wxman

I have the following bananas I need to overwinter this year:

- Musa basjoo
- Musa orinoco
- Ensete maurelii
- Siam ruby

My basement is finished and doesn't get below 65-68F in the winter, so storing them down there is out. My garage is detached and uninsulated, so it remains the temperature of outdoors.

I was thinking of purchasing a cheap used refrigerator, taking out the shelves and storing the pseudostems and corms in there for the winter. Maybe set it at 45 degrees or so. That would prevent pseudostem loss I think and help keep it dormant.

What do you all think?

Abnshrek

I'd think a frig would dehydrate the banana's like a normal frig. If they are dry you might get away with wrapping them with something that lets external moisture out otherwise I'd think it would suck all the moisture out of the corms over the winter.

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Scott

I may have brought home some succulents from Canada...hehehe Thought maybe I should throw them into the freezer for a month during our Florida winter. Thought was to freeze them back like they do when they're home...blah blah.
Someone said the Frig won't sustain life. My thoughts ... they sustain in -30....
So now they stay out all the time...Maybe the frig wasn't a great idea.
Maybe you can build a small greenhouse on your property and don't chill it...just keep the frost/freeze off of them....
Guess finding banana growers in WI would be better than advise from a Floridian

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coast crab

65 - 68 degrees is too warm? Seems like a few months at 45 degrees would be severe, I can't imagine Siam Ruby enjoying that. Maybe Orinoco and Basjoo, but not Siam Ruby. Storing bananas isn't something I have to consider so I'll shutup and see what others offer.

Russell

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saltydad

I keep most of my bananas, both potted and corms, in my basement, which also is finished and, due to the furnace, stays warm. Most of them do fine. I have the really big ones, like DC and Ensete Maurelli, in pots in the family and living rooms to get more sun. They continue to grow, albeit at a reduced rate. Of course, my Basjoo stay outside.

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