Wintering over a tropical banana in Northeast, Connecticut (Zone 5-6) is easier than you think.
To find out your zone you can go to our website and enter your zip code. A zone number will appear. Or you can look at a USDA Zone Map.
First, the two bananas that we discuss in the video below are the Musa basjoo, our true hardy banana (Zone 4) and Musa sikkimensis, a banana that is a little more sensitive to the cold but can be grown in Zones 5 or higher. These bananas are grown for their defining tropical look in a garden.
The Musa Basjoo grows so fast it can produce up to a leaf a day. Musa sikkimensis is grown for its red underside and adds a splash of color to its large leafed foliage. Both bananas grow extremely fast when given full sun, plenty of water and lots of fertilizer. It's not unusual for the height to get upwards of twelve feet in one growing season. Finally, although they don't produce bananas, they do have the ability to flower, which is also edible. See our new book,Growing Tasty Tropical Plants for more details.
We grow the Musa sikkemenis in north Alabama and winter it over in the same manner as you describe. It gets quite large in the summer and has come through the last 15 winters without any trouble. Thanks for the video.
ReplyDeleteWow, 15 years...would love to see a photo. It must be quite a stand!
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