Alternate between container and ground?
 

We're about a month away from being able to take my GM out in the backyard once again, here in Ohio.

I went to give a bit of fertilizer to it last night, and I noticed it has grown to be root bound in the pot (yes, under grow lights in the winter in Ohio).

We are so close to being able to put it outdoors that I am wondering if I need to do something about this now.

Here's my question: once it is warm enough to sustain growth outside, I'd like to transplant my GM into the ground during the summer months. Then, obviously, put it back into a pot and bring it in during the winter (albeit to a much bigger pot). Can I do this safely?

If I can safely swap between the pot and the ground, think I can wait another month in its current pot? I'd rather not go through the shock of making a pot switch for only one month.

Thanks.

Re: Alternate between container and ground?
 

A picture would be nice. I wouldn't get in to big of a hurry. Outside in ground is the best way to get the most from your plant in my opinion.

Re: Alternate between container and ground?
 

I wouldn't repot. When planting from pot to ground I find it helps to keep an intact rootball. Being rootbound holds it all together best! If you don't break roots or the rootball when planting there is hardly any setback or transplant shock.

Re: Alternate between container and ground?
 

If you are thinking of transplanting to a bigger pot now and then outside in a month don't. You can add some extra dirt on top but you don't want to dig it up and shock it twice in that time frame.

Re: Alternate between container and ground?
 

You say that you want to transplant it in "summer months" which is after June 20. That would be correct because soil temperature lags air temperature by about a month and the growth rate of banana plants is mostly determined by soil temperature because banana meristems are located below the soil surface. Similarly, you would get a lot of growth in October because the soil is still warm. But, you can put the potted banana plant outdoors, in the pot, as soon as the danger of frost passes. I advise not to transplant from ground to pot except for suckers. It can be done but you will lose any growth gains that occurred while the plant was in the ground. Just dig up and pot the suckers.

Re: Alternate between container and ground?
 

I don't understand what you mean by loss of growth gains. If I put it from ground back into a pot, will part of it die, or growth will just be a bit stunted?

Thanks

Re: Alternate between container and ground?
 

I agree that digging it up in the fall and trying to get it to continue growth is not the best idea. It's very stressful for the plant, and you would be doing it right before putting it in unfavorable conditions, thus stressing it even more and increasing the chance it might not recover.

If it were mine, I would just put it in as big a pot as you can manage and just leave it in there it's whole life. You can bring it it in and out as the seasons change with minimal shock to the plant. Planting in the ground is definitely the best choice for large plants like Gros Michel, but in Ohio it's never going to be able to grow normally in the ground anyway since you have to dig it up before winter, and if the goal is to one day get it to produce any fruit at all, I think your best chance at this is to just leave it in a large pot. It will be a smaller plant than it would be in the ground theoretically under ideal conditions, but since you don't have ideal conditions for growing in the ground, a smaller plant with a smaller bunch is going to be a lot more fruit than no fruit if you continually dig it up.

Re: Alternate between container and ground?
 

Stunted and some leaves are likely to die because many roots will be broken when you remove the plant from the ground. I would remove all of the soil from the roots with a water spray because I don't like the idea of bringing soil born pests indoors. That cleaning of the roots would break even more roots. If you have a heavy clay soil, cleaning the roots is difficult.

I forgot to mention that, if your banana is basjoo, you don't have to worry as much about soil temperature.

Re: Alternate between container and ground?
 

Great Question and great answers ...

A better understanding of this often spoke of subject can be found here..
.http://www.bananas.org/f15/time-put-....html#post2057
.
For me and a few other colleagues in the zone 5-6-7-area this has helped us.
With a few years practice this is easier as the years go by.
And your RESULTS WILL BECOME PREDICTABLE....this is trial and error and depends on your basic gardening skills.

When planting out your plants and retrieving them in for winter the key is "get the largest undisturbed root ball possible"....I mean big and heavy ....do not disturb the roots if possible..
Do not worry about soil borne pests because these are easily handled by better growing practices.

Plant them in the largest container you can move.
If you can afford a miracle grow type soilless mix as a filler for your container then use it.



Yep.... just plop them right in the center of the container and let them set roots for the winter in the provided mix
Reverse the process when it is time to plant outside make and million dollar hole for a 2 dollar plant.


HERE IS THE CATCH.......you have to pull your plants in August- September for the plant to set "winter roots".
Too soon you say.....that is the catch, but it works in a predictable manner.

Locally we do this professionally and in the local garden community.

In zone 5/6 Ohio the most you will get is great foiliage and slim hopes for edible fruit in our short growing season.

Re: Alternate between container and ground?
 

That used to be the method I used for growing. I noticed they didn't get as big in ground in our short season as in containers for some reason. I keep mine potted year round now, so they are continuously growing and seem to mature faster with out all the stress. of course that's if you have decent growing conditions indoors for the winter months. It really depends if you are trying to get fruit or growing just for the foliage. That's my two cents for this late hour here in in 5b.

Re: Alternate between container and ground?
 

That is not my experience in the Chicago area which was recently changed from zone 5b to 6a, but, it is still 5b 30 miles away. I think the change was part of the global warming propaganda conspiracy under Obama. Anyway, my bananas grew like crazy in the ground but I just let them die there when it got cold.

Here is a picture taken in 1987:


The red thing is a musa coccinea flower and the fat ass is me.

Re: Alternate between container and ground?
 

Awesome looking banana pics..