Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Hi Tytaylor..the sweethert sounds amazing! I think I need to add one more to the list. many of my smaller ones im giving away to neighbers and friends...I didnt want to overwinter that many..just couldnt let them go as they were all healthy pups. Now that I have my favs..Ill prob focus on those. I will check out that sweetheart nana.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Great looking plants.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Here in Northern California, zone 9, I've had minimal luck with storing p-stems in a garage. They seem to do much better outside covered in greenhouse plastic, where the frost won't get them and neither will the rains.

The "storing your corms in a root cellar" method seems more appropriate for climates where it gets freezing cold in the winter, yet you start getting some relatively warm days in Febuary and March (Florida, GA, MS, AL, etc are good examples).


Here's a Pisang Ceylon kept under greenhouse plastic-the pastic was blown off a few times from the make-shift shelter. The leaves stayed on, and I watered twice I think the whole time from late November thru early March. All plants remained potted. It's now in full sun and is doing well. When kept in the basement it sets the plants back by about a month, but with this method, they start growing right away as soon as it's warm enough:



I had a dwarf brazilian last year that was purchased around September and it had maybe 4-5 leaves by the time I had to place it in the basement. All the leaves were chopped off, and the corm eventually rotted.

Last year, I acquired a corm of Pisang raja with the same exact circumstance:it was started very late in the season and only had enough time to produce 3-4 leaves before the cold set it. This time, I kept it under greenhouse plastic in a makeshift shelter in full sun. Leaves were kept on. I had to water it maybe 8 or 9 times since this shelter was in full sun, but the plant didn't skip a heart beat, here it is now:



Lastly, here's dwarf Orinoco: it's pretty much bullet proof and would have probably survived the garage torture chamber, but it preferred the makeshift shelter:

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

I received this wagon as a Xmas present, and just assembled today..Huge help to say the least! The wagon has a 400lb limit, and the sides come off by removing a pin. Wish I had this last year....as many can confirm, these plants and containers..and soil get heavy. Highly recommend a tool for those of us that do most of the work solo.



new pic without the sides that I did not have to rotate pic

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Your plants look great....
:08:

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Thank you cincinnana! This time of year is a bonus to have these in containers, due to the strong winds we get this time of year. 40mph gusts today so I move along whichever fence line protects them from directional winds on a daily basia, this seems to help alot with helping get off to a strong start

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

I just pulled my P-stem out of storage in the basement, put it in a pot, and watered it. Now it's in a sunny spot, inside the house. I figured I'd get it growing now since it can go in the ground in about a month. Now I wait... and see if the thing comes back to life.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

I think this thing is dead. A week of watering and nothing.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

How much water are you giving it - I don't bring mine in for winter - they either survive outside or they don't - so I can't advise - maybe someone will respond

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Just keeping it moist. It was solid when I pulled it out of hibernation, but seems to be "peeling off" now, and nothing remotely green coming out of the top.

I tried overwintering outside last year and lost the p-stem, but it came back from the ground.

I think another problem is my horrible clay soil. If I have to buy a new one, I will. But I'm going to dig the hole much bigger and put in potting soil to see if I can get more growth this year.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

A fully dormant stored banana corm can take upto a month or more. It has to build roots back then push. Just give it more time. Also I wouldn't water more than once every 2 weeks indoors until it pushes. The top will feel dry but corm level it will be a lot wetter. Keep us updated.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Thanks! I won't toss it just yet!

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

I checked it last evening and can see/feel an entire new stem growing up the center... probably over 2' of new growth growing with the old P-stem. So it's working:woohoonaner:

Interesting how fast it starts growing back up. Once it starts sprouting a leaf, should I move it out to my porch, still in the pot, to acclimate it to sun and outdoors before putting it back in the ground?

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Hi everyone, I have to dry-store my 8'-10' bananas (pstem) at a 45 degree angle due to floor space in my basement this coming winter. Anyone ever do this? If so, what materials and method have you seen or used. I can't find anything online. Thanks!

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Well, I'm already done for the year. The one from last year was up to probably 6' tall, and I bought a new one ($50) that was probably 7'tall. Then all my elphant ears, I started the bulbs back in April indoors and they were getting huge. But a couple weeks ago, everything died. PLUS all my annuals. First, the elephant ears started drooping (even though they were watered) and just went flat. Then the flowers started shriveling, and finally, the bananas just started leaning and crashed to the ground after a week. Apparently, someone didn't like my landscaping and decided to kill it all (flowering shrubs and hedges are fine, as is the lawn). I did notice a weed killer type smell for a few days, so I suspect someone sprayed all these plants with something like Weed-Be-Gone. But I guess they got their way. My landscaping is no longer eye-catching or special.

