Help! Winterized but now fell over!

bananabeginner · 01-22-2009, 12:23 PM

Hi I am new here and am hoping for some good advice. I live outside of Vancouver BC, and we have been dealing with lots of snow and now fog with below freezing temperatures. I had cut back my trees to about 4 ft and insulated and covered same as I did last year, by making my own tree sleeves from black plastic and insulation. My tree faces south and is against the house under the eaves, so it is protected from the snow fall.
This morning I noticed it has fallen over! I don't know what to do now???
Are they dead or rotten? Should I prop them up or is it too late to save them? Any suggestions would be appreciated. My poor babies!!!

chong · 01-22-2009, 12:35 PM

Would you have any before and after pictures of your plants? It would be very helpful for us to see what they look like. Also, do you know if there was a lot of moisture penetration inside the cover that you put over it? If there is, you will need to let it dry out. Any way to find out if the p-stem is rotting or just dry? Hopefully the corms are still firm.

bananabeginner · 01-22-2009, 01:00 PM

unfortunately I don't have any before pictures. Should I take off the cover and look? It is still below freezing and I wasn't sure if that would harm them as well. But if they are wet or moist what should I do if the temperature is still at freezing? They would freeze before they would dry out.

Chironex · 01-22-2009, 01:04 PM

I would just stand it back up and brace it better. Whatever has happened cannot be fixed anyway, so at least you will have a chance versus removing the cover and freezing it for certain.

bananabeginner · 01-22-2009, 01:06 PM

OK so I just took a look and the stalks are mushy right down to the base!!! I guess that is not good!! Now what should I do? I do have mulch around the base but should I protect the root or corm more somehow? This is so depressing as I was looking forward to taller trees this summer.

Bob · 01-22-2009, 01:22 PM

Don't give up till theres nothing but a hole in the ground!( and check out pitangadiegos site). Mulch twice as heavy and cover with a tarp. Cant hurt.

buzzwinder · 01-22-2009, 01:44 PM

Like Bob said!!

bananabeginner · 01-22-2009, 01:57 PM

I can't prop it up, it is bent from about 3 inches from the ground. I used insulation (house insulation) and black plastic. I wonder if the moisture is from sweating? is that possible? So, I should just leave it alone for now as we are not done winter yet! yuk!!!!

sandy0225 · 01-22-2009, 02:50 PM

Do you have anything else or can you get anything else like dry leaves, straw, old hay, etc to mulch it with and a plastic tarp about 6x8 feet? If you can get any of the above mulches and the tarp, go ahead after you've procured your supplies, then uncover the plant quickly, take off all the plastic and house insulation and cover it very well in at least a three foot circle or even better four feet all around the stems of the bananas and at least 2 feet thick with the good dry mulch. Then cover it with the plastic tarp and weight it down on all four corners. I think getting the wet stuff off of it and preventing more freezing to the corm underground is the best you can hope for at this point.

Chironex · 01-22-2009, 02:58 PM

If it is that bent, then cut it off just below the bend/break. Cover the "stump" with whatever insulating material you have and tarp over that. If the pstem is that damaged, there is nothing you can do to save that part - it will not recover and grow up straight again. So, by lopping this off, you will save the corm.
In a month or so this spring, you will have a full plant again.

bananabeginner · 01-22-2009, 07:03 PM

I was thinking that I should cut it off. If I leave it attached will it rot the corm? The insulation isn't wet, which I don't understand. Should I have staked them at the time of insulating? I have noticed around town some people have staked them(the type that have the nursery bought sleeves).

Chironex · 01-22-2009, 07:20 PM

If you leave it attached, it will not rot the corm by itself, but since this part of the plant is already a goner, it will facilitate protecting the corm a much easier procedure.

sandy0225 · 01-23-2009, 07:32 AM

It sounds like your insulation wasn't enough. The pstem has frozen solid and then later on when it thawed, it sagged over. There wasn't enough protection on the stem to keep it from freezing. I'd be willing to bet that this spring some of the other people who have protected theirs in a similar fashion and staked it up will find the same results, it's just not sagged over because the stake is holding it up. At least you know!

bananabeginner · 01-27-2009, 04:31 PM

OK I have cut the pstem down to ground level and all the other small ones as well. They were dripping with water! I just covered them and the ground around them with the insulation (4 layers) then covered with plastic to keep the insulation dry. It will probably sweat though. Now is there any other suggestions before I just sit and wait?
Thanks for all the help!

