*Dearly Depotted*

Now since (as I have said before) I from Ohio. So I have to bring in my plants for the winter. You might think oh brother, why are you telling this? You won’t believe what I had to do. By the way I have to do this all my by myself. No help form anybody!

First I had to buy tons of huge bags of soil. Throw them into the back of my car and drive them home. After I get home I had to drop them in my garage. I also had to keep going back to buy more soil. I would like to say I’m not a wealthy person and it was costly! After that I had to go online and buy up a ton of different sized pots. I then wait to get the stuff delivered. Once I’ve received the pots I drag them out in to my garage as well. Oh, wait there’s more...

I then have to start by digging up each individual plant. One plant at a time. I then have soak each plant in a bucket of water. After that I have to use my hose to spray and clean off all soil, bugs and such off each plant. Sometimes I had to do that several times in a row just to make sure everything was cleaned off. Literally check each individual root and corm. I mostly do that because I hate bugs! I refuse to let them come inside my house with the plants this year. After I am sure I have properly cleaned it off I bring the plant into the garage. Go back and do that again with each plant. I have to have 100 ‘s of them.

I then go back to the garage to open up each 2.5 cubic foot of bag of soil. I then open up the pots. After that I have to start shoveling dirt into one bucket at a time. Fill it up half way then grab the plant. Stick it in the pot and start shoveling more soil on top. Making sure to keep the plant standing up straight. I did have to redo that several times on a couple of the plants. Once it was okay I would take it and put it front of my garage. Go back and do as many as I could. Once I had several ready to go I had to get my wheelbarrow and put at least 2 plants in it. Push or drag it to my gate. Pick up each individual pot and haul it up to the deck. I then had to quit for the day and wait for the next day or so to be able to bring them in.

I then have to drag them into my house. Take some of them up a flight of stairs to go a bedroom. Take the other ones down another flight of stairs down to the cellar. I then the next day start this all over again!

I had to keep doing this for a week or more. It really almost killed me! It was such hard work to do! I got so tired of it I honestly almost considered giving all my plants away for free! I couldn’t even stand to look at my plants after all this! Seriously I hated them. I still have at least 20 or so sitting on my deck now that are constantly being rained on but I just can’t get the nerve to bring them in!

I had to have been crazy to do this tropical thing! Yes they are pretty and gives you a tropical feel even here in Ohio in summer! Once fall comes around not so fun. I am seriously getting tired just writing this!

So for those of you living in warmer climates, just be thankful you don’t have to do this! If you’re like me living in a colder climate and want tons of tropical plants for your yard, think long and hard about it! It can be fun but it’s really hard work!

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this! I think I just mostly wanted to complain about it! So, any thoughts or comments?

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It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream!

edwmax

Bananas. .... huh


How many potted bananas do you have? .... Suggestion, build a small green house to one side of the garage and heat with 1 or 2 electric milkhouse type heaters. .... A lean-to type with PVC pipe frame and 6 mill poly covering. I could give you sketch on how to build it.

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Dalmatiansoap

I would move south

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https://abnb.me/AXJty518xib

Dalmatiansoap

What is milkhouse heater?

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https://abnb.me/AXJty518xib

*Dearly Depotted*

Hi! Thanks so much for all the wonderful replies! I really appreciate it! I will have to get back to the both of you later on today. Considering how late at night it is! I only signed on for a minute and was nicely surprised to see messages on this thread! Yeah!

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It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream!

Iowa

Save some money on dirt and store them bare root.

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Growing Musa Orinoco since 1993 - Added 2018-Basjoo, Zebrina' Rojo, Ensete Red Abyssinian - Added 2019-Goldfinger - Added 2020-Kokopo (Short Cycle), Double (Mahoi), Highgate, Super Dwarf Cavendish - Added 2021-Pisang Ceylon(Mysore), Musa Margarita, Ensete Ventricosum - Added 2023 - Siam Ruby

edwmax

Just type it into google and you'll see. ... They are about $20 to $30. And, some times can be found at yard sells.

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edwmax

If you haven't found this before .... take a look at how I built my greenhouse & scroll down to see all the details. It was less than $100 at the time. ..... Greenhouse


A similar greenhouse can be built as a lean-to against one wall of your garage; OR a complete self-standing as shown. That greenhouse is light weight, but it has been though several hurricanes without damage ... as long as the poly is tight. But so what if the poly did blow-off in a high wind. It is easily replaced & repaired.



I don't know if you plant a garden but if you do .... the greenhouse can pay for itself by starting your own seeds/plants in the spring rather than paying $3 or more each plant at the big box stores; and sell or give plants to neighbors & relatives (the ones you like anyway).

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Snarkie

This is why I never got anything other than Musa basjoo. I let them turn wild and do their own thing.

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Doug (D.A. Hänks) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2955582/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1


The Only Eastern Redwood Forest in America




"Nuke my 'nanners, will you?!"

edwmax

Army


Try some Orinoco & Carolina King. Let them go wild and do their thing a d you might get bananas to eat.

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*Dearly Depotted*

Hey! I got an update for you! Just today I finally brought in my last plants in the house! Yeah! Finally done!

I forgot to mention that I not only have banana varieties but I also have different varieties of elephant ears, callas, cannas, caladiums, coconut palm tree, sugar cane, pineapple plants and an orange tree! It certainly does explain why I have to bring in so many plants off the winter! I just counted all the plants I have brought in so far! I can’t believe how many there are! Somebody give me a roll please....Total # is 95! Even I am shocked & stunned at that number! My pots range in size from a 2 gallon to 10 gallon. I have a ton of those big storage containers full of plants as well. No wonder I am dead tired! I must have nuts to have bought all this stuff, huh?! At least my yard was beautiful looking this year! I am so glad that I do have some plants that can be be left outdoors all year round! Thank God for that!

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It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream!

*Dearly Depotted*

Hey! Thanks for the info about building a green house! I might just have to do that for next year! Yes when you get a chance please send me a sketch!

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It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream!

*Dearly Depotted*

Yeah I would love to! Hopefully one day!

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It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream!

*Dearly Depotted*

Yeah that also sounds like a great idea! I was just a little worried about losing some over the winter. Well, if you can do it so can I! By the way I love the little kiddie pool! Pretty smart! Thanks!

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It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream!

*Dearly Depotted*

That’s pretty cool! Now I honestly can say I hadn’t seen your picture of your greenhouse before! Cute little chicken! I’m so glad that I now have a couple of options for me next year! I didn’t know you could actually build your own heated greenhouse! I will have to go and check out milk heaters! Never heard of that either! Plus I am glad to hear that it can be done with spending 1,000’s of dollars! Thanks!

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It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream!

*Dearly Depotted*

I do have a Orinoco already! Yeah! However, I have never heard of a Carolina King though! I’ll check it out! Thanks so much for help!

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It’s long been a dream of mine to be able to grow real bananas off my own plants! So, please wish me luck on my quest to fulfill that dream!