How to Grow Banana trees in Colder Climates

To grow banana trees where cold winters are the norm, it is important to take necessary precautions to protect the banana plants. Musa Banana, as it is known scientifically, cannot tolerate below freezing temperatures to its above ground stems. Protecting the root stock and main stem can insure the banana will come back next year and increase the chance of getting banana fruits next fall.

Things You'll Need

• Large leaf trash bags
• Heavy string
• Plastic sheeting
• Mulch materials
• Old blankets, burlap sacks, insulation
• Shovel

Instructions

1. Mulch the root area of the banana trees well to keep the corm from freezing. Banana plants do not have any woody tissue; they are not true trees but are giant herbs. The swollen root structure at the base of the plant is called a corm and as long as this survives the winter, banana plants will come back. New plants, banana pups, will grow along side the mother corm and often there will be several that come up each year. With ornamental bananas, those grown only for their foliage, it is only necessary to protect the corms. The best way to do this, in areas where the ground does not freeze, is to lay down a good thick layer of organic mulch. The cut up leaves from the banana itself should be part of the mulch. Leaves, grass clippings, shredded paper, and wood chips, can all be used as mulch. Bananas will rot if the soil around them stays too wet, so do not use peat moss as it holds on to water. If the banana tree is in an area that has wet winters, place the mulch materials in plastic trash bags and pile them over the corms, that way the mulch won't keep the banana corm wet.

2. Protect the main banana stem to try and get the banana to bloom and make fruit next year. Banana plants need anywhere from 15 months to nearly two years of growth to produce ripe fruit depending on the variety and growing conditions. One way to get around this fact in cold winter climates is to keep the green banana stem alive and protected from freezing. After a summer's growth the main stem of a banana plant will have a fully formed flower bud deep within it. By keeping this stem alive, the banana plant will not have to start all over again next spring and will have a head start on producing a banana flower and fruit before the next winter. There may be several small banana plants that have come up around the main large stem of the banana tree. Pick one to try and save that is around 4 to 6 feet tall. Much taller and it's too hard to cover them well, and banana plants under 3 feet don't have enough growth to really be worth saving. Cut down all the other banana stems or separate any small banana pups and pot them up to over winter inside. Cut off all the leaves from the banana stem to be saved, right before the first freeze. All these extra stems and leaves should be laid down as mulch.

3. In areas that only have a few freezes and intermittent periods of cold weather, make a temporary cover for the banana plant. A wire tomato cage or a frame made of plastic pipe, covered with plastic sheeting will work well on the colder nights and can be removed when not needed. Simply open the top during warmer weather. Don't wrap plastic directly around the banana stem. It is not a good insulator and where it touches the banana plant the tissue will freeze. It will also quickly heat up and cook the banana plant on the first sunny day

4. Where winters are harder and freezing temperatures are more constant, a permanent winter cover over banana plants will be needed. Wrap the banana stem in old blankets, burlap sacks, or even rolls of building insulation. Then cover these with plastic sheeting to keep them from getting wet. Large plastic trash bags can be wrapped around the insulation materials and tied around them. Place a gallon size plastic pot over the top covered with a trash bag to shed water. String wrapped around all of it several times will keep it in place when the wind blows. Stack several bags full of fall leaves all around the stem to protect it. Another method is to use those outside swing and patio furniture cushions. Place them in large trash bags and wrap them around the banana stem, tying them in place.

5. It is also possible to dig up the banana corm and store it and its stem over the winter. In areas where the soil freezes hard, one of the best ways to save banana plants is to dig them up and keep them in a cool dry area where they will not freeze. Bananas have shallow root systems making them easy to dig up. The enlarged corm at the base of the stem is what to dig up whole along with the attached stem. Don't try to save any of the tender roots and don't try to save any stems that have flowered already. Remove any loose soil then cut off all the leaves and store the plants either lying down or leaned them up along a wall. In the garage or under the house in a crawl space, are good areas to store them. They need to be kept cool, under 60 degrees, and dry to stay dormant. When planted back out in the spring they must be supported by tying them to stakes until well rooted. Because of their soft stems don't tie them with ropes, use cloth strips at least 6 inches wide around the plant. Don't plant the corms too deeply, just 4 to 6 inches deep like they were growing before. Fertilize the banana trees heavily to promote quick growth. Well rotted compost, cotton seed meal, and fireplace ashes, are all good sources of banana nutrition.