Frozen in Oregon
 

This is my first year growing Cold Hardy Bananas. I planted them in May and enjoyed them this summer. I searched many different sites and many folks said just to pile the frozen leaves over the plant and leave them alone for the winter. It is so cold here......10 degrees this morning. I think this is too cold for my plants. Is there anything I can do at this late stage of the game to increase their chance of survival.......Help!!!

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

Welcome dig them up and put them somewere warm thats alful cold wow 10 degrees !!!!!!!!

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

So it won't kill them?? Digging them up right now??

(thanks for the welcome by the way:)

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

No! It won't kill them but it would help to know what type of banana you're growing.
When you dig them up, dig deep to get plenty of roots. Get the plants inside quickly as possible and near a warm spot in your house.
1. Wash all the dirt off the roots & corm.
2. If any part of the plant is soft & squishy (spongy), cut those parts off.
3. Dry it off gently with absorbant paper towels.
4. Put what's left (after cutting off the soft parts) somewhere dark. Exposure to light, while the plant is warm, can cause it to come out of dormancy.
5. Leave them stored at less than 55 degrees F for the winter & replant them in the spring.
It always takes a few weeks for the plants to start growing new stem & leaves in the spring so be patient. Please keep us posted on your progress. Ask any new questions you need to ask.

Now, Welcome aboard, Lisa, from Oklahoma :) ! It's a very friendly & info-packed site. If you have any questions about using the forum, just ask!

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

Hi Eric;
thank you so much. I have been freaking out. I will follow your suggestions and let you know if they make it. I purchased large Cold Hardy Bananas......Musabasjoo. The care tag said it would be hardy for my zone 8, but I never dreamed it would ever get this cold here.

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

Hi Lisa :). Musa Basjoo is a very cold-hardy cultivar but I still dug mine up, for the winter, before I gave it to a friend. Another great looking & cold-hardy cultivar is Musa 'Tiger' Sikkimensis. It's hardy down to -3 degrees F and has red striping in the leaves, super!
Yeah, think it's def gonna be a cold winter this year. Already been down in the teens and we never get that low till Jan-Feb in Oklahoma!
Best of Luck!

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

Lisa, 10 f is too cold for nanas! If you can't dig it up then wrap it with some old blankets , towels or anything. The leaves may die but don't let the p stem freeze. Also, put extra mulch around base.

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

Lisa, Welcome to Bananas dot org,

Eric and Patty know how to handle bananas in Cold country. Follow their advise! :2239:

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

Welcome Lisa!! :) ~Cheryl

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

Thank you all for the advise. I have never been an avid gardener but fell in love with Bananas.....go figure. Not the best choice for a beginner gardener, nor the best Oregon winter to learn in. I will do my best to help them survive this cold snap......

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

You may want to use the search feature(click on search on the blue line above) and look up: "putting the bananas to sleep for the winter" thread. It is a long running post on bare rooting bananas for cold climate storage. Checking out the Cold hardy bananas section you will find under the main bananas.org page. There are lots of posts with techniques and pictures that will help with what you're looking for. Good luck....and welcome aboard.


P.S. Are you in Coastal Oregon or more inland? That matters too if you're planning on overwintering outdoors.

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

Lisa, definitely check Bob :) ! He's who I turn to for winter advice. I think he sleeps with his nanners under his electric blanket :ha: !

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

Welcome from Tennessee

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

Hi Bob;
I am inland......just a little east of Eugene. Walterville area to be exact. A lovely place to live, but we did get "squashed" with this cold blast. My poor tropical garden took a great big hit. Next year I will be more prepared. I tried digging in the frozen ground this morning, attempting to lift them and bring them inside; but the ground is too hard. I wrapped them with large comforters for now. It is supposed to warm up this weekend; I will try digging again then.

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

Hi Lisa , yeah my windmill and fan palms are in the same state. Doubled over with snow this morning. I'm hoping by the weekend I can take care of them as well. Yeah coastal Oregon is easier. I have friends in washington who have it easier than I do even though they're farther north than you or I. I don't get a s much rain though which can make it tough as well.

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

Welcome to the site! I hope you enjoy it here and learn a lot. Another good idea I've heard a lot of people utilize here is wrapping small christmas lights around the stem of the plant because they give off small amounts of heat. Just another idea to toss into the mix. Best of luck!

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

thanks for the tip.
Next year I might try building a cold frame around each plant...bubble wrap etc. once the temperatures drops. The only thing that might be a problem is air circulation and too much moisture build up....causing root rot. I see so many ideas from different Oregon people......all doing something different. Trial and error.......

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

Hello and welcome! Eric says Bob uses cold frames so you can def get info about that from him. Good luck!

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

My dad has been growing musa basjoo up in East Lyme Connecticut and trust me it get's alot colder for a longer duration up there. All he does is pile on about a foot or so of mulch around the pups and main stem(s). The main stems die back but come back each year to a height of around 10 ft. There is no risk of losing a musa basjoo in Oregon, or northern California if one follows the same regimen.

Here is a pic from August of this year...


Banana Gallery - Musa Basjoo in East Lyme, Connecticut

Re: Frozen in Oregon
 

Thanks Jeffrey!!
Hopefully mine will be OK.......I have them covered with old comforters right now. It is supposed to warm up this weekend. I will mound plenty of mulch at their base....hopefully they make it.
So far I am feeling like a "not so good" parent of my little musa basjoo plants:(