I have no clue who would do this or why. I live in a nice neighborhood (all the houses are from a half million to over a million dollars) and have no enemies. At this point, I figure whatever was sprayed is still in the ground, so I can't replant anything. I give up. Will install a security camera for next year.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

I'm really sorry to what happened to you!......That is intolerable!......Definitely a surveillance security camera will help!....I got a 4K surveillance security camera in conjunction with two "highly trained" Pitweiler Dogs as my home first line defense!.....:2723::bananarow::2723:

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Take pictures of the damage and make note of the dates when the plants first started showing a problem. ... Has there been any utility crews working in the area? Anyway if you can find who did this, you might be able to recover some of the cost of damage.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

I store mine that way every winter, usually bare root.Lean them over on whatever works, sawhorse, box, excreta, use a little padding under the pstem.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

WOW that is crazy! Makes me so happy I live out of town! Jealousy over you beautiful landscaping I'm sure! Very sad! If you need material PM me! I may have a couple basjoo pups and for sure have some Orinocos. I'll send some for free just pay shipping if you need replacements. Just let me know. Good luck. I hope you figure out what happened.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Thanks for the Reply, Mike (Iowa)!

What would you recommend for the padding? I want to pick something that won't capture moisture close to the Pstem etc. Should I use cardboard, pool noodle, or maybe a towel?

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Something like a towel folded would work. I use a small rug, just something to pad it from a hard surface and allow a little air flow.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Thanks, man! I've also heard to support the upper part of the pstem with a rope or cord to maybe the ceiling or something so they don't curve/bend over time. Have you ever encountered this scenario in your experience?

Thanks for the help!

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

That would work too, it may work easier than finding something to lean it on. Support a wide area so it don't cut into the Pstem.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

I was meaning lean it against something and secure the upper part of the pstem.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Got it, you may have to cut some back when you wake them up in the spring anyway. Sometimes they choke, I have had to cut some back to a couple inches tall before . Some will split out the side if they get stuck.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Some depends on how long they are dormant, I have mine in the basement 60F low light for 4-5 months.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

No, nobody was digging in the area at all. I live on a small, corner lot wit a sidewalk, so all my landscaping is easily accessible. It's very obvious that only the tropical plants were targeted. Very strange. I don't think I can plant anything right now since whatever was put on the plants would still be in the ground.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Thank you! Well, I have a big garden center not too far away that sells Basjoos every spring that are already maybe 5' tall for $50. I'll just start over next spring. I might check this weekend and see if they have any on a good sale since it's sort of late in the season. If they had one for half price, I would buy one.

As for the elephant ears, I'm waiting to see if anything comes back out of the bulbs before tossing them. I have a LOT of them. They don't appear to be dead, but not really growing much either. Actually, there is growth around the base of the bananas just starting.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

If they used something like roundup you may be ok if the corms were good sized. I hit mine all the time on accident with roundup. It kills pups but never hurts even the smaller moms. Also a lot of herbicide is only absorbed through leaves. so hopefully the ground isn't effected! Give those corms a few weeks they may grow back or shoot some pups.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Update..plants are doing well, crazy to think I have to start thinking about overwintering again. I learned a lot last year..tends to get a little easier each year...bittersweet.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Bigdog, thank you for the detailed information. I live in central jersey and though I have had the banana plant for many years, I had kept them indoors until this year when it suddenly started to grow tall and hot my ceiling. I moved it outside and suddenly it started to grow like crazy; I still have it in a container but plan to plant it in the ground next April.

I am debating of I should cut the leaves and a part of the stem and bring it back indoors or uproot it and keep it in a dark place. does it matter?

Thanks again to everyone; this is such a great site for information.
I can now see why we are all addicted to the banana plants.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Well, everything grew back. The Elephant Ears and Bananas, but the Bananas are only 2 - 3 feet tall (as opposed to probably 8 - 10' by now if they hadn't been killed back by something). On the positive side, I can save all my elephant ear bulbs and start over next spring. For the two bananas, I guess I'm going to put them in pots and just let them grow inside all winter to try and get them back up to a respectable height.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Nice! Is there a specific reason for planting in the boxes?

