JoeReal

I stop fertilizing and taking out dead leaves and dead sheaths in September 30. This should discourage tender new growth that would be more susceptible to frosts. One of the last supplements I added was gypsum (calcium sulfate), epsom, ammonium sulfate and 6-20-20 with minors. Gypsum, in the presence of acidifying fertilizer like ammonium sulfate will make calcium more available which are needed to strengthen cell walls for plants to tolerate water and temperature stress. By not removing any more dead parts, I am piling up natural insulation for the pseudostems which is the most important exposed part that should remain alive in order for plans to likely bear fruit, so any cultivar that dies back to the ground are only grown potted and brought inside, but those whose pseudostems survive the winters here, they are planted in the ground. During spring, I apply one trash bin full of horse manure that I haul from friend's horse ranch.

I provided a listing of cold hardy cultivars that I have experimented with in my yard and they are posted earlier here in this forum. That was a $2,000 experiment to get this knowledge first hand. I have scaled down on my cultivars and retained only very few, and Dwarf Brazilian is one of those that remained. All my banana cultivars planted in the ground are cold hardy.

Yes, I left also one bunch of fruit of Dwarf Brazilian to see what happens during the winter. I haven't protected it yet. I plan to wrap it with a jute clothing from Home Depot, and a plastic sheet on the outer layer.