View Single Post
Old 12-25-2012, 12:59 AM   #8 (permalink)
amantedelenguaje
amantedelenguaje
 
Zone: 7
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 333
BananaBucks : 34,360
Feedback: 0 / 0%
Said "Thanks" 832 Times
Was Thanked 599 Times in 200 Posts
Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,393 Times
Default Re: What is the smallest banana that has tasty fruit?

Quote:
I have a hardy banana in my garden because the foliage is so pretty, but I would love to pick my own banans! And my hardy banana dies back to the root every fall.
Perhaps you could wrap the pseudostem of your outdoor hardy banana with burlap or bubble wrap, cover it with a barrel or trash can, fill the barrel with leaves or straw to give your plant some protection. That way your plant won't have to continuously regrow the pseudostem thus allowing it to flower sooner. If the banana is not cool tolerant, you may wish to consider another variety that can tolerate cooler temperatures such as orinoco, ice cream, etc.

Or, if you have a porch, perhaps you can transport the potted banana via a hand truck from the porch to indoors. Leave the banana always on the porch unless it gets cool; then take it inside. At least you won't have to lug the banana up the stairs if you leave it on the porch.

If you opt for a greenhouse, don't forget that you need to heat it. I just built a rough greenhouse, and I insulated it some. Even so, I have to run a heater at night. I use a small 750-1500 watt heater that I keep on a timer to shut on and off every 30 minutes. When it is 28F outside, the greenhouse is usually around 40F. The bananas aren't happy, but at least they're alive.

If you are feeling really adventurous, when it gets too cold for the plant to be outside chop the pseudostem down to 3-4 feet, bring it in the house, and pot it up for the winter. Let it grow indoors until the weather warms and make sure to cut way back on the watering. When spring arrives chop it back down to 3-4 feet, take it outside and plant it in the ground again. The pruning is not ideal, but at least it will make the banana more manageable for you while conserving part of the pseudostem. You also won't have to lug a pot of dirt up and down stairs, only the shortened banana. If you decide to try this, I would keep a pup as back up. I don't guarantee that this will work, but since the plant is dieing back, you have have nothing to lose. Additionally, if you see the leaves start to stack up, you may want to think twice about cutting the pseudostem as this is a sign of an impending flower.

Else, I agree with Illia. Grow the banana indoors full time. I know you said you don't have that large of a window, so grow lights might help. Keep the pot on a wheeled caddy and push it in front of an opened door on sunny days (assuming you have a storm door).
__________________
amantedelenguaje is offline   Reply With Quote Send A Private Message To amantedelenguaje