Saba or Dwarf Brazilian?

nph · 08-16-2012, 09:14 AM

I am about to plant one of my two pups in a slot where I wont be able to dig it up for winter and rather expect the corm to survive the winter and then come back.
Since I live in Dallas I think this is a doable strategy but my questions are:
1) what is the fastest grower, DB or Saba (my take so far is DB)
2) Will both be as hardy to come back from the corm in the ground?

Appreciate a quick response since I need to plant today.

Thanks

RandyGHO · 08-16-2012, 11:27 AM

Next year I am switching to all Dwarfs for the simple reason I can cold protect smaller banana trees easier than I can big ones like an ice cream. Do a search on in-ground banana winter protection.

The Dwarf Brazilian and Dwarf Namwah will be on the top of my list.

crazy banana · 08-16-2012, 12:19 PM

The Dwarf Brazilian and Dwarf Namwah will be on the top of my list.[/quote]I

It seems that you have just answered your own question. I guess DB it is. Saba will get really tall, so winter protection might be more difficult. Even though I live in a nice climate zone, I do get frost a few hrs a few nights in the winter. I had damage to other tropical plants. It will be challenging to protect my banana plants this winter, so right now the question is buying the frost cloth first or buying a loooonnnnnngggg ladder to get to the top of my plants to cover them down from the top. Good luck to you.

sunfish · 08-16-2012, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazy banana

I think you have just answered your own question: DB it is.Saba gets really tall....and takes a long I

It seems that you have just answered your own question. I guess DB it is. Saba will get really tall, so winter protection might be more difficult. Even though I live in a nice climate zone, I do get frost a few hrs a few nights in the winter. I had damage to other tropical plants. It will be challenging to protect my banana plants this winter, so right now the question is buying the frost cloth first or buying a loooonnnnnngggg ladder to get to the top of my plants to cover them down from the top. Good luck to you.

I have never protected my banana plants and I believe your in a warmer location than me. The only winter problems I've had is the wet clay soil never any frost damage.

crazy banana · 08-16-2012, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunfish

I have never protected my banana plants and I believe your in a warmer location than me. The only winter problems I've had is the wet clay soil never any frost damage.

Thanks Tony,

that is what it should be near the coast, but I have a canyon behind the house that pulls in the ice cold air. Lost my Angel Trumpet Trees and my Plumeria last winter. Had to scrape ice of my car windshield several mornings. Lowest temperature measured at my house last winter was 27 F, of course only for a few hours at night, but still...I am not sure on how to protect my banana plants during these short hours of frost but will have to some degree. Armstrong Garden Center recommended some kind of spray, but I am not sure about that stuff.

sunfish · 08-16-2012, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazy banana

Thanks Tony,

that is what it should be near the coast, but I have a canyon behind the house that pulls in the ice cold air. Lost my Angel Trumpet Trees and my Plumeria last winter. Had to scrape ice of my car windshield several mornings. Lowest temperature measured at my house last winter was 27 F, of course only for a few hours at night, but still...I am not sure on how to protect my banana plants during these short hours of frost but will have to some degree. Armstrong Garden Center recommended some kind of spray, but I am not sure about that stuff.

Well that's colder than it got here last winter maybe 36 for me.

Bananaman88 · 08-16-2012, 03:19 PM

Try wrapping the pseudostems in several layers of frost cloth. I do that successfully with my bananas in Houston and I routinely get frost at my house each winter.

venturabananas · 08-16-2012, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nph

1) what is the fastest grower, DB or Saba (my take so far is DB)

Saba is a faster grower, if you mean feet/year. If you mean time to produce a bud, they are probably pretty similar.

nph · 08-17-2012, 12:44 AM

I was thinking straight growth, feet/year.

Your comment on Saba being faster was what I expected but my Saba that survived the winter outdoors has grown nicely but has not had more growth than the Dwarf Brazilian I planted in early spring as a pup.

Could it be the soil (different part of the yard) since I had really expected the Saba to outgrow the DB based on its planned height.

venturabananas · 08-17-2012, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nph

I was thinking straight growth, feet/year.

Your comment on Saba being faster was what I expected but my Saba that survived the winter outdoors has grown nicely but has not had more growth than the Dwarf Brazilian I planted in early spring as a pup.

