Brentp

New to forum, have had musa Orinoco for the past 5 years, this year planted outside in the ground and going to winterize them, friend had good luck with I believe musa basjoo, and tips? I've seen bubble wrap to just cutting them down and burying with mulch. I'm in Kansas City so I think maybe zone 7, I would have to check.

37.667910

I'd be shocked if that Orinoco survives in the ground in your zone. I'm in 9B and I lose some leaves in very cold winters. Musa bassjo? Whole different story, they will sail through winter (cutting it to the ground and covering with leaves). There's no way your Orinoco will make it in the ground. And you are certainly not zone 7. Looks like only the USDA 2012 edition even rates Kansas City as zone 6. Prior to 2012 you were considered zone 5.

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Brentp

I looked up my zone and your right it's 6, I think I'm going to try to winterize a few, I thought maybe cut, mulch then maybe build something around them then insulate, maybe even a little bubble wrap(video I watched, guy from Canada did it with success), thought about possible doing a Rubbermaid trash can, cut the bottom out for a lid or just put it over the plant, mulch then insulate with hay or I've read dried leaves are really good too, hopefully they'll make it! I appreciate the reply, and don't worry I have a ton of them so a lot will be inside growing in my basement under lights nice and warm!

37.667910

I think you may have an outside chance if you winterize like you said, but if you add a string of Xmas lights (old school) it may stand a chance. I wish you luck however, I like to zone push myself!

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sputinc7

A lot depends on the winter, too. Some are easy, some are downright brutal.

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If you lose your head and give up, you neither live nor win.

https://sputinc7.wixsite.com/covwc

Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

Brentp

I'm an electrician so I might run power and run strands of incadesent rope lights, LEDs give little to no heat, used them before as a diy seed warmer, I got one to flower and produce fruit this year by putting it in the ground so I'm going for trying to keep them outside. I've been trying to upload pics but I'm new here so I don't know if the file size is to big or it's just not letting me do so. Thanks for you guys input so far!

geissene

In my opinion, keeping the p-stem dry is critical for not having it rot away. So don't wrap plastic directly around the p-stem. A trash can filled with leaves/hay sounds like a good idea.

I have an extra dwarf orinoco that I will try and over-winter outside as well. I'm going to see if I can save the corm and about 1' of p-stem. If that works and produces decent growth next spring, I'll think of how to save a taller stem.

From my experience with basjoo, the plants seem to recover the lost height from being cut down very quickly.


Erik

Brentp

I have 3 or so, one bloomed, I figured I'd cut that one completely down knowing its going to die anyways, yeah I kinda thought that the bubble wrap my constrict them, I know they need to breathe, so I got a little leg room to experiment with! I'll definitely let you know how things come out!

37.667910

Didn't you bare root your Orinoco in the basement, and it fruited?
Don't get why you'd risk it in the ground considering you already pulled off the impossible

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geissene

I did fruit a dwarf orinoco this year from bare root. Now I am trying to see how I can improve. Getting earlier growth in spring is something I would like to try with Orinoco. Bare root plant recovery took one month before leaf growth started.

Just like Brentp, i have extra plants i can use for experiments. The plants pup plenty for me so no worries either way.

37.667910

I wish you guys luck. As someone growing one, I'll follow the progress with interest!

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a.hulva@coxinet.net

I have over wintered Orinoco's for 53 years. I just dug up, cut off all leaves, shook off soil, put on a burlap bag and stored in a place that won't freeze. The bigger the the plant the better it does. I over wintered some in the ground last year with mulch and straw. They didn't freeze, but were a little too wet to suit me. The problem is too insulate and keep the soil reasonably dry at the same time.