Can the Musa saba be Overwintered in Zone 5B?
 

I know the saba is not supposed to be considered a super cold hardy variety, but do you think I could plant a couple healthy 3 foot specimens in the back yard here in the Chicago burbs and hope for the best next spring?

Re: Can the Musa saba be Overwintered in Zone 5B?
 

I have been to Chicago in the winter....
No way, if you do not dig the plants up and overwinter them somewhere safe and warm.

Re: Can the Musa saba be Overwintered in Zone 5B?
 

Yeah, dig it up and overwinter indoors (either dormant or growing as a houseplant). Otherwise, I'd say you have a snowball's chance in hell of overwintering it in the ground in Chicago.

Re: Can the Musa saba be Overwintered in Zone 5B?
 

Not even basjoo will be able to survive a zone 5B if unprotected if you ask me,....

Kind regards,
Remko.

Re: Can the Musa saba be Overwintered in Zone 5B?
 

No

Re: Can the Musa saba be Overwintered in Zone 5B?
 

Yes !

hope all you want !!!!

Now here is a realistic plan....
you're gonna need a d namwah, something to make A frame with, some plastic film and a truckload of poop

dump the poop, erect the frame over it, must be 10ft tall and 6ft wide, go inside for the winter and keep your d namwah in there with you
soon as night temps hit 40's in xpring (april?) then plant your (hopefully already 4ft+ ) banana
open part of the tent when day temps pass 80,

I'm gonna work with a guy in northern lower MI next spring on one of these and see if he can make respectable fruit on a 2yo dwarf cavendish.

oh yeah, while you are hoping, be sure to make good use of your off hand ;-p
gonna need something to fill in where the saba used to be :ha:

Re: Can the Musa saba be Overwintered in Zone 5B?
 

Agreed.