Hey "Kelso", I'm also in Kelso!!!...Small world!!...I've grown my basjoos in the ground for a couple years now with no problems...All the other bananas I have go out in pots in the Spring/Summer, and in the greenhouse Fall/Winter
I also grow lots of different palms, Alocasias and Colocasias...Of course, other than the Windmill palms, they are kept in the greenhouse over the winter.