Quote:
Originally Posted by venturabananas
I honestly don't know if it would work, but my gut reaction is that it wouldn't work over winter because you'd have problems with rot. I think that when we get root rot it is at least in part because the corm is not healthy or at least not happy. When soil temperatures are in the 40's (F) and the soil is wet, banana corms are not happy and prone to rot. That's not to say they invariably will rot, established plants hang in there, but in terms of growth, they practically go into stasis during our relatively mild winter. I've been keeping track of how long it takes new leaves to emerge. For the fast growers, it'll take a month for each new leaf during our winter, and for the slow growing varieties (i.e., the most cold sensitive), it takes 3-4 months for some. I think the differences between California and the tropics for banana growing all boil down to temperature.
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The barrel method should work perfectly in most areas and vastly improve your current growing technique.
I don't think there is any concern that this grass filled barrel would be a source of fungal disease.
I really believe your reasoning is based on myth and misinformation.
The concern over high moisture levels during the colder months can be addressed by simply adding an elevated cover over the barrel.
This method will also give you the opportunity to track root growth in addition to you tracking new leaves emerging.