Chironex · 01-27-2009, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bananabeginner

OK I have cut the pstem down to ground level and all the other small ones as well. They were dripping with water! I just covered them and the ground around them with the insulation (4 layers) then covered with plastic to keep the insulation dry. It will probably sweat though. Now is there any other suggestions before I just sit and wait?
Thanks for all the help!

That's about all that you can do at this point is try to keep the corm from freezing. If you are successful at that, then your banana plant will come back this spring. The water that you saw is coming from the plant, I presume. That's a good sign. It means that the corm is not frozen.

jack hagenaars · 01-27-2009, 06:40 PM

Stop worrying! You have done everything you can....they will come back when the weather warms up......and before you know it....you will be looking up at them once again.....generally on an average winter here we can keep the stems intact if we mulch them with leaves and keep the rain off so they dont rot...but this was an extreme winter for us...so likely they will die off to the ground and regrow again starting in march...weather permitting ofcourse! I usually uncover mine around the "Ides of March",unless there are still frost warnings out...thats only 6 weeks away....yeah!!!!

jack hagenaars · 01-27-2009, 06:41 PM

"Ides of March"(March 15th) for those of us who dont know!

bananabeginner · 01-28-2009, 12:39 PM

Thanks Jack. I had cannas for years and did nothing to them over the winter until one year they all went to mush. Now I am paranoid. I never had much of a green thumb but loved my cannas, and my banana was doing so good this past summer. Can hardly wait for spring to come, hate this snow!

01-22-2009, 12:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
bananabeginner bananabeginner's Photo Gallery Location: Vancouver BC Find me on the map! Zone: 7 Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 80 BananaBucks : 17,609 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 57 Times Was Thanked 18 Times in 11 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Help! Winterized but now fell over! Hi I am new here and am hoping for some good advice. I live outside of Vancouver BC, and we have been dealing with lots of snow and now fog with below freezing temperatures. I had cut back my trees to about 4 ft and insulated and covered same as I did last year, by making my own tree sleeves from black plastic and insulation. My tree faces south and is against the house under the eaves, so it is protected from the snow fall. This morning I noticed it has fallen over! I don't know what to do now??? Are they dead or rotten? Should I prop them up or is it too late to save them? Any suggestions would be appreciated. My poor babies!!! __________________

01-22-2009, 12:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
chong Senior Member chong's Photo Gallery Location: Seattle, WA Find me on the map! Zone: 8-9 Name: Chong Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 1,851 BananaBucks : 99,272 Feedback: 6 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,310 Times Was Thanked 1,702 Times in 759 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 991 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! Would you have any before and after pictures of your plants? It would be very helpful for us to see what they look like. Also, do you know if there was a lot of moisture penetration inside the cover that you put over it? If there is, you will need to let it dry out. Any way to find out if the p-stem is rotting or just dry? Hopefully the corms are still firm.

01-22-2009, 01:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
bananabeginner bananabeginner's Photo Gallery Location: Vancouver BC Find me on the map! Zone: 7 Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 80 BananaBucks : 17,609 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 57 Times Was Thanked 18 Times in 11 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! unfortunately I don't have any before pictures. Should I take off the cover and look? It is still below freezing and I wasn't sure if that would harm them as well. But if they are wet or moist what should I do if the temperature is still at freezing? They would freeze before they would dry out. __________________

