norteno

This may not end up to be the most popular thread on the forum, but you guys are such a wealth of knowledge I have to take selfish advantage. I live in zone 8b Portland Oregon. We have relatively mild winter temps but lots of rain. I had some basjoos that I overwintered last year with mulch and a frost cloth wrap on the pseudostem (which was probably optional) and they are doing just great. This year however, I now also have a musa sikkimensis, sikimensis red tiger, and musa orinoco in the ground. From what I have read on the forum, I gather that with various wrap and mulch methods I will most likely be able to overwinter these nanas in the ground, but sometimes they dont make it. I read most of the flagship thread on "putting the nanas to sleep for the winter" and digging them up to put in my basement bare root and them planting out in the late spring.

Mind you I am a lay person, but here is my dilema: Why would people bother to overwinter in the ground in any climate that is not lightly beyond the bananas ability to cope vs. just dig up and take into the basement or under the house? I really dont want to lose my sikkimensis and 'red tiger' because they are not that easy to come by. If digging up and putting into the basement is a virtual foolproof way of doing it I would not think I would want to risk leaving them in the ground and hopefully getting lucky in that they survive. I am calling on the expertise of the forum for advice on how I should overwinter my most precious and borderline nanas this year because you guys know your stuff. WHat are the pros and cons in my particular case? I already know the basjoos are staying in the ground because they have a great reputation for being hardy here, the others do not.

natedogg1026

Norteno, I've been wintering my nana's in my crawl space for several years with good success here in Z6. My dad uses his garage and my buddy uses his basement. All work well. What you want is an area with little or no light, not too warm(dry out) and not too wet(rot). One advantage that a crawlspace lacks is you can't see them should something occur. For example we got a lot of water under our house from a wet winter that I was unaware of and I lost several nana's do to rot. It's partly my fault for not putting them up high enough were they would stay dry. Also for you might wanna check there moisture level periodically since you have a fairly warm winter. My buddy uses his basement and keeps his in pots. He lets them stay VERY dry and has the room lit w/small fluorescents. My pops puts his in a closet in his unheated garage, bare root and never touches them. I really think all your nana's would survive in your area w/a lil protection but that's my take on the matter. Why do people try to winter them in the ground you ask. Mainly because it's a pain in the butt to dig em up every year and haul them in, especially when they get big and you get a lot of them. Also they do it just for the thrill of saying they did it. Hope this helps. -Nate PS.-you might run this by Bigdog. He's had a lot of experience in wintering.

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Banana's are a safe addiction. Right?Maybe I need classes.

norteno

Nate,

That was very helpful. My new nanas are so immature I may as well pull them out of the ground and pot them up (minus the basjoos). I have heard sometimes the prolonged cold and wet can kill those sikkimensis around here. Maybe once I have a full grove I will start leaving them in the ground.

mskitty38583

if theyare in pots why not bring them in in the winter. thats what i do with my hcm's,bloodleaf and thats what ill do with my musellas and lil prince.

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norteno

All my nanas are in the ground now so they will need to be dug up.