How Do You Winterize Hardy Banana Plants?
Hardy banana plants add an element of the tropics to the backyard garden. But like most tropical plants, they don’t tolerate frost or freezing temperatures. With a little care, it’s easy to have this beautiful plant in your garden year after year. Several methods are available to winterize your hardy banana plants, depending on the size of your plant. You may want to keep larger plants in the garden, while smaller plants can be brought inside for the winter. Wait until your banana plant is finished producing fruit for the year. Cut the banana stalks to the ground. As fruit is produced on new stalks, or suckers, you will not be damaging your plant or its fruit production. Cover the area over your banana plant with a thick layer of peat, at least 8 to 10 inches, before the first frost. Cover the mulch with a plastic sheet to preserve as much heat in the soil as possible and to protect the banana roots against rot. Your banana plant should start growing again in the spring. Cut and dead o