01-22-2009, 01:04 PM	#4 (permalink)
Chironex The causasian Asian! Chironex's Photo Gallery Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Find me on the map! Zone: I have no idea Name: Scot Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,788 BananaBucks : 122,339 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,544 Times Was Thanked 1,406 Times in 808 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 609 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! I would just stand it back up and brace it better. Whatever has happened cannot be fixed anyway, so at least you will have a chance versus removing the cover and freezing it for certain. __________________ Scot

01-22-2009, 01:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
bananabeginner bananabeginner's Photo Gallery Location: Vancouver BC Find me on the map! Zone: 7 Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 80 BananaBucks : 17,609 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 57 Times Was Thanked 18 Times in 11 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! OK so I just took a look and the stalks are mushy right down to the base!!! I guess that is not good!! Now what should I do? I do have mulch around the base but should I protect the root or corm more somehow? This is so depressing as I was looking forward to taller trees this summer. __________________

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01-22-2009, 01:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
Bob Orang Puteh Bob's Photo Gallery Location: Washington Twp N.J. Find me on the map! Zone: 6a Name: bob Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 3,528 BananaBucks : 209,709 Feedback: 12 / 100% Said "Thanks" 9,537 Times Was Thanked 4,058 Times in 1,694 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 565 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! Don't give up till theres nothing but a hole in the ground!( and check out pitangadiegos site). Mulch twice as heavy and cover with a tarp. Cant hurt. __________________

01-22-2009, 01:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
buzzwinder buzzwinder's Photo Gallery Location: Loves Park, Il. Find me on the map! Zone: 5 Name: Bill Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 871 BananaBucks : 12,218 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,043 Times Was Thanked 846 Times in 354 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,155 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! Like Bob said!! __________________ Bill for my friend

01-22-2009, 01:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
bananabeginner bananabeginner's Photo Gallery Location: Vancouver BC Find me on the map! Zone: 7 Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 80 BananaBucks : 17,609 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 57 Times Was Thanked 18 Times in 11 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! I can't prop it up, it is bent from about 3 inches from the ground. I used insulation (house insulation) and black plastic. I wonder if the moisture is from sweating? is that possible? So, I should just leave it alone for now as we are not done winter yet! yuk!!!! __________________

01-22-2009, 02:50 PM	#9 (permalink)
sandy0225 Northern Tropics sandy0225's Photo Gallery Location: Muncie, Indiana zone 5 Find me on the map! Zone: zone 5 Name: Sandy Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,718 BananaBucks : 364,691 Feedback: 31 / 97% Said "Thanks" 38 Times Was Thanked 1,801 Times in 682 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 9 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! Do you have anything else or can you get anything else like dry leaves, straw, old hay, etc to mulch it with and a plastic tarp about 6x8 feet? If you can get any of the above mulches and the tarp, go ahead after you've procured your supplies, then uncover the plant quickly, take off all the plastic and house insulation and cover it very well in at least a three foot circle or even better four feet all around the stems of the bananas and at least 2 feet thick with the good dry mulch. Then cover it with the plastic tarp and weight it down on all four corners. I think getting the wet stuff off of it and preventing more freezing to the corm underground is the best you can hope for at this point. __________________ Sandy Burrell Northern Tropics Greenhouse 1501 East Fuson Road Muncie, IN 47302 www.northerntropics.com specializing in bananas, heirloom tomatoes and water gardening plants~ check out our new online store at our website!

01-22-2009, 02:58 PM	#10 (permalink)
Chironex The causasian Asian! Chironex's Photo Gallery Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Find me on the map! Zone: I have no idea Name: Scot Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,788 BananaBucks : 122,339 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,544 Times Was Thanked 1,406 Times in 808 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 609 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! If it is that bent, then cut it off just below the bend/break. Cover the "stump" with whatever insulating material you have and tarp over that. If the pstem is that damaged, there is nothing you can do to save that part - it will not recover and grow up straight again. So, by lopping this off, you will save the corm. In a month or so this spring, you will have a full plant again. __________________ Scot

