Overwintering a banana plant?

Bought an outdoor Banana plant in the end of Summer sales at B&Q it's about 5ft tall at the moment. I know nothing about these plants so will it survive outside over summer, do they die down?
If anyone has any advice would be greatful.

 

Bananamans really the guy you need to speak to.But I haven't seen him around for a while.I've brought mine in for the Winter, but BM builds special enclosures for his in the garden. You could try looking thru some of his old threads Although I'm sure that someone else has got some good advice for you

 

Thanks windy & Wise old owl.
I'ts still in it's pot at the mo so i'm tempted to just repot into a big one & bring it into the conservatory in the winter!

 

I cut my banana plant down to about 3 ft. I surround it with straw and then cover with an old water barrel with holes drilled around the base to allow an air flow. Doesn't look wonderful as a winter decoration, but it does the job.It's 4 years old now. I think I may have to use wiseold owl's method next year as I only just managed to fit the water butt over the stems this time. :D

 

I built a heated bananahouse but I am a bit mental about bananas. Flue liners are great as are vented bins etc. I have used wheelie bins to good effect. Some bananas I bring in, but the basjoos stay outside. If you want it to flower you really have to go all out with the protection, but if its just tall foliage you want you can't go wrong with flue liners/bins etc. I have also tried leaving them to the elements and even in the constraints of a pot I got one this big. This one was a 2005 sucker which I chanced cutting off and potting up to see what would happen. Seems if you are brave enough its worth seeing what you garden/plants can take.

Banana House




Flue Liners



Wheelie Bins





Winter Test Basjoo (august 2006 is a little bigger now)



RHS Hyde Hall

 

Really does depend on what kind of banana it is, but if its basjoo, unless your in a very frosty area it will probably survive without any protection.
Having said that, I wouldn't risk it outside in a pot, the roots will get frosed if it gets too cold and that will kill it.

These ones survived last winter with no protection, we had a couple of minus 6 C, and quite a lot of lesser frosts.

 

I want your allotment Pete !

 

Ok ladies and gents, what would be the best way to protect from frost a plant that is happily growing within a nice large pot? What is the best mulch for a pot grown plant that may or may not suffer from frost at root level? Perhaps a nice thick layer of bark...?
Kind regards
Royster

 

:D :D Thanks, I'll lend it to you, perhaps you could tidy it up a bit.

This is the sikkimiensis, that survived last winter packed with straw but took ages to get going this spring.
This year it takes its chances, I've got a couple of suckers potted up in the greenhouse.

 

Move it to a sheltered area if poss Royster, and bury the pot.
Bark would probably work, build a box around the pot and fill it, perhaps mound it up around the stem.

 

Cool Photo pete, I like that you can see your mahooosive cordyline in the background!

 

Thats the smaller one BM. :D

 

I didn't think I could see the Waggie.

 

Thats out of shot, on the other side of the garden