Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

HEY OVER HERE!!!:woohoonaner:

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

If you truly in zone 9a then every winter you have sustained temperatures between -4C and -7C. If this is the case then Dwarf Cavendish will not survive the winter.

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

I am in 9a and have had DC for many years but they never do much in the ground. They struggled even on the best years. Don't waste your time, I just dug them up and making room for other stuff.

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

no most temperatures are above 2 Celsius sometimes it goes -3 -4 but its like 5 days a year.

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

So it drops below 2C about 5 days per year. On one of those days, how many hours does it stay below 2C ?

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

They will most likely survive but everything above ground will die every winter.

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

I'm 8b/9a. Mine made it. Wasn't pretty and lost all leaves, but it will survive. May lose the stem if it's a cold year, but you may be able to protect it with some effort.

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

So you have a dozen or more days every year with temperatures of 18°-20°F that last 4 or more hours?

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

I'm in 9a and it usually is 1-3 nights of 24-30 F . With protection they will probably survive. Without protection and they will regrow frolm the corm. All bets are off if we get a once in thirty years ice storm.

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

Hardiness zones are an average of sustained (4+ hours) winter lows (winter solstice to spring equinox) over a ten year period. Given those temperatures, you are likely borderline 9b/10a.

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

5 to 10 days actually less than 9 hours.

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

That puts you in zone 10a.

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

Can i send you a photo? with recorded temperatures?

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

To compute USDA cold hardiness zone at your location:
0. I recommend a spreadsheet.
1. For the past ten years between each winter solstice and spring equinox, find the lowest temperature each day that lasted for 4 or more hours. That's about 890 values.
2. Average them.
3. Look up your zone on the USDA cold hardiness chart.

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

QUESTION IT NEEDS TO BE Fahrenheit right?

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

If you just planted one in your yard - it would take a lot less time and you will know for sure .. most likely the pstems will die back in winter but the corm will survive and produce more pups - do you want to eat the fruit or just grow the plant?

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

Or you could look at the map and read the legend.
9b is average 25-30 lowest temps... I am squarely in 9b and we just had a hard winter for 9b... I lost all my banana leaves but the stems made it fine. We got down to about 26 two nights this last winter with several other nights of frost in the low 30's and at least one other freeze of 30 that didn't take the leaves. All my plants made it except one with other issues.. even Cavendish, GM and Veinte Cohol, all of which are supposed to be very cold sensitive.. The cold didn't help the one that died but it wasn't what killed it.
That said, the occasional really bad winter might even take the psudostems someday, but they will all grow back... Ask Ty Taylor... he's in 8b and grows and fruits over 80 kinds. He leaves them in the ground, too...

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

I don't believe we were that low that much. I think only 4 or 5 nights around the 20 mark. One day it was below freezing for 6 it 7 hours, that's rare that it lasts that long here.

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

Interesting: I'm in 9a and it dropped to 19 F and 17 F last winter - lost all my pstems. Ty is zone 8b supposed to be colder - but he lives on a large lake. I recently compared our chill hours. In 9a I had fewer chill hours 32-45 than him however; I had 75 more hours below freezing. Lesson - Micro climates DO matter... Plant and see

Re: Is it possible for a dwarf cavendish to survive 9a zone?
 

Maybe so, but a general idea is all we really need... Where do we even find those 890 values for our mathematical adventure, anyway? I don't have time for all that, and I have more time than most people, other than retired folks, I guess.
Where I live is 9b but my house is in a spot where the overnight lows are routinely 5-7 degrees cooler than other nearby areas, and I quickly figured that out and keep it in mind. So, when they say the low will be 43, I know 36 or so is much more accurate and act accordingly. There won't be frost at 43, but there will be at 36.(Assuming the dewpoint is at or above that and winds are calm)