01-22-2009, 07:03 PM	#11 (permalink)
bananabeginner bananabeginner's Photo Gallery Location: Vancouver BC Find me on the map! Zone: 7 Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 80 BananaBucks : 17,609 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 57 Times Was Thanked 18 Times in 11 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! I was thinking that I should cut it off. If I leave it attached will it rot the corm? The insulation isn't wet, which I don't understand. Should I have staked them at the time of insulating? I have noticed around town some people have staked them(the type that have the nursery bought sleeves). __________________

01-22-2009, 07:20 PM	#12 (permalink)
Chironex The causasian Asian! Chironex's Photo Gallery Location: Jakarta, Indonesia Find me on the map! Zone: I have no idea Name: Scot Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 2,788 BananaBucks : 122,339 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,544 Times Was Thanked 1,406 Times in 808 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 609 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! If you leave it attached, it will not rot the corm by itself, but since this part of the plant is already a goner, it will facilitate protecting the corm a much easier procedure. __________________ Scot

01-23-2009, 07:32 AM	#13 (permalink)
sandy0225 Northern Tropics sandy0225's Photo Gallery Location: Muncie, Indiana zone 5 Find me on the map! Zone: zone 5 Name: Sandy Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,718 BananaBucks : 364,691 Feedback: 31 / 97% Said "Thanks" 38 Times Was Thanked 1,801 Times in 682 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 9 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! It sounds like your insulation wasn't enough. The pstem has frozen solid and then later on when it thawed, it sagged over. There wasn't enough protection on the stem to keep it from freezing. I'd be willing to bet that this spring some of the other people who have protected theirs in a similar fashion and staked it up will find the same results, it's just not sagged over because the stake is holding it up. At least you know! __________________ Sandy Burrell Northern Tropics Greenhouse 1501 East Fuson Road Muncie, IN 47302 www.northerntropics.com specializing in bananas, heirloom tomatoes and water gardening plants~ check out our new online store at our website!

01-27-2009, 04:31 PM	#14 (permalink)
bananabeginner bananabeginner's Photo Gallery Location: Vancouver BC Find me on the map! Zone: 7 Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 80 BananaBucks : 17,609 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 57 Times Was Thanked 18 Times in 11 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! OK I have cut the pstem down to ground level and all the other small ones as well. They were dripping with water! I just covered them and the ground around them with the insulation (4 layers) then covered with plastic to keep the insulation dry. It will probably sweat though. Now is there any other suggestions before I just sit and wait? Thanks for all the help! __________________

01-27-2009, 06:40 PM	#16 (permalink)
jack hagenaars jack hagenaars's Photo Gallery Location: Victoria,British Columbia Find me on the map! Zone: 8 a/b Name: Jack Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 236 BananaBucks : 51,060 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 3 Times Was Thanked 137 Times in 83 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 7 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! Stop worrying! You have done everything you can....they will come back when the weather warms up......and before you know it....you will be looking up at them once again.....generally on an average winter here we can keep the stems intact if we mulch them with leaves and keep the rain off so they dont rot...but this was an extreme winter for us...so likely they will die off to the ground and regrow again starting in march...weather permitting ofcourse! I usually uncover mine around the "Ides of March",unless there are still frost warnings out...thats only 6 weeks away....yeah!!!!

01-27-2009, 06:41 PM	#17 (permalink)
jack hagenaars jack hagenaars's Photo Gallery Location: Victoria,British Columbia Find me on the map! Zone: 8 a/b Name: Jack Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 236 BananaBucks : 51,060 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 3 Times Was Thanked 137 Times in 83 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 7 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! "Ides of March"(March 15th) for those of us who dont know!

01-28-2009, 12:39 PM	#18 (permalink)
bananabeginner bananabeginner's Photo Gallery Location: Vancouver BC Find me on the map! Zone: 7 Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 80 BananaBucks : 17,609 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 57 Times Was Thanked 18 Times in 11 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Help! Winterized but now fell over! Thanks Jack. I had cannas for years and did nothing to them over the winter until one year they all went to mush. Now I am paranoid. I never had much of a green thumb but loved my cannas, and my banana was doing so good this past summer. Can hardly wait for spring to come, hate this snow! __________________

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