OllieB497

Hi,
So my polytunnel has a range of bananas in it. It’s winter and we’ve have had some snow and freezing nights. My tunnel was being kept at 10 degrees to keep my bananas happy. However, when the temp outside is -3 degrees, it uses up a lot of propane to keep warmth. I’m a student and don’t have the money to pay for all this propane. So what I’m doing it. I’m removing my less hardy banana which is the gros Michel. I’m putting it inside. The rest are more hardy. These are
Dwarf namwah, dwarf Orinoco, basjoo, sikimensis, st Helen’s and manzano Apple. These are considered hardier. They can survive temps as long as it’s not freezing. . So I’m going to lower the heater thermostat to 6 degrees. All the bananas can survive on that. So they will go dormant. The less hardy gros Michel, lady finger, aeae, Siam ruby, grand nain and blue java are all inside in the warmth.

Let me know what u think, is this a good move? I would just leave it the same but I can’t afford it I’m afraid.
Thankss

maesy

I think its a good idea.
Since spring 2020 I'm also growing bananas in a poly tunnel. Dwarf namwah, california gold and two bananas from which I thought are rajapuri, but turned out to be dwarf cavendish. Im only keeping the pseudostems above freezing with heating cables and and bubble wrap. But wether the dwarf cavendish can take that, Im not so sure. If not I'll have two new spots for other bananas.

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OllieB497

Nice good luck to you. My experience with cavendish is bad. Mine rotted badly. I suggest a gros Michel. They are much better in everyway eg hardier. The heater cables. Never heard of them before. I would use electricity but no power near by

edwmax

As long as the corms for the GM (& others) don't freeze, they will be ok. Those will simply go dormant for the winter in the poly tunnel. Just cover the pots with a freeze blanket on the cold nights.

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OllieB497

Thanks for the reply, yeah I agree.

barrie

I'm in the UK. My greenhouse temperature is set at 11c.
Your 6c sounds risky. Cavendish will certainly not survive, my larger specimens rarely last the 6 months at my low temps of 11c. Small pups tend to do better. In10 years of banana growing, I've still not yet managed to get a Cavendish to survive long enough to fruit.
That's my ambition before I die.
Basjoo will survive at 6c, but Orinoco and Rajapuri may well suffer.
Keep them as dry as possible, with minimum watering. You may notice the leaves one by one turning yellow, so a little water may keep them going but they really won't thrive at 6c. I often take a deteriorating plant into my house when I see the leaves yellowing, it's either that or lose them.
Good luck.

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barrieboy

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