moncsi

Hi all!
I need some info about the best overwintering methods for some big Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' and a Musella lasiocarpa.
I live in North Italy in zone 7b-8 and both bananas are in ground. I'll try to cover the Musella, but I have to dig up and store the Ensete I guess. ( tried overwinter inground some Ensete last winter but they rot... I would like some advice about what to do AFTER I dig up these huge plants. Should I leave some soil on the roots or not? Or have I cut all the roots than store the plants in a cool place without watering at all? Or should I pot them up...? And what is the ideal light condition and temperature for overwintering them?

Thanks in advance for any help, and I apologize for my English

jack hagenaars

I leave my maureii,s in big pots....you can dig them in the ground or leave them as is....in the winter I move them to the garage,leaves and all..still in the pots......(unheated garage). Water them once a month...they slowly start to lose their old leaves....in the spring,after the frost...I take them out and put them back where i display them.....as the old leaves die,cut them off. Hope that helps

moncsi

Hi,
thanks for the reply!
I've already put them in the garage, but without soil, wrapped in newspaper and plastic (only the bottom third). They look perfect until now... Of course I can not water them in this way, however I cut all but the newest leaves off. Maybe I could pot them up for winter storage, but these are way too big for growing in big pots that I have to dig in and out than move them.
Can you tell me at what temperature you overwinter yours?
Thanks!

milantropicallover

I've tried for two winters to overwinter my ensete maurellii and ventricosum in the garage here in MIlan and they rotted all the time, so it's not easy at all, other plants like musa sikimmiensis are really easyer to overwinter. Ensete plants has too much water in the stem and hight umidity and low temperature are their enemy. It's easier to grow indoor at 20 degrees and artificial light, i starded from seeds in autumn and arrived to 4 feet in the spring. uff che fatica scrivere in inglese, ahahah

stevelau1911

If you cannot give it enough light over the winter, I think the best way to get them through would be to cut off all the leaves, dry out the corms and over-winter them in a dry cool environment. It will probably take either a heated greenhouse or a 400watt + metal halide to keep ensete alive through the winter.

I just got mine so they are small enough to keep on a south facing window which appears to be adequate for growing a leaf every 1-2 weeks, and the stem also appears to be getting fatter so they seem happy.

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I'm in zone 6 upstate NY, specialize in growing temperate cold hardy bamboos(mainly phyllostachys) and starting to get into bananas.

my picture website is http://www.flickr.com/photos/31489820@N02/

http://stevespeonygarden.blogspot.com/