Red Banana over wintering

G Smithers

Hi folks' 

I have two red banana plants (Musa variety) which I've just prepared for over wintering. I've lifted the plants from the ground removing most of the soil from the root ball, cut back all the leaves and drained the rain water that accumulates in the leaf stems. I then placed each plant in a bucket with verrmiculite around the roots to prevent rotting and placed them in the cupboard under the stairs where they'll remain dry, warm and dormant in the dark until the spring.

I based this over wintering plan on a 2014 episode of Gardeners World where Monty Don pretty much did the same (as far as I can remember) with his giant red banana. I've searched online for that clip as a reminder but it's no longer available and unfortunately Monty didn't go through the procedure again this year.

Does that sound like a good plan? Just wanted to ask in case I've missed something. I know the plants like to be dry, cool, dark place over winter so I was wondering perhaps if maybe they would be too warm in doors with central heating. The only other option is to put them in my garden shed but it the temp drops below freezing they might suffer a bit.

 

All comments welcome

Thanks in advance

G.

 

 

 

Hostafan1

I think the cupboard might be a bit on the warm side which might start it growing.. I'd go for a frost free shed or garage.

Mine goes into an unheated polytunnel.

punkdoc

Agree with Hosta, in a cupboard they are likely to start into growth, they need somewhere a bit cooler.

G Smithers

Right-o, garden shed it is then. As long as they remain frost free they will survive a drop in temp to below freezing?

Hostafan1

you can wrap them in horti fleece, or even old net curtains if it's forecast to be especially cold.

Mine in the tunnel did get knocked by a cold frost but I just folded the leaves over the top and it started again in Spring.

G Smithers

Thanks for the advice; much appreciated.

Brickman0430

Very interesting topic. I have grown four banana plants from seed this year, I think they are called "snow bananas" and they are growing happily in pots upside. Should I lift them out of the pots as the op has done? Or simply put them into an unsheathed garage as is?

Any help would be most appreciated,

Pat.

Hostafan1

Brickman,Unless they're still small enough to house as pot plants indoors, I'd follow the advice given above