Ontariobanana

Hello fellow nana growers,

I'm looking to talk to local backyard banana growers in the Toronto area and surrounding Southern Ontario. I have 4 years experience growing a couple of types of bananas (SDC, DC, Musa basjoo) and am looking for info on where people in the Toronto area get other "cooler" types of bananas that might be cold hardy or at least able to overwinter dry in the basement. Specifically looking for people who grow Darjeeling, Ice cream, Ensete ventricosum.....First question: Where the heck did you get your live plants in Ontario (not interested in seeds)? How did they grow, winter protection, overwintering method?
I'm looking to expand in a big way so I can turn my north Brampton lot into a tropical paradise.

Cheers,

Craig

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D_&_T

here are a few some members have talked about, most of ours have came from other members as corms or seeds
you will need to wait for warmer weather, so time to look around

http://www.stokestropicals.com/
http://www.briansbotanicals.net/
http://www.logees.com/default.asp
http://worldwideplants.com/

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jellyfish_sky

There's Corolla Tropicals, a small nursery that opened not so long ago, in Toronto.
I tried to contact the owner, got one reply, then sent another e-mail a week ago, and nothing yet. I tried googling the name, and there are some positive experiences with them.

http://www.corollatropicals.ca/

You can check it out, but now is really too cold to order anything.

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Celine

Bananaddiction~!

AllenF

I know Ryan of Corolla Tropicals from another forum. Unfortunately I have tried emailing him lately without success.

There are several west coast internet nurseries that carry some of the bananas. I have tried one of them and was very satisfied.
www.tropic.ca

The others primarily carry Musa Basjoo.

http://www.broadwaygardens.com
is located in southern Ontario and has a limited supply of banana varieties.

Allen

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You don't have to be crazy to grow Bananas in Alberta, but it helps

basjooman

I grow basjoos exclusively down here in the beaches usually using the cage method for winter protection (see photo gallery) keeping about five or six pups in the basement for backup.

Not sure where you would find darjeeling or any of the other varieties you mentioned other than mail order but I know plant world http://www.plantworld.net/en/ always has a stock of basjoos on hand in the spring.

There was an interesting article in the Star a while ago about Heritage Perennials in Niagara on the Lake,
http://416-777-7777.com/living/article/271962
They were discussing lasiocarpa and it looks like they will be selling them soon.

Steve

kaczercat

Hey! Been growing bananas for 5 years. I'm 35 min north of Toronto

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Matt

pmurphy

For local Canadain suppliers you can try Perry at Flora Exotica - he may not have but might be able to get:
http://www.floraexotica.ca/indexE.htm

You can also contact Mike at Montreal Plants - nothing exotic listed on his website but he has access to really great selections:
Welcome to MontrealPlants.com!
FYI, I have gran nain, rojo and mekong giant on order from him - shipping to BC - and I know he has access to ice cream.

I have also ordered from Logee's. They have some interesting things but they are small 4" pots, and you might lose to customs if you have it shipped north of the 49th (I had my snow banana shipped to Washington state and then driven across the border as a houseplant.....it will be awhile before it is big enough to go outside .

kaczercat

This is how I protect my basjoo's. This is the secand winter in a row they have been outside. I was really lazy and did nothing to protect them until Jan. Main plant died down but pups always follow.


Here is how I over winter my edible varieties >> In pots, growing in the back of the kitchen.
This is one of my Gros Michael's Jan 20 2013

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Matt

Inas63

Hello folks,
My apologies if I have overstepped my bounds. I would like to eventually grow my own bananas now that I know it's possible in TO. But for now, I'm looking to get some banana trunks (about 3 ft long). The thicker the better. If you are cutting back your plants before the frost, please send me a message. Thank you all in advance.
Fel.