bigmike0601

I've been doing quite a bit of reading on this forum and it's great all that i've been seeing. I have a question about wintering. Is it possible to save space by cutting the p-stem down on a large corm? Will it shoot up and fruit still or does the whole length really need to be there?

Thanks,
Mike in Delaware

Illia

You can chop the P-stem down in height, yes. Usually a banana needs to be so tall to fruit, and have enough leaves just before flowering to fruit enough and of good enough quality, but you can indeed chop the plant back, especially during dormant times like winter. If you're looking to keep a banana below its expected flowering height, that can be done, but it won't give the best results in the end. If you just want to chop it back for storing or moving ease, it won't hurt it at all. Especially if chopped at a younger age.

sunfish

As long as you do not chop the off the bud

Abnshrek

The taller the P-stem come spring the better your chances of getting some bounty.. :^)

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bigmike0601

I want to cut down the p-stem very low before there is a bud on a mature plant. I'm talking like 2' of p-stem. The idea being I can store in confined space over winter, re-plant in spring, let it grow, and hope it still flowers 3 months later.

sunfish

The bud could already be in the p-stem when you cut it

Abnshrek

Put it in a pot in the closet w/ grow light.. The thing is more P-stem is better since dry storing your going to end up trimming to some point, same as over wintering here.. I trim back to healthy which could mean 2' of p-stem in some cases.. Lopping it off before winter is counter-productive from your goal so the question how far are you willing to go to succeed? :^)

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Chance1945

I would not cut it at all because what Tony said is true. You might chop off the bud. Case in point: at the end of last summer I noticed that one of my bananas looked kind of funky near the top. When we had a cold spell I wrapped it in a blanket. During a warm spell in February it produced a bud. Had I cut off the pstem for winter storage I would have cut off the bud. Sort of a mute point now that winter is over.
Terry