It's green and It's outgrowing the house!
 

Next week I will move my Sikkimensis Red Tiger outside! But as you might expect...I'm a bit worried about next year.. Does anyone have tips for overwintering the Red Tiger Sikkimensis in Zone 7B? Can I leave it outside in an unheated greenhouse?

Re: It's green and It's outgrowing the house!
 

U can allways cut it back Mar.
Nice to see U back posting here.
:nanadrink:

Re: It's green and It's outgrowing the house!
 

I swear it will overwinter better in the ground. In an unheated greenhouse the temps will fluctuate between hot (wanting to grow) and cold (damage). A more constant and dormant temp would be in the ground covered with mulch...or hay bales...or bags of leaves, etc.

Re: It's green and It's outgrowing the house!
 

wow nice ! look at that tiny pot, you put it in the ground and boom.. you'll have a flower I think, how tall do these get?

Re: It's green and It's outgrowing the house!
 

marenmar..wow super nanner!!! i dont have that one..
my ensete maurelli isnt quite that tall..but i cut all but last leaf off..
im wondering if by time i plant outside .. june... how big it will get..
lol

Re: It's green and It's outgrowing the house!
 

That is definitely a tall banana plant! I would cut it back just enough for it to handle being indoors. I did that with my Ensete (mostly because of the aphids it had) and so far its still alive. Im not sure how it will do when it goes outside this summer, but with all the bugs its had, its definitely been an uphill battle for it. But the fact that it continues to grow after being cut down (for the 3rd time since it went inside) proves that bananas are very tolerant of this! Just make sure you dont cut it down when its about to flower or else it might now end up flowering. Yours looks like its definitely near a flowering size. Maybe you'll get a bloom this summer!

Re: It's green and It's outgrowing the house!
 

Thanks All! I read that this musa can grow up to 15 ft tall...so it's nearly halfway..;-) but I like it a lot. It did not stop growing...when I put it inside at the start of november. I think it rolled out 6-7 leaves! And to my surprise..no beasties at all! I don't know if I will put it in the ground..because the place I live in is very temporary..but It definitely deserves a large pot! I'll keep your advice in mind for next winter! For now, enjoy spring:-)!

Re: It's green and It's outgrowing the house!
 

palmtree..yea..no aphids but some typical white flies..
i put my potted nanners in the shower and give them a shower..LOL
yea..i know.. tmi..LOL
but..it seems to help the plants..and get rid of the flies..
my understanding is..low humidity conditions adds to the flies..
i would love to see my biggest ensetes bloom..but..i dont want to
loose them. flower then they die.. :(
and the big ones are so impressive.. not on my back though..

Re: It's green and It's outgrowing the house!
 

Might be a good idea to cut it back after
planting it in the ground-the long leggy trunk would
probably get snapped outside in the wind.