Hi all, new to forum

[Ontariobanana]

Hello everyone,

I have been growing bananas indoors and outdoors in Brampton, Ontario, Canada for 4 years now. The major challenge is limited indoor window space for plants in the house and the short growing season (late May-early October) for outdoor growth. Last year I accomplished 11' total height for a DC planted in the ground. I have 2 pups on the go in the house currently and a small Musa basjoo (also in the house) with a possibly frozen basjoo in the garage. I also do grocery store aroids (Colocasia, Xanthosoma) and Alocasia. The whole set-up is rounded out with Zanzibar giant castor bean, papaya and guava. I'm planning on doing the yard up in grand scale this year with Brugmansia and Datura, bamboo, ginger and Ensete ventricosum (if the little rats ever germinate).

I look forward to communicating with everyone on here and especially the zonally challenged Arctic growers of Canada.

Also willing to trade with anyone in Toronto area every autumn as I have tons of pups that go in the compost and I would love to get hold of Saba, Ice Cream, or any Ensete from Ontario members.

Cheers!!!

Craig

[jellyfish_sky]

Hi Craig! Welcome to the forum!

I'm happy to see another Canadian
11' for a DC in Toronto is quite a feat! Congrats!
Now I want to car trip to Toronto

[Ontariobanana]

Hi Celine,

Thanks, yes, there are a few of us here. I look forward to discussing all the special considerations of short season Canadian growers.

11' was the overall height (6' pseudostem and 5' of leaf).

If you ever do make it this way just look for the towering bananas in North end Brampton.

Craig

[STEELVIPER]

[magicgreen]

Welcome to the forum Ontariobanana
This is a great site, with some very amazing people on it!

I love Canada! Been visiting there since I was a child! Been to alot of cities there. Always Alwayyyyyys stop and visit Niagara, I love it.

When i lived in Alaska i thought about coming to lower 48's down the alcan hwy. I had a big jeep waggoneer with 2 gas tanks on it; It would have taken at least a week. It would of been a great adventure! But thought...... Better not; had 3 kids at the time. Anything could of happened!
Throwing pups out!!! hmmmm wonder if i could sneak some across the border!
It only takes me a day to get there from here! LOL Magicgreen

[Taylor]

Welcome Craig!

That DC might fruit for you next year, so put it somewhere that you can protect the fruit if needed for ripening.

[mskitty38583]

welcome to the forum.

[Ontariobanana]

Hi Taylor,

DC was ripped out, 2 pups potted, the rest tossed in compost and the.....huge mother plant.....was.....chopped up for compost. I've tried to overwinter DC pseudostem but don't have anywhere cold enough or large enough to store it. I regrow from pups every year.
Anyone in Toronto area is welcome to my big mother plants next autumn. Just contact me if you are in the area (no shipping).

[D_&_T]

HI and welcome

understand the need for room

[Ontariobanana]

Hi Dan and Tara,

Thanks, looks like a great forum. After several years of growing, I finally signed up here.
I need a greenhouse too. Maybe someday.

[CookieCows]

Welcome and I second the need for a green house! I've walked around the house and asked my husband if we could put a sky light in here.... or there... the tallest areas I told him cause my nanas are going to be tall ... he shakes his head and chuckles. I'm just starting out with my first two pups so haven't experienced the actual thrill of it. All of you north of me growing bananas are such trail blazers!

Deb

[Taylor]

BANANA MURDER!

It's okay, understandable. That's what might happen to me next year!

[D_&_T]

our dwarf has hit ceiling with 3 leaves now with fourth on way (8' high ceiling)

[dukeofargy]

Ontariobanana,

I am new here, and a complete novice. I am contemplating a Musa Basjoo banana, here in Rockwood, Ontario ... just down the road from you ( your side of Guelph ). I am on the map. I love the tropical look, and have been successful growing brugmansia, and of course castors.

I am wondering if the Musa Basjoo will survive in ground in our area ( Canadian zone 5 ), or alternately, if it can go dormant in my cold cellar ( where I keep my brugs ) or my wine cellar ( where I keep my cannas). Any thoughts?

I was contemplating putting it on the south east corner of the house where it would get some protection from the wind, as we have a wind tunnel that comes up from the river between my house and my neighbours' house. Thus it would get direct sun from sun up until mid afternoon. I had brugs there last year and they grew quite tall, but thought that it would make for a nice "statement".

Is it too early to set them out yet?

Do you have any spare pups for the Musa Bagoo? I tried to contact Corolla Tropicals in Toronto, but they have not responded back. A friend has promised me one also, but no definite plants have been made for it as of yet.

John

[damaclese]

Originally Posted by dukeofargy

Ontariobanana,

I am new here, and a complete novice. I am contemplating a Musa Basjoo banana, here in Rockwood, Ontario ... just down the road from you ( your side of Guelph ). I am on the map. I love the tropical look, and have been successful growing brugmansia, and of course castors.

I am wondering if the Musa Basjoo will survive in ground in our area ( Canadian zone 5 ), or alternately, if it can go dormant in my cold cellar ( where I keep my brugs ) or my wine cellar ( where I keep my cannas). Any thoughts?

I was contemplating putting it on the south east corner of the house where it would get some protection from the wind, as we have a wind tunnel that comes up from the river between my house and my neighbours' house. Thus it would get direct sun from sun up until mid afternoon. I had brugs there last year and they grew quite tall, but thought that it would make for a nice "statement".

Is it too early to set them out yet?

Do you have any spare pups for the Musa Bagoo? I tried to contact Corolla Tropicals in Toronto, but they have not responded back. A friend has promised me one also, but no definite plants have been made for it as of yet.

John

id think it would serviv in zone5 with proper mulching thers a nice diagram in the photo forum of how to over winter sorry i dont have the link and welcom to are Banana world

[Dean W.]

Ontariobanana, welcome to the forum. Good luck w/ your Ensete seeds.

[lorax]

Welcome aboard!