Hi Ladies and Gents - I have to turn off the heat (electric) in my small harbor freight greenhouse. Budget constraints this year. I have had it on for the past 3 weeks and I about died when I got the electric bill today. It is $40 above what it was this time last year and $100 (gas and electric) more than last month. I have the green house buttoned up tight too. I told my husband and then he nearly died. So............
So I have three Bananas that I want to save. One is the Red Abyssinian, about 3 feet tall. Last year I put some dormant Brugs in the garage and they came through the winter fine.
What do you think about putting these in the garage. I can' t put them in the house -there is no room. We are busting the seams of the house with dogs and people!
I would hate to lose the Bananas, but won't bother if it will not do any good. The garage is also busting at the seams. LOL.
I would welcome any tips.
This message was edited Dec 2, 2005 2:49 PM
Have to turn off the heat -help with Banana's
I have kept potted bananas in an unheated garage in TN, zone 7 and they came thru just fine. My bare root bananas didn't make it, but I didn't prepare them correctly for storage. Tropicman, Henry10 or JLD should be able to help you if they see your post.
I have kept them potted in both the basement and garage with little to no water and they have done great! I overwintered Orinoco, Basjoo and Zebrina. If yours are really tender, you may want to wrap a blanket around them.
This is great news. Ok - so in the garage - little to no water and let them go dormant. This means that the foilage will die down, right? I have an excessive amount of Miracle Grow peat moss. It is dry - do you think this will provide enough insulation - we have been getting cold nights in the low to mid 30's. If not I can get blankets at the thrift store.
The crawl space is a great idea too. I think the space is about 4' in some spots. But it is creepy down there. :-D
Ah creepy but a great plant hidin' hole!
I know of many around here using the crawl space for storage.
The great thing is no light.
I unfortuneatly don't have a crawl, basement or heated garage.
Hinse storing them at work or eating the heating bill. lol
I'm seeing some funky growth on the 'Bordelon'.
Might just be doing the Winter floering thing.
Ric
Sue, from my personal experience, the big ones won't even blink unless you bruise them putting them away. My smaller ones sort of dry up and either keep going or start back lower at the base the following season. I bruised a ten foot one last winter and when I got it out it broke right off. It had still put out new leaves all winter. The others that were easier to get into the garage pulled out just fine and took off from where they were.
I'll probably have plants die because they are in the garage at my new house. It is freestanding and not as tight as my other which was cement/brick and under the house. I have a crawl space and didn't consider going under there either. LOL
Wow, I guess these banana's are tougher than I thought. I was so worried. Well at this point, I have nothing to lose, everything to gain if it goes okay. Fingers crossed.
Thanks everyone I really appreciate the info.