Red Abysinnian Banana.

I was in B&Q yesterday and saw this for half price (3.99) it looked very sad and in need of some tlc. I brought it home and put it in the greenhouse which is heated at the moment. Now the questions are
do I cut it back?, it has about four big leaves which are a bit brown and chewed but there is a new shoot in the middle which looks quite healthy. Do I repot it just now or not? its in a 8inch pot at the moment. Any help would be great.

 

Dont think I would repot just now dalbuie unless it was really necessary.
Cut a leaf or two off if you want, but mainly your wanting to get it ready for winter now, so water it well only if it dries out, quickly.

 

Thanks pete, I will leave it in the pot it's in it seems ok. I will keep it in the greenhouse over the winter, will I still need to protect it in some way?

 

sounds a bit like mine which is ensete ventricosum maurelii, a got it as a very wee cutting in spring and it is now magnificant and still growing leaves, just don't know how I am going to get it into the greenhouse or even through the door!!!

 

Dont think it will survive frost at all dalbuie, Its my first year with this particular one myself although I have grown Ensete some years ago, the ordinary green one, and overwintered frost free, min 40F, and fairly dry at the roots.
So thats what I'm aiming for this winter with mine.

 

I have 2 ensete maurellii they stay outside till Oct, or first frost but we don't get many of them, then I chop off the leaves, put one in greenhouse and one in spare bedroom, with holding water but not letting them dry out completely, and in spring off they sprout again. I keep them in big pots.

 

Thanks for the tips folks, I will keep it in the pot it is in just now and IF it survives I will put it into a bigger one in the spring. Fingers crossed !!