JodoGarden

I have been reading threads for a while and finally became a member... don't know what took so long.

I'm recently settled in SW FL and finally getting my hands into the famous, ant-filled, nutrient-poor, sandy loam and putting down some roots... literally ! Having gardened and farmed in New England, Florida gardening is a welcome change and shock at the same time. This will be my 3rd winter here in Florida, but I didn't have any bananas in the ground until this year. So... in HZ 10a does anyone have any tips about protecting bananas enough during cold blasts so that they will continue to leaf out and not be set back by the potential frosts (which seem to be light frosts if we're lucky)? I was planning on the Christmas light trick, but my plants are getting too large to cover with material or plastic... about 7 or 8 feet tall now. If it did dip into the the 20s, I don't think the Christmas lights would bring up the ambient air temperature enough to prevent the leaves from getting burnt without a plastic covering too. I only have dwarf Cavendish in the ground right now, so it wouldn't be a big loss if they did get zapped. But this is sort of a test winter because I will be putting in some harder to find cultivars that I have growing in pots right now. Any tips or tricks appreciated.

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caliboy1994

You should have no problem in 10a unless there's a major freeze. I'm in Southern California 10a and I don't protect my plants at all, and our winters are a lot harder on bananas than yours.

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"The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings."
~ Masanobu Fukuoka

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Abnshrek

Hello, Welcome & Happy Growing.. :^)

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I'm a Nannerhead :^)

JodoGarden

Thanks Caliboy. The last 2 winters here have had actual frosts, but only about 4 per winter. I know each banana cultivar will have different reactions to cold... but I have seen other tropicals and subtropicals get zapped to the ground from 25 degree temps, even though they were short lived drops in temperature. Thanks for the info.

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JodoGarden

Thank you Abnshrek!

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oakshadows

Good growing and good luck with the weather.

oakshadows

Being in zone 9b I also worry about the temps. We covered the bananas with blankets, sheets, comforters, etc. These were purchased at yard sales and were not expensive. One thing we did find out is that the plants will still get burnt if the covering touches the leaves. We did what we thought was a good job and were very surprised to see the damage, althought it was slight. Noww they will get a frame, probably a tepee, for the smaller plants. The larger will be on their own. Plastic I found to be a poor covering for plants as it has no insulation value and only worked for us when it was wrapped around a frame and had a heat supply under it. (60 watt bulbs if the wind is slight or more if the wind is blowing. if you lose a few leaves the plant will regrow and look beautiful again in short time.
We have large variety of bananas since we are looking for the ones that will do good for us and our cattle. Fodder was the reason for bananas and it just grew from there.

12 day old calf eating his first leaf.
Good growing.

JodoGarden

I have heard that blankets are the best to use, but they must hang all the way to the ground. The idea being that the radiant heat from the soil will help to heat up the interior. Of course, not exactly possible with bananas. If we do get some cold, I might try using lights. A friend of mine had luck using Christmas lights and then draping with plastic. Most of my plants are in the ground.

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oakshadows

Good luck, hope we don't need protection this winter.