Saving a banana...

I got one last weekend
No idea what kind of banana it is though. All i know is, it used to live outside for the last 25 years or so and didn't die. But it had to move since the previous owners wanted to build a new patio where it was growing. So i secured myself a few saplings.



My wife isn't very happy with the idea of having a fully grown 6 meter banana tree in our garden, which is partly understandable.
This was it before it had to be cut down (back when the previous owner made local news with it):

 

6 metres is some height for a basjoo.
Was this in a winter frost area?

 

When you do, and if it flowers, on no account let @pete tell you that it will subsequently die!
Man speak with forked tongue! One day, I'm going to come over and spray weedkiller all over his 'nanas

 

You dont forget things easily, do you?

 

Well it grew in outside soil without a roof or amy winter protection. Only a fence shielding it from the harshest of winds on one side.
And yes. Frost is a common occurrence where we live (northwest Germany), although or rarely dips below -10°C. And even then it's only for a single night or so. The banana would shed all leaves come autumn however.

 

Thanks, interesting as mine usually gets cut right back to the ground below around -5c or so.

That had obviously not had that happen for a long time, do you get stronger summer heat than we get here.

 

This is an interesting thread re bananas. I've got one of each, green basjoo and red ensete. The green are winter hardy but the reds are quite delicate.

My green one is outside, I planted it out in May as a small sapling. It hit about 5 feet before I chopped it back and securely wrapped it at the beginning of this month. I'll uncover it around the beginning of May next year and see how it is. It also pushed up 5 pups for me. Both mum and pups have been wrapped snuggly, so they should be fine.

My red one however, the ensete, is inside as a house plant, and it is taking over! It is nudging the ceiling in my fish room. I'm looking for opinions on this one for next year. I might chop it right back this winter so it goes dormant, and next May put it outside, still in its planter, and let it rip.

Then chop it back again next winter and wrap it slightly and overwinter it in my shed, and carry on like that with it.

What do you guys reckon?

 

My plan with the red one is to plant it out next year and it will probably die the following winter.
Next spring I might buy another small one to overwinter that year.
I've tried the drying off and storing but they have always rotted for me, just too much dampness most winters.

 

Yes, I'm in new territory with my two, they're the first bananas I've ever had. The general feeling is that the greens will even survive a mildish winter unprotected, but I'm not risking it. I wrapped mine at the beginning of this month but I was a little hasty really because October's temps have been good, no frosts yet.

It's my red one I worry about because apparently they rot at the first signs of cold and moisture. Even covered up in a shed can go either way with the red ones apparently. I may have to store my red one inside in my fish room to ensure its survival.

 

The green one is Musa basjoo, I assume, that usually comes back from the ground if the stems die, the thicker they are the better chance they stand, I've stopped wrapping mine, it takes its chances. My biggest problem is the dry summers now, I dont get anything like the growth out of it that I used to.
A bit controversial about the red Ensete, , it goes in my garage where I keep the soil just moist, no heating, came close to rotting last winter but it recovered slowly this year.
For some reason it never took off like I was expecting this year despite repotting.

 

I've found in just my short time keeping bananas that they are about as thirsty as anything you're ever likely to keep. Those huge thick lush leaves are a dead giveaway that it needs lots and lots of water.

But even when the leaves are cut off to overwinter them there is masses of moisture still in the pseudo stem, and that will leave them susceptable to rotting.

I've seen a few you tube videos where some people cut all the leaves off and then turn the plant upside down and leave it for a while to allow a lot of the water to flow out of the stem. I believe you have a better chance of success this way. It's probably what I'll do when I come to overwinter my red.

And yes, this years warm weather, especially that week of the 40°C record temps was a nightmare for my outside Musa basjoo. I had to pour gallons of water daily around the base just to keep those big leaves upright. They really are thirsty devils, lol.