Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

It appears a majority of my unprotected bananas have taken some damage. There are a few that have not. They are in micro-climates I suppose close to bushes or the house. Overall it appears some are hardier than others. I need to look at the tags and compare the hardier ones.

Of course the ones in the greenhouse are chugging along. Some yellowing with a slight sign of spider mite infestation.:2738:

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

It is possible with this year's strong La Nina that you have Zone 9 temps all winter. If so, will have to test again next year:)

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

I heard it may be a warm winter. The P-stems are still intact looks like with little or no damage.

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

Wish it was warm for me! LOL in California we had one of the worst Arctic outbreaks in November on record.

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

Ya, bet your still warmer than we were.

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

Dean, What types of bananas are you growing? My nanners just all got frozen for the season. we have had some serious cold!

Basjoo is the toughest in my yard followed by Raja puri, Icecream, ornata, and Orinoco in that order.

Luke

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

Hey Frito,

I'm growing all types of bananas. I don't have any Basjoo. I do have Orinoco, Kandarian, and FHIA-18 amongst others. To many to list at the moment going out and making an inventory.

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

You guys are obviously quite bananas!

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

How does the Kandarian do in 8B? I've had one for about a year, getting quite big now, but wasn't sure how cold hardy they are

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

Frito, you're the same zone as I am, 8B, not 9B.

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

La Nina has nothing to do with it being a warm winter or not - it's the jet stream. If the La Nina thing was true it wouldn't have gotten down to 26 degrees at my house yesterday morning and it's not even technically winter yet! That's just a myth. It might bring more precipitation but I have yet to see that come true too.

Just as El Nino reduces the chance of hurricanes, the strongest hurricanes to make landfall in the US have all occurred during El Nino summers.

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

Never claimed I was 9b. I am in town averaging 9a temps most years, last year I had 18 degrees when the airport recorded 14. I recorded 23and 24 these past few nights but im not measuring air temps like the NWS does, I measure the temps that the plants see with a mecury thermometer under open sky. not a 'weather shelter box' like they have.

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

Enigma:

Looks like the Kandarian is doing okay. It has some damage.

Here are some of the others...

As you can tell some of the understory suckers are hanging on to their leaves.

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

What was the temp. whan that happend?

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

Right around freezing or a little below.

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

I spent today cutting down my ornata mat to the ground, and the foliage off of everything else that didn't get torn up by the storm that blew through a month ago. P-stems seem fine, but that burned foliage looked terrible so off it came.

Russell

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

That's true, Russell. It does look terrible, but I thought it might protect from future frost.

I may have to trim mine now. Today is actually pretty warm.

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

Dont cut them off. Use them for stem protection as I did

:nanadrink:

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

I did he same thing Dalmatiansoap did with a little extra. I took a machetta and cut 3/4 way through from top till they folded down around the P-stem then wrapped them tight. Next I put cage, made out of concrete wire, about two foot in diameter around the plant. I then filled the cage with straw and leaves. Lastly I wrapped the cage with 6 mil translucent plastic and tied the top. I'll know in the spring if it works.

All my leaves browned at 26 degrees.

Re: Unprotected bananas in zone 8b
 

Frito - you're right. I misread your thing - you have your area listed as 9A! You might have temps that are that but reality is you're 8B.

Where I live it has gotten down to 7F but that is not an average. New Orleans has gotten down to 11F the same time but that is not an average.