My question is to keep a Rajapuri indoors, do I cut all the leaves off save for the last one at the top that is coming out? Can I keep it in the pot? do I have to store it in a dark place?

Re: Wintering RajaPuri
 

They stay short so if it was me I would pot it up and keep it as a house plant. You can trim leafs or top it if needed. It should bloom eventually if you can keep the Pstem alive. Then plant it back out after winter.

Re: Wintering RajaPuri
 

I kept a dwarf cavendish indoors and it wasn't liking the lower light. I thought it was ok until it was warm enough I brought it back outside. Unfortunately, throughout the winter the pstem was rotting from the inside and I didn't catch it. The corm died too; even after I removed the bad part.

Edit: I kept all the original foliage on it when I brought it inside.

Re: Wintering RajaPuri
 

I could be wrong, have not tried to do so myself, but you should have a lot more luck keeping a raja puri/dwarf namwah or other cold hardy type indoors through the winter.

Re: Wintering RajaPuri
 

Inside is fine. I left mine in the ground last year. I would cut at least six inches high if your going to leave outside. Spray fungicide and bactericide all over especially down inside all petioles to help prevent rot etc. If you move inside DO NOT over water. A cup every ten to fourteen days is plenty.

Re: Wintering RajaPuri
 

Do you think I over watered my Dwarf Cavendish (that I put in the house) if it rotted from the inside?

Re: Wintering RajaPuri
 

Treat it like all your other banana plants......this plant take a beating.
Your method to overwinter depends on the plants size in the fall.
See the link...:08:
The cool part is that your going to have fun:)