Vette-kid

We will be moving in about 6 weeks and id like to take as many bananas with me as I can. Not all of them have pups I can take right now. What is the best way to move a mature plant? I may not be able to get a trailer capable of hauling the full height, can I cut them shorter if I'm digging up the corm? Any benefit to keeping as much pstem as possible, or am I better off cutting it closer to the ground and starting over?

Ive been trying to search but havnt found much yet. Its a local move across town and I should be able to put them back into the ground within a week of digging them up. I can put them in large pots for the duration so they will have nutrients.

Vette-kid

I should add that the varieties are D. Orinoco (8-10ft), Cal Gold (7-8ft), Florida (6-8ft), ice cream(12-14ft) and D Cav(5-6ft).

edwmax

I move 42 plants except for 5 or 6 plants (4 or 5ft tall) all were cut to about 4ft and hauled in the truck of my car. I used plastic garbage bags over the corm & roots. This was mostly to minimize the dirt in the car. But the bags, I think can keep the corm moist & plant well for more than a week if need be. ... Six of those plants fruited this year after being trans planted last November and regrowing their tops.

Don't be afraid to Mama & pups. Just try not to break off the pups.

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edwmax

Where are you moving to? ... Will it be warmer or colder?

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pitangadiego

Take all the pups you can, with as many roots as you can.

For the taller ones, treat them like a large pup. Take the whole thing, with as much roots as possible, leaves and all. Protect leaves from wind damage when transporting. The leaves will help drive regeneration at the new location.

Otherwise, take as much P-stem as you can, but realize that without leaves, it will be harder to get them started at a new location because of the winter temps and "dormancy".

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Encanto Farms Nursery
http://encantofarms.com
We Be Bananas
http://webebananas.com

Vette-kid

Same, about 10 minutes away

edwmax

You can rent a uhaul for the day and not cut the plants. Make a deal with the new owners so you can come back for pups. Leave them some tho.

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cincinnana

For me Bigdog has it down... epic move.....pretty much sums it up.


Time to put the bananas to sleep for the Winter

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Vette-kid

Thanks for that! I wander what those look like when he takes them out after winter? Anyway, most of my leaves are dead anyway from a frost so I'll cut the leaves and leave as much stem as possible. Thanks!

Mark Anthony Phair

You can reduce your banana's individual height to 1/3 of above-ground height. As they are being transplanted, they will go into shock, though they will immediately begin sending the central furled leaf up beyond the cut.

Don't even worry about keeping the corm or roots moist, particularly when the plant may go dormant and it is the time of year that most plants respond to shorter daylight hours and longer nighttime hours. Plus, cooler temps, more rain.

A short move across town negates keeping them moist, they will go into shock from digging up, anyway.

Don't worry about keeping the corm or roots moist. Although banana plants always do best with more than adequate watering, most people do not know that bananas are highly drought tolerant and can survive and will easily and quickly grow back from just the corm.

Case in point: several years ago, a friend dug up and threw out all of his banana plants in summer as the gophers were making meals out of the corms.

The above rules apply only to well-established banana corms. Young or small less established bananas require much more care.

Fortunately for me, he told me they were thrown out in the alley behind his home. There they sat for six weeks in the hot brutal Southern California sun on black asphalt where the temps reached 130 degrees. Then he told me and laughed: "Lets see you bring these back to life!" thinking he'd definitely finished them off forever in the hot dry sun. His challenge to me, as he'd seen me literally bring plants back to life from the "dead."

Needless to say, bananas can take a lot of abuse. The "dead" banana corms were re-planted at my home, and before long, "Wallah!" Instant plantation!

Your plants will do just fine. I guarantee it!

Mark Anthony Phair

The above listed rule does not apply to very young or small plants or pups. Give them special care as they are NOT established and tough, yet!