My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

Thought I'd share this here and see what you all think about it.

I have been living in a duplex (lower level of a house) in Cedar Rapids, IA since July. Randomly, I get this letter from my landlord on Monday. Basically, it reads that my rent is going up $50/month due to increases in costs for various things. Whatever, that's not that big of a deal to me....I mean, I'm not 'glad,' but it could be worse. The letter continues, blah blah blah....if you're staying, please come sign a new rental agreement. Then I get to the end and marked with three asterisks, it says "***P.S. YOU WILL NEED TO GET RID OF YOUR PLANTS.***"

This is where my jaw drops and I kinda freaked out a little. WHAT? I have to get rid of my plants? Why? What problem could there possibly be with them? There are lids under all of them so they cannot leak water onto the floor, no bugs on them, humidity is not excessive, etc. I also should note that I am on good terms with my landlord. She's always been nice to me, I've always paid my rent on time and I've gone above and beyond to keep the place looking nice.

So I go over to her place to sign a new rental agreement and talk with her about this whole plant issue. So when I ask her about the plant topic, she goes off on how the heating bill (which she pays) has been so much higher than with the last renter and that she can't afford such a high bill. And that I'm keeping it so warm for the plants. That every time she's been over here, it feels like a hot house. So let me be clear.....my heat is set at 73-74 degrees. That's not really that warm. She even told me the last renter kept it at 72. I had it set lower and was approached by the guy upstairs (which I control the heat to as well) that his apartment was too cold and he wanted me to turn the heat up.

She goes on and on about how she always keeps her curtains closed during the winter to save on heat and that mine are always open. Reality: I keep ONE curtain open....one of the two living room windows where the plants are. ALL other curtains are closed. I should note that having these curtains open or closed makes zero difference since they are sheer white curtains that are thinner than paper (the only curtains the lease allows, and these are curtains she provided). Another thing I should mention is that I offered before winter even began to put up plastic in the windows to help save on energy costs but she told me not to 'because that looks tacky.'

Hey now, I'm sorry your heating bill has been higher than usual, but it's not really my fault. The house is old and has extremely inefficient windows (which she agrees). The heat wasn't really set all that high, but it's been a very cold and long winter (much worse than last year). Natural gas prices have also gone up. All things that contribute to the issue. The one item that does NOT contribute is the presence of my plants. However, as much as I tried to explain things to her in a polite manner, she had her mind made up that the plants are the issue and have to go. I also find it astonishing that if the bill was that high, why was this not brought to my attention before early spring?

The whole thing is absolutely ridiculous, but I really only had two choices: move out or sign a year lease with the stipulation noted in the least that I agree to get rid of my plants. Now I had a really hard time finding a place to rent that was affordable and would even allow me to rent from them since I have no rental history and my job situation isn't 'ideal.' (I even offered to pay 6 months rent upfront to one place on a 6 month lease and THEY SAID NO!). Therefore, I really have one option....to stay and have to get rid of my plants. SOOOOO stupid since they are NOT the issue and the heating bill will be JUST AS HIGH next winter without the plants.

Obviously I'm not going to stop growing bananas. I guess I'm just going to have to delve into the world of dormant overwintering and see how that works for me. I'm sure I'll lose some of the plants I currently have through that process since not all varieties do well in that situation. I'm probably going to pick up some plants that tolerate dormancy like orinoco, musella lasiocarpa, etc (open to suggestions).

I'm so mad about this entire situation. It bothers me constantly all day and I can't stop thinking about it. The situation is so very ridiculous and yet futile for me to fight since she won't be rational/logical about it. Just makes me want to scream (and maybe strangle her a little).

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

I don't want to live in a world without Bananas...

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

That sucks man! sorry to hear that.

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

If that is the biggest problem you have consider yourself lucky :)

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Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

Sorry to hear about your problems. We have had a landlord who owned a house we rented and his daughter lived right next door. Even though we have two little kids we are quit and clean,and made the place look a lot better,palms,bananas planted everywhere. Radom people asking about my plants driving by. They would always stare at the house and watch everything we did,her dad would come over her house and stare too. He has a lot of money and he shows it by being rude. Anyhow,to bad you didn't get a small claims lawyer before you signed to fit her. She has other issues going on in her life and taking them out on you. It's time to jack your heat up now haha. Lasicarpa is only one I stored in the dark and was fine years ago. Red does great as well. Store them in pots with a light on and a little heater running in a closet :)

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

That Sucks Big Time !

Break The Chains & Try to Buy Your Own House !
To Bad Your Not In Florida where houses are dirt cheap & The Weather Is Sweet For Growing ;).