Could it be the soil (different part of the yard) since I had really expected the Saba to outgrow the DB based on its planned height.

Could be so many things -- soil, water, amount of sunlight, etc. DB is one of my slowest, though steadiest growers (i.e., keeps growing slowly through winter, where others nearly stop). Also, in my cool climate, small TC plants are really slow growers compared to pups, and they take an extra year to really get growing. But that isn't the case in warmer climates, from what I understand.

hydroid · 08-17-2012, 09:43 PM

My Saba are about on par with Orinoco until about half-way thru the summer, but the Saba will let them know who's the boss in the final stretch. I can't say about DB.

08-16-2012, 09:14 AM	#1 (permalink)
nph nph's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 364 BananaBucks : 294,774 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 22 Times Was Thanked 365 Times in 173 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Saba or Dwarf Brazilian? I am about to plant one of my two pups in a slot where I wont be able to dig it up for winter and rather expect the corm to survive the winter and then come back. Since I live in Dallas I think this is a doable strategy but my questions are: 1) what is the fastest grower, DB or Saba (my take so far is DB) 2) Will both be as hardy to come back from the corm in the ground? Appreciate a quick response since I need to plant today. Thanks

08-16-2012, 11:27 AM	#2 (permalink)
RandyGHO RandyGHO's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Zone: Georgia 8b Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 404 BananaBucks : 175,322 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 3 Times Was Thanked 380 Times in 198 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 51 Times	Re: Saba or Dwarf Brazilian? Next year I am switching to all Dwarfs for the simple reason I can cold protect smaller banana trees easier than I can big ones like an ice cream. Do a search on in-ground banana winter protection. The Dwarf Brazilian and Dwarf Namwah will be on the top of my list. __________________ Thinking outside the peel always.

08-16-2012, 12:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
crazy banana crazy banana's Photo Gallery Location: San Diego Find me on the map! Zone: 9-11 Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 1,642 BananaBucks : 2,363 Feedback: 73 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,029 Times Was Thanked 2,965 Times in 1,117 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,000 Times	Re: Saba or Dwarf Brazilian? The Dwarf Brazilian and Dwarf Namwah will be on the top of my list.[/quote]I It seems that you have just answered your own question. I guess DB it is. Saba will get really tall, so winter protection might be more difficult. Even though I live in a nice climate zone, I do get frost a few hrs a few nights in the winter. I had damage to other tropical plants. It will be challenging to protect my banana plants this winter, so right now the question is buying the frost cloth first or buying a loooonnnnnngggg ladder to get to the top of my plants to cover them down from the top. Good luck to you. Last edited by crazy banana : 05-21-2013 at 01:51 PM.

08-16-2012, 03:19 PM	#7 (permalink)
Bananaman88 Bananaculturist Bananaman88's Photo Gallery Location: Houston, TX area Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Brent Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 3,019 BananaBucks : 330,113 Feedback: 24 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,339 Times Was Thanked 2,263 Times in 1,178 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: Saba or Dwarf Brazilian? Try wrapping the pseudostems in several layers of frost cloth. I do that successfully with my bananas in Houston and I routinely get frost at my house each winter.

08-17-2012, 12:44 AM	#9 (permalink)
nph nph's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 364 BananaBucks : 294,774 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 22 Times Was Thanked 365 Times in 173 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Re: Saba or Dwarf Brazilian? I was thinking straight growth, feet/year. Your comment on Saba being faster was what I expected but my Saba that survived the winter outdoors has grown nicely but has not had more growth than the Dwarf Brazilian I planted in early spring as a pup. Could it be the soil (different part of the yard) since I had really expected the Saba to outgrow the DB based on its planned height.

08-17-2012, 09:43 PM	#11 (permalink)
hydroid Minister of Propaganda hydroid's Photo Gallery Location: Gulf Shores, Alabama Find me on the map! Zone: Zone -8b-9a Name: Bo Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 687 BananaBucks : 141,685 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 775 Times Was Thanked 729 Times in 329 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 45 Times	Re: Saba or Dwarf Brazilian? My Saba are about on par with Orinoco until about half-way thru the summer, but the Saba will let them know who's the boss in the final stretch. I can't say about DB.

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