winter prep
 

Hi All:

So I have two healthy banana plants. I live in Maryland. They are planted in the ground. They are getting big. I love them to pieces.

We will stay warm here till about early October, then the evenings will be getting colder. My question is.....do I dig them up, put them in pots and let them winter in my house? Or cut them down and leave the crom in the ground and cover with mulch. Winters here get to the low teens and the ground gets very frozen.

I have left root ball type plants in the ground before only to be disapointed in the spring by them not returning. I want these plants to survive no matter what. I have heard wrapping them in burlap also. I just don't have the knowledge.

help!!!

Re: winter prep
 

Do you know what type of banana you have? That makes a huge difference. if you don't know, you can post a few pics in the banana identification section and the nice folks here will happily let you know what kind they are.

Re: winter prep
 

Welcome!
If they are not Basjoo, I would dig them and put them in buckets in the basement for the winter. (Or any cool, dry place where they won't freeze.) Give them a little water every 4-6 weeks down there and replant in spring after frost chance is gone. Some people cut off the stalk, but I never did.
Bananas have a rather large root system, but you don't need to dig much for them in winter as they go dormant, anyway.

Re: winter prep
 

Do you cut the leaves off when you do this or leave them on? Any pics of this method by chance?

Re: winter prep
 

I live in Florida, now, but when in Illinois I left the leaves on. I figured the corm would reabsorb the liquid and glucose to remain strong. I used to give them about a pint of water in midwinter, like late January and nothing more after I lost one my third year to drying out and almost lost another. They always did fine. I have no idea what variety they were. I never even dreamed I would get one to fruit.
I just dug up the corm so it fit in a 5 gallon bucket and carried them to the cellar.