what and when should i do to protect my banana trees for winter. thanks for all of your help . RONNIE

in what zone, or in what climate are you planting your bananas?

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bob

I live in SPARTANBURG SOUTH CAROLINA . I have just started this year with about 3 pups and now i have about 20 the tallest being about 12ft tall .

During winter, what affects the banana plant (open field) the most are the strong wind, that tears the leaves, and sometimes know hew tall bananas down (if they are not supported with metal props), add to this the cold weather stops the growth of the plants and the suckers as well (the suckers that will produce next year fruit), also the low temperature (mainly below 13 degrees Celsius) will cause chilling injury on the fruit thus the fruit will not ripen well. For that reason, try to manage the suckers, to let them flower 120 days before winter. Because the time needed from flowering to harvesting is about 120 days. I hope this can be the case in the place you live; I do not know the weather there. If you not time you planting like that, or you can not mange the suckers to flower during the hot weather, than you can use the banana plants as an ornamental plant, but not from production of fruits.

Example:
Jan winter
Feb winter
Mar Spring
April Spring
May Spring
June Summer
July summer
Aug summer
Sep Fall
Oct Fall
Nov Fall
Dec winter

If the weather is like that, then planting should be in early spring, and in that way the flowing will be in September, and harvesting will be in January. (This will be in year one).
In the second cycle you will leave one sucker and time it to flower in July or August so that you will have harvesting in November or December, you have to always avoid frost to come.

Sucker selection: chose the best sucker about 120 cm height in August. In that way you will make sure the flowering will be in July next year.

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bob

Thanks BOB Ihad heard from someone one time that i was suppose to dig them up or wrap the stalk with insulation . it dosent get that cold here normaly it is very rare for our temp to get down to much below freezing . when it does it does not stay that way long. this is my first winter with them . Ihave had a lot of fun working with them and would sure hate to loose them. THANKS RONNIE

BOB i found out im in zone 7-8 THANKS RONNIE

If you need detailed steps on how to dig up the plants, take the leaves off and take the soil off the roots, here is the site...http://www.bananas.org/showthread.php?t=310
It is really good. The steps are clear and there are excellent pictures with it too.

good site

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bob

The story of my Banana Trees, I’m Zone eight ever year it’s different this year I let them grow back took good care of them because I was loosing them for not taking care of then and giving most of them away and then I said no more I have to get my start back so I have. This is what I have learned this year. They grow fast in hot days and a lot of rain and food. Last year I cut all back but the main stalk and raped it in plastic and Christmas ribbon. My biggest one was in a clump of four but now there are three new babies I did not moved yet. You can cut them loose and re pot them and they will start all over if you like or let them form a clump. The tall one from last year I raped and the other ones I did not in the same clump they are all are the same size now so that show me that if you do nothing they will grow the same in one year. Frost will soon come and kills the leaves on them they will soon turn black. I will post a picture for you. But never cut the mother stalk down it will stop the growth for next year if you leave it can make bananas after three year of growth. I had a clump fruit one year but frost came before long and took them out and they grow small ones it was nice to see the flower then the fruit the bees loved it. October 26,08 We have had one or to light frost last week but did not hurt leaves as with all my plants I hate to see the leaves go they look so nice before it time to go, I know they will be back next year just with a slow start of in the season .