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Last month, my neighbor was soo sad because she hasn't had any bananas on her tree for 10 years. Just when she was giving up hope, she told me how surprised she was to see how many bananas her tree has now. She tried
some new product, and was just amazed. This is in So. Cal.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

When I lived in SoCal, I had no problems getting bananas. They grew like weeds! But where I lived, it never bot below 40 degrees in winter (coastal area). Probably rarely below 45.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Amazing! I had no idea what lengths northerners go to for their bananas. My first experience with live bananas (as an adult) was in Costa Rica, then Nicaragua. Never knew you could cut the leaves off, dig them up and store them. Hopefully Uruguay winters won't ever be so cold that I'd have to do that. This winter we had one short spell of really cold weather (about five or six days of less than 9 °C). Creating a warm microclimate in front yard currently and one in the back later and hoping that'll work fine.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

The corms survived (as well as the elephant ear bulbs) and everything grew back. But the bananas are only up to around 3' at this point. Elephant ears are growing well, but not huge like they should be this time of year. The only good news is that nothing was actually killed. I'll be able to re-plant the EE bulbs next spring and I'm going to pot the bananas and let them grow inside over the winter. Maybe they'll be a respectable height for planting next May.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Hey, everyone! Gosh, I haven't checked this thread in YEARS, lol! Sorry I haven't been around to answer questions! I actually don't even have a single banana plant in the yard right now. Sad, I know! I'm in a rental though, and just don't have the time anymore to mess with it. Hopefully I will again one day! I see more and more bananas planted around here every year, which makes me happy. Hope you all are getting fruits in zones that you shouldn't be! That's the fun part!

Frank

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Started to get ready to house my nanas indoors again. This years pup are bigger than last years adult plants. have about 12more to go.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Wow! What dedication. Very informative.

Re: Time to store the bananas, dormant for the Winter
 

I live in Va. and I haven't dug mine up for many years............my process is lengthy as well. I cut them back to about 3 ft. I wrap them in their own leaves and put socks on the t ops where the cuts are. I heavily mulch them and also place bag of leaves around them to insulate them for the winter here in SWVA..........then I place plant hoops or use tomato cages around them and cover them with a tarp held down by tent stakes and secured by rope............lots of work, but I am getting an average of 18' trees from this. Just want to be in a climate t hat I don't have to do this.

Re: Time to store the bananas, dormant for the Winter
 

If your plants are Basjoos you will never have to do this again......
More than likely they are...
Do you have a pic?

Many folks do way too much fuss for Basjoos than is needed.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Brought most in for the Winter..they will stay here until March..early April. I take some outside when the weather permits. I try to let them get as much real sun as possible.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

3 more months to go..all seem to be doing OK.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Your plants look great.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

@GMichael403 - Wow now thats dedication to bring in plants that big. I hope they survive and thrive for next year. It's ironic as I just bought my plants in November and am slowly starting to bring them into the outdoors for more sun to get them hardened off. Hopefully not too many cold spells but as long as it is 50 and over they will stay outside. Anything under 50 and I take them inside.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

I have 8 in pots and the rest are cut back and insulated and covered up here in Va........only 8o here.................and No even Musa Bajoo don't make it unless you protect them and heavily mulch.
Enjoy Fla.............I heard it is under 50 there in some parts..................yikes............Climate Alteration for sure.

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

Hi all! I have a 1st year ice cream Banana and a dwarf Cavedish in its 2nd year. I live in zone 8a. I'm so confused on the best way to winterize them to get *fruit* :03:.I keep reading and reading but mostly find info about keeping them alive. They are in the ground right now.

Can someone give me a guaranteed way of winterizing to get fruit eventually? It can get into the teens here sometimes but we have long and hot summers about 7 to 8 months out of the year. Please help and thank you!

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

took the day off work to bring my tropicals inside
i will update this post with pics once it is light out.....
considering:
a) cut most tall bananas in half
b) leave "musella lasiocarpa" outside a while longer until it becomes affected by cold/frost

i got too busy for pics
eating some lunch right now
need to keep at it
i will post pics later
it is going to be a challenge to get everything to fit

with the help of two friends, all of the plants except the "musella lasiocarpa" are inside
i had to break into new territory because the plants did not fit into the space used last winter
so i will need to hang some lights... and i need more black and white
working on uploading a couple pics....

ok so here are some pics
a couple "before"
and some after being cut in half due to space issues
plus them in the basement in their home for the winter







the area in the right side of the last pic is new and needs lights hung above it
i was thinking of hanging four 4foot shop lights(2t8's)

Re: Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter
 

As others have posted, the process of moving some nanas inside has started. The previous years I had as much as 20 inside..many adults. This year I wont have as many large ones, but have more pups and corms to get big. I am only half the way there..but the harder work is behiend me now. I have never dry rooted before, as there are very few houses here with basements (only the old 40's,50's) may have them. My friends father has one, so I am going to try a few of my larger ones that way. So..we shall see. That process seems much easier! So will be excited if it works.