I have a red banana - I don't know which one - that I kept at about 5-6' in a pot for a couple of summers and winters. This year I put it in the garden with lots of compost. Thirteen feet! It ws gorgeous. I did not get it up before the first freezes, and it was hit. I assume there is still a way to get it out of the ground and store it. I read a while back that one could bare root it and wrap it. Is that right? Would I cut off the old, now wilted leaves? What would i wrap it IN? Store it in the garage, or warmer?
All help will be appreciated!
Peter
HOW TO TAKE UP AND STORE BANANA
Here's a picture-article that many others have referred to.. http://bananas.org/showthread.php?t=310 I'm not sure, through on the best practice of leaf removal. If you take all off but one the plant will have less to start with in the Spring but if you leave too many on will that overstress the plant over the Winter?
Dave.
Dave -
That is a great thread on banana storage. Thanks a lot!
I hope that my bananas p.-stems have not been damaged by the freeze. Certainly, they would be better off to have kept some of their leaves. I imagine that one could store them with all the leaves or most - it looks like Frank, the fellow in the banana thread, removed leaves to help with the moving and storing - since he says that the more leaves, the better growth and fruiting occurs the next year. I will do the same with my brugmansias, which are all naked now as well.
I don't see any frost or freeze here for a while, so I am going to dig and dry mine starting this weekend. I am thinking that even if I injured the stems with the freeze, the corn will be fine and produce new growth. If anybody else has further input please pass it on!
Peter
I hope smebody's still watching this thread!
It took me over half an hour to pry my banana out of the ground today, and a lot of grunting to push it out of the hole. Even with another man to help, I doubat that we can move the weight of this plant out of the garden - plus, I have already accidentally broken off two pups!
So: is it okay to cut the three trunks apart.? I haven't seen the corm of a banana, but I assume I will cut through it. If so, will it heal over? There are three "trunks" in this clump. Each one is 8" to 10" wide at the base, and a good 6" at eye level.
I have a few days before a freeze, so I hope you wise banana people can give me some advice soon! Meanwhile, I will also post a new thread on this same topic.
Thanks!
Peter
Peter,
i am no expert by any means, but i grew up in the orient where there is an abundant supply of banana plants.
i do not know what kind of temperature u have in ur area which will be a factor to dig ur banana plant/s.
i normally dig a trench around the banana plant. then fill the trench with water to facilitate easy retrieval of the the plant. the water will loosen all the soil, therefore easier to dig. once u pry the plant off the ground. allow to dry some. then wrap with newspaper. store for the winter. once in a while, check ur plant to avoid drying up. if u feel it is drying up, spray some water, only enough to get some moisture not soaking wet. hope that help u some... that is how i store the banana plant.
here are some links for guideline http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG025 , http://www.plant-care.com/cold_hardy_tropicals.html
btw... i would not divide now, the pups health is dependent on the mother plant. wait till spring. just my 2 cents... it is ur plant so do as u wish. if u uprooted the mother plant when it was still warm, i'd say ok and divide. lots of plants do succumb in cold weather. hth
Thanks for your input MaVie. No way that I could have kept this plant whole. Each trunk weighed upwards of 75 lbs - 100 pounds, by my guestimate, when I took it up. and if I had taken them up together, with the dirt on the dirt ball, it would have taken a tractor.
I do like the idea of the trench and water. it is quite a job to dig, whether or not dividing!
I put (I should say throw) them all under the house, only to find 3 weeks later that i had dangered electrical twiring and the hot water tank sprung a leak and shorted out half of the house. Right now, they are lying in the yard. it hasn't been freezing since they came up. They have been soaked well by rain (5 1/2 inches in one day!). I am going to clear some space in the garage and store them cool, although sometimes my wife heats it up - despite opening the garage door - by running her kilns!
Take care,
This message was edited Nov 25, 2006 2:31 PM
today is your BD. Happy Birthday!!!!!
Thank you! I find your post too late, but it is so kind of you to notice this thread, me and the biarthday thing all together.
All my best in return!
Peter