Good Luck With Your Pain In The Arse LL:waving:

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

Ha ha … That reminds me of when I rented a apt in the back of a couples house . I had access to my door from a back ally. I was responsible for all my costs except the water bill . I was allowed to use a few square yards of lawn for what ever I wanted.. I was growing GIANT MARIGOLDS . I had the seeds from Burpee. Oh! This was many years ago :) And water bills were like 18 dollars a month.
One day the owner sees me water the flowers .. I had nice huge blooms. I was proud of these flowers... They keep bugs away and all of them grew really good . Long story short “She” began telling me I was using many gallons of water to keep my flowers growing . My instant offer was just add to my bill the entire cost of the water. Problem solved.. Then my girlfriend was over we were yaking on the back porch. Drinking some type of drink when we were confronted by “the water guard” SHE the water guard said I was not supposed to be sharing my apt with anyone else ! That she ( my girl friend ) had to go !
I had a 12 month lease ! Was in my 4th or 5th month .. My girl friend wasn’t going any where ! Every every other day I heard about my reckless water habit and my fornication with “that “ woman … So what did I do ? I got me a 25 foot hose and a sprinkler and watered my flowers and part of the ally
ha ha . I even told “the water guard” I was conserving water by showering with my girlfriend so running the sprinkler was OK. I was in charge because I had a lease .. AND YES I moved away because my flowers were being pulled up or stepped on :(
So my advice PAC IT UP AND MOVE

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

I've already decided if I find a good job before winter, I'm moving out....even if I have to break the lease. I've also considered other options such as approaching her in the fall to see if her mind has changed any on the plant issue. If she still says no and I'm going to be staying all winter, I'm gonna run the heat just the same as before with no regard to how high her bill is. After all, it doesn't say anything about how high the heat can be run in the lease. I'm not going to be excessively wasteful (leaving windows open, running it oppressively hot, etc) but just run it at a level where I'm comfortable (as was done in the past). There's really NOTHING she can do about it, even if I AM wasteful. She kinda pissed me off and I think it'd be hilarious if the cost was exactly the same next winter without the plants.

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

What I would do,,
Let the plants go.
Wait till winter.
Make sure the heat is always at 74, Leave the curtains open and the windows cracked and complain its always cold.
I would make my self a problem and complain about anything and everything. Tell her the windows are to hard to open and your worried the springs will break and get stuck open.

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

They are right about FL, I have two house on my street that went empty last month. Sheriff's had to come and remove them. Getting into a house might be a lot easier than you think.

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

Sounds like its time to find a new place to live.

Owning a home might not be possible but surely a new rental that will accept, and maybe appreciate, your hobby. :waving:

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

I'd have the heat up at 80+ the following winter and keep the bananas in some room with the blinds or curtains closed. I also would have talked to a lawyer before signing that next years contract. I still say next winter you run the heat so high that it breaks the bank, leave windows open or whatever, if that landlord is dumb enough to pay for the gas bill then they can reap what they sow. I also would say the heat level has nothing to do with the plants and everything to do with your comfort level do to thin blood :-). Have her try to prove otherwise!

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

Cedar Rapids, eh?
I had to go dive in one of the water wells there; it was a long drive down from Wisconsin & I have to confess to peeing in the well when I was down on the bottom.
Now...
Picture the landlady having a nice big glass of water.
:bananas_b
(all this probably happened before you were there, so you're safe) };-)~~
:nanadrink:

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

That does suck.
I guess it is good that your rent covers utilities, tho.
I would definitely ask her to reconsider, what do you have to lose? Definitely mention the guy upstairs. Oh, and BTW, you are supposed to keep the curtains OPEN in winter for solar gain. Plus we all need daytime light to improve mood, etc.

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

I'm with wormfarmer. Keep ti at 74F.

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

Thanks for the responses and kind words. Any suggestions on types of bananas that have good to excellent response to dormant overwintering? I've heard dwarf/tall orinoco and musella lasiocarpa do quite well. Any others? I know my SDC probably won't survive, hopefully the ensetes I have will do alright.

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

So you can't have plants (that sucks big time)... So can you have pets? lol :^)

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

Why do you need to keep the thermostat at 74F?

The temperature is set at only 66F here, and I'm able to keep bananas growing inside by the south facing window with no problems. Of course they grow slow, but there hasn't been any issues with lower temperatures.

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

No plants, no pets.

I don't 'need' to keep it at 74. I keep it there due to a combination of a) when it was set lower, the guy upstairs complained his place was too cold and b) it feels really cold in here if it's much lower (I get cold easily and am constantly under a blanket even at 74). The landlady ASSUMED I was keeping it that high for the bananas, but in fact they had nothing to do with it whatsoever.

Re: My landlord is making me get rid of my bananas!
 

What a banana racist. :ha:
:pics::islandsharkbanana: