Cutting back question
 

Hello all I am from Ohio zone 6a. I am looking to grow a ice cream banana plant and I am getting a lot of conflicting info online. Some sites say it is hardy in my zone with good Insulation. Others say that I would need to pot or dig up and cut to the ground for over wintering inside. I am completely ok with that if that is the route I will have to go. My question is though if I cut it to the ground every year will it ever actually produce fruit since it will be Essentially starting over again every year in the spring. Any info would be greatly appreciated appreciated thank you

Re: Cutting back question
 

In your zone I would probably pot/dig it up. Cut it to at least a foot above the corm if you are storing it bare root. In-ground edible varieties are killed if the ground freezes. I have heard of people getting away with overwintering basjoo in the ground with insulation in zones similar to yours, but not an edible variety. Keep in mind that it is a larger variety and it may not do as well in a container as a dwarf variety.

Also make sure you get the real deal unless you want a Namwah. If it is a tissue culture from a big box store or nursery, it is probably a Namwah. Talk to some of the growers on here, a lot of us have it!

Re: Cutting back question
 

You do not have the number of warm growing days required to fruit a banana plant or the 3 to 6 months needed to grow an bunch if the plant did flower ... unless you do it in a heated greenhouse.



So cutting the stalk or storing the corn potted or dry root in a garage are different methods of protecting the corm from freezing. The only chance of seeing a flower is to store the plant with most of the stalk intact and replant after your last frost in the spring. ... Depending on the banana variety 280 to 400 plus growing days are required to fruit; then 3 to 6 months to grow the bunch. Dwarf Namwah needs about 14- 16 months and 4 months for the bunch.

Re: Cutting back question
 

Getting a Blue Java to fruit in Ohio is probably going to require a heated greenhouse of some sort.
You’ll have way less headaches going with a dwarf variety that can be lugged inside for winter, allowed to keep most leaves & ‘hibernate’ under a grow light w/ minimal water.
It will pretty much take off again in the spring from where it dozed off after coming inside.
If you want actual growth inside, a lot more light would be needed.
(45 watt led good enough for ‘snoozing’)
I have a couple pics someplace of a 2+ year old Dwarf Orinoco my kid just got done hauling outside in Wisconsin.

By the way, folks do not agree on the Blue Java being the tastiest banana out there, I find the tiny ‘apple’ & ‘finger’ varieties much more to my liking (for snacking).

Good luck & have fun!
Just uploaded a couple pics into my gallery, one looks as it came out of ‘hibernation’, the other after snipping dead foliage.
Banana Gallery - Bob3 Gallery
:nanadrink:

Re: Cutting back question
 

Thank you all for the info I will take a look at the dwarf varieties than