Bananas.org - Winterizing an SDC in zone 8b

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Pallen

08-18-2014 11:59 AM

Winterizing an SDC in zone 8b

Continued from:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammocked Banana (Post 250658)

Plant looks fantastic but im not sure a hoop house will be enough to keep it alive in your area. SDC do not tolerate freezes at all. Do u get many cold nights?

You are correct, and I know it is early, but I would like to winter my SDC outside this winter. I need to plan in advance.
We do get overnight freezes but it usually thaws by next afternoon.
We sometimes get a few storms where it may freeze for a week and rarely for two (such as the winter of 2013-14 where plants that usually make it were lost).
It only freezes down a few inches when is does freeze.
A mulch/plastic/mulch layer protects plants in the ground fine. (The plastic layer keeps the bottom mulch layer from sogging(Google says I invented a new word here;)) out and becoming ineffective)

MY SDC in a 21 gallon pot will require extra care. It is now to big to winter in our house.
We are on a low income so I was thinking of a hoop green house, I will also need some sort of heat blanket or lamp around the plant itself during our freezing weather. I am unfamiliar with the tech usually used for this purpose. Suggestions are welcome.

CountryBoy1981

08-18-2014 03:05 PM

Re: Winterizing an SDC in zone 8b

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pallen (Post 250685)

Continued from:

You are correct, and I know it is early, but I would like to winter my SDC outside this winter. I need to plan in advance.
We do get overnight freezes but it usually thaws by next afternoon.
We sometimes get a few storms where it may freeze for a week and rarely for two (such as the winter of 2013-14 where plants that usually make it were lost).
It only freezes down a few inches when is does freeze.
A mulch/plastic/mulch layer protects plants in the ground fine. (The plastic layer keeps the bottom mulch layer from sogging(Google says I invented a new word here;)) out and becoming ineffective)

MY SDC in a 21 gallon pot will require extra care. It is now to big to winter in our house.
We are on a low income so I was thinking of a hoop green house, I will also need some sort of heat blanket or lamp around the plant itself during our freezing weather. I am unfamiliar with the tech usually used for this purpose. Suggestions are welcome.

Cover it with a blanket and it should be fine depending if it is in the high or low twenties at night.

Hammocked Banana

08-18-2014 04:01 PM

Re: Winterizing an SDC in zone 8b

Country boy knows your zone better than me, but correct me if im wrong, sdc dont like any temperature below 10C (50F). So if you're getting months where the temps are dipping into the 30s its not going to last long. Honestly it will cost you a fortune to heat that hoop house. I thought you had it in a basement last year? Is it too big to be just put there just w/o the grow light?

blownz281

08-18-2014 04:51 PM

Re: Winterizing an SDC in zone 8b

I live in coastal NC zone 8b an I over wintered cavendish in one of the worst winters since the 1980's here. It fruited for me but cold zapped fruit as wasn't going to was electric to keep it heated. I used several of the traps harbor freights sells or you get free with purchase. Wrapped them well like a present,had several inches of mulch around them. They all did great an have 30 plants in a mat now. Hope that helps you. PS no mulch at our new house! Cockroaches are common here and breed in mulch. Plus old house was near wetlands/woods. New house,dry, no trees or woods around,or mulch! No more issues, SO will see how they do with being wrapped if the p-stem will survive.

Pallen

08-18-2014 08:07 PM

Re: Winterizing an SDC in zone 8b

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammocked Banana (Post 250693)

Yeah, it would get expensive, I don't plan on heating the whole green house area just the insulate tree itself during cold temps. Keeping the SDC at 50+ could be a problem. I would love to keep the whole tree alive but I realize it is most important to keep the corm from freezing. When my wife got me my SDC in July 2013 she did not realize what it would take to protect outside in the winter months.

I had it in a closet last year but this summer the SDC is really widening out with larger leaves. Also my wife wants our living room walk in closet back. I don't blame her, space in our home is a real premium. :)

I have come a long ways and learned a lot on this forum during the last year of my SDC's life. I want to give it its best chance I can this coming winter.

CountryBoy1981

08-18-2014 09:33 PM

Re: Winterizing an SDC in zone 8b

I don't know what your highs are like during the day but I have been able to use blankets to protect tomato's in the low twenties. The key is to hold in the heat from the ground. I had gran main, dwarf red, and dwarf cavendish outside unprotected with lows in the mid to high 30s without a problem.

Hammocked Banana

08-18-2014 09:57 PM

Re: Winterizing an SDC in zone 8b

If you're going to keep it outside all winter you should probably plant it in the ground then, so the earth can provide some insulation. With pots the roots will get as cold as the air, which will kill a corm in no time. Although if you could find some space you could also just bring it in for those very cold nights ;-)

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