Bama Banana

1. Nothing really special...I just place an old blanket or comforter and/or bucket over them. For the bigger palms I wrap them with lights and then wrap them with an old comforter and tie it all off with jute. I may even leave it that way for 3 or 4 days if the weather stays cold; it doesn't seem to hurt them.

2. I just planted many of the bananas this Spring. This past fall I dug the Zebrinas and Dwarf Cavendish and brought them indoors. I cut the psuedostems to about 5ft on my Orinocos and just left them like that all winter, with no protection. They even continued to slowly grow all winter. I left the Musa ornata unprotected as well, but they froze back to the ground.

The Orinocos make fruit here every year, though apparently not as much as in tropical regions (I don't care!!!). The Musa ornata and zebrinas are blooming for the first time. The others are too young; the Saba and Ladyfinger were about 6 in tall when I planted them out about 4 and a half months ago! And do not believe all the bad things you might hear about tissue cultured (TC) bananas. I bought these two from a place called Green Earth online and at a pretty reasonable price.

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Bama Banana

I got the Mule palm for $200 from Frank at Moultrie Palms in St Augustine FL. He is a really nice guy, and I highly recommend doing business with him.

I got the Sabal Palmetto from a friend who took a trailer down into central Florida. I'm not exactly sure where he got them.

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supermario

Beautiful yard! I see I'm not the only one that squeezes as many plants as possible into my suburban yard...although yours looks like a half acre at least, while mine is a puny quarter acre.

I am lucky to be able to grow most tropicals down here, but envy those who can produce many of the fruits commonly found at the grocery store. Being in zone 8, I'm wondering why you haven't tried growing fruits like apples, cherries, olives, persimmons, pears, plums, apricots, figs, nut trees, pomegranates, etc etc? Don't get me wrong, I love what you've done with your yard, but think it may be difficult to sustain in the long run. I've had to learn some lessons the hard way..

I had several citrus trees at one point, but am left with two because they are tough to grow down here(diseases and insects are the main problem). As they've become infected with deadly diseases, I've had to cut them down. It was decided that there is no point in replacing them with another citrus tree if eventually, they could get sick and die. After years of caring for a tree, it hurts to have to cut it down.
Luckily, this turned me on to several EXCELLENT tropicals I previously had not even heard of.. Atemoya, Jaboticaba, and Sapodilla(my absolute favorite!...tastes like a fine pear soaked in brown sugar).

Anyways, lovely yard again and good luck with everything!

Kalabrian

Thanks friend

only I do not understand still the question that a banana can be cut at 5 ft in spring like you do with your orinocos. I mean, if you cut the pstem this way every year, don't you lose a lot of time in growth? How can it fruit then next year if every fall you cut them short? It's not clear to me, thanks!

Bama Banana

Well it is true...they just grow REALLY fast. They can put on 3 or 4 leaves a week when it gets really hot!

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djmb74

Great Looking yard!

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Eric

Really nice job and great info-packed thread. I think you're right; it's worth the trouble even if it could get knocked back by the weather. But I am inclined to agree with Jack if for a different reason; some bananas around the pool would not only be very healthy but (maybe with some fern, even) would look great. Also (my own personal prefs) the bare fencing could use a few plants here & there to break-up the monotony a bit.
Mostly just my own personal biases, you've done an outstanding job and seem to have your assets covered with great info & experience. Thanx for the Orinoco info, especially. I'm in zone 7 and would Luv to give them a shot here. Fraid the only other place I am is The Plant Doctor but sure appreciate the great photos you posted here .

LilRaverBoi

LOL...yeah it sucked. I live in St. Louis, MO for now, so it's significantly warmer during the winter. But I still go back to Iowa for Christmas break (which always seems to be the coldest, snowiest and generally most miserable time of the year...LOL). I'm used to it at this point though...I've lived in IA my whole life except this last year. I'll do my best to stay warm and be sure to put 'gas-line antifreeze' in my gas tank to keep my gasoline from turning to gel! Brrrr...LOL.

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Kalabrian

3-4 leaves a week... incredible! Which kind of summer temp you get?

justjoan

What a beautiful yard you have, I felt like I went on a mini vacation! Thank you so much for sharing! I was so happy to see your philodendron, I had one many years ago that I grew as a houseplant and LOVED it, after many years it died off and have not seen one here in Minnesota since, love it!!

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cherokee_greg

I found the pictures great thanks for posting the. I have a sago palm the trunk is over 6 feet tall.
Greg

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http://gardenjot.com/garden/view/1980/Gregs-Banana-Farm

Bama Banana

June-Aug highs in the 90s lows in the 70s. Occasionally highs in the 100s lows in the 80s. Always very humid. The combination of excessive heat and humidity that we often get then is referred to by many of the locals as "swamp a$$". lol

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Kalabrian

Interesting, for the temperatures are the same as mine. However the sun radiation changes with latitude.

Thanks a lot!

Jack Daw

Now I know which great palm I couldn't find in your garden Bama, Jubaea chilensis. My dream palm. Look it up, an exqusite piece of nature's work.

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Bama Banana

Ah yes. I have looked at that one before.

It is indeed massive and beautiful. But I have decided against it primarily because of three reasons:

(1) It would struggle at best in our climate. HUMID and HOT much of the year!

(2) It would grow extremely slow (they have a rep)...and becuase of that...

(3) One of any appreciable size would cost more $$$ than I have!

That's too bad.

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enigma99a

i was wondering though, what are you going to do when everything is in pots too big to move?

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Bama Banana

ha ha that happened a long time ago. i recruit friends and family and we just get it done...

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banfan

Very impressive...thanks for sharing

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Dixieboy30

Bama Banana, I'm glad I found your thread.

I live fairly close to you in Atmore, I'm about 2 miles from the FL line. I bought a CIDP a few days ago and I'm also wondering how well it will do here. I bought it from a nursery in Summerdale and they said that they don't give their palms any protection at all (they have some huge ones), but they're a little closer to the coast. Mine is in a 7 gallon pot but I think I will wait until spring to plant it. It usually doesn't get below the lower 20's but as you know every now and then we get that one night that dips into the mid-teens. I have thought about trying to find some of those old fashioned Christmas lights with the big bulbs (aka granny lights) to wrap it with on the really cold nights.

I also will be planting a few Washingtonia filifera X robusta "filibusta" palms, but I'm not worried about those as much since I already know of some growing nearby. Cabbage palms and Pindo palms are so common here that I wanted something different. Please keep me informed on your date palms.

jjjankovsky

well...this thread is so amazing that it made me consider a whole new category for bananas.org...'northerners' banana rescue'

i retired to the tropics four years ago and bananas grow here on their own, and with all the problems that come with them...and palms...and it reminded me of everything else i used to attempt inside in washington state that was purchased as 'houseplants'...

do you guys also grow the stuff that works in your zones??...like roses?

maybe the category could be, 'some amazing gardener got a banana plant to bloom in northern B.C.'...then you could have a 'riply's, believe it or not"

the yard is indeed well planned, and the pool will be built here in mexico soon..., but...

as a gardener, i'm enjoying the stuff that grows where it belongs...and i guess i'll read in amazement the efforts to pull off the almost impossible...

good digging and good watering and maybe, good harvesting.

jjj
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