Now that winter is just around the corner, people are trying to figure out how to prepare banana trees for winter. You’re probably aware that the punishing cold weather can cause serious damage to your precious tropical trees. Bananas are known to be the most traded fruit across the world and the most exported type of which is the cavendish variety.
Bananas are grown in tropical regions that include Asia, Latin America, and Africa. However, the biggest banana exporters are Ecuador, the Philippines, and Colombia. In case you’re not aware, around 20.2 million tons of banana were exported last year – the highest record so far!
There are 1,000 varieties of bananas found in 150 countries all over the world. The banana trees can grow up to 20-40 feet with more or less 240 bananas, depending on the type of banana.
If there’s one thing you need to know about bananas, it’s the fact that they are both fruit and not a fruit. Although people call it a banana tree, it’s actually an herb that’s a distant relative of the ginger. Furthermore, it has a succulent tree stem like that of a ginger’s stem.
What You Need to Know About Bananas
Banana is one of the most popular fruits included in the American diet. There are many nutrients found in a banana. It contains potassium, vitamins B6 and C, fiber, and many more. Bananas also offer health benefits such as manage blood pressure, prevent asthma, prevent cancer, and more.
Surprisingly, bananas are berries. Wait, what?! Botanically speaking, a berry is a flower with one ovary and produces many seeds. Bananas fall into this group while strawberries and raspberries aren’t.
Do’s You Need to Remember to Keep your Banana Trees Happy During Winter
Bananas can be grown in your backyard, too! Growing bananas takes time and patience. Banana plants take 9 months to fully grow and produce fruits.
As we all know, banana plants usually grow in warm, humid weather conditions. Banana leaves won’t grow any longer if the temperature drops around 55°F. Moreover, the leaf will be damaged at 32°F and underground rhizomes die at 22°F and below.
However, there are other varieties of bananas that grow in cold weather. The leaves might be damaged due to the cold weather but the roots will still survive and grow. Unfortunately, these cold-hardy banana plants aren’t edible.
However, banana trees make good house plants. Cold-hardy bananas need to be protected from the freezing weather as well. If you are growing small banana plants, here are the steps you need to consider in growing and protecting your plant during the winter.
DO: Take them indoors
If your plant is small enough, put your banana plant in a container and transfer them indoors. Bananas survive more on soil with reliable moisture. Spray the leaves with a little water to provide humidity.
Remember to place it in a spot where they can still get enough sunlight. Not only do you protect the plant, but you can also have an aesthetic plant decoration inside your house.
DO: Give them plenty of wrapping
If it is impossible to transfer indoors, you can provide a wrapping to protect the plant from the freezing weather. Before wrapping it, make sure to remove any leaves that are dying. Then, cut the plant 6m above ground.
Wrap the remaining using leaves, straw, or other mulching materials. Wrapping it keeps the corm – the rhizome at the pseudostem. When the weather starts to become warm, you can remove the covering and let the plant grow.
There are areas with heavy snow. If you happen to live in those areas, you can dig the root up and transfer it in a container and place them in your basement or any covered place to keep it from frost. This way, the plant will go dormant.
The plant won’t need light thought but make sure to apply just a little amount of water to prevent the soil from drying. When the weather becomes better, cut the plant about 4 inches and start replanting it again.
Why Give Greenhouse Gardening a Try?
Winter is coming! How do we keep our plants alive and happy?
In the olden days, farmers cannot grow plants during cold seasons. However, due to technological advancement, even in the coldest season of the year, planting is still possible. Plants that grow in warm, humid weather can stay happy even in the winter if they’re grown inside a hobby greenhouse.
A hobby greenhouse makes it possible for you to provide a home for the plants where you can create an environment that caters to their unique needs. Aside from this, it also keeps your plants safe from harmful insects and animals that could cause considerable damage to your gardening efforts. Lastly, a hobby greenhouse can also serve as a protective barrier against harsh weather conditions such as excessive rains, strong winds, blizzards, hail, and snow.
Final Thoughts on How to Prepare Banana Trees for Winter
Just like any other plant, bananas also need special care during the winter in order to live through it. Now that you know how to prepare banana trees for winter, consider growing them in your very own hobby greenhouse and experience the benefits of greenhouse gardening.