I know it isn't local, but here is a banana tree!

[gardengirl72]

I am crazy. But if it makes it, I will have the last laugh. I am so scared for it though! A cold hardy banana tree. I have two so maybe if I'm lucky they will pollinate.

I know, it isn't a local plant, but its a BANANA in Boston!

[AbbeyLehman]

Wow! That's COOL! How big will it get, assuming it thrives in the snow?? Maybe THAT'S the tree I can put in the front yard, since I really only have space for about 4 dwarves up to 1 standard....Any ideas on good cold hardy kiwis??

[gardengirl72]

I don't know, I am way out on limb here. I am just now adding in new cold hardy stuff, I will look for a Kiwi. I feel like there is something though. I am going to completely cover it straw and hay in november and cross my fingers!

[AbbeyLehman]

I've seen several cold hardy kiwis at one site or another, I'll see if I can find out which varieties are *really* cold hardy--not that wimpy Florida "cold" that is still shorts weather for us!! I'll post a link when I find it.

[plantoneonme]

Abbey, here are a couple links to discussions regarding the kiwi:

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fruit/msg0317282913676.html
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/fruit/msg0210585331771.html

Patti, please let us in colder climates know how your banana does...this would be the one fruit I would bend over backwards to grow. Kim

[AbbeyLehman]

Thank you for finding those, PlantOne! That seems like a LOT of work....We like kiwi, but I think those are at the bottom of our priority list for now....Patti, on the other hand, seems like she's always up for a new project!! :D

[gardengirl72]

A quick banana tree update. They have made it through an initial shock very well, and since the transplant are a tiny shade greener. I am working on a winterizing system for them.

[plantoneonme]

I know yours are already planted but a thought I had...place plants that are not quite your zone hardy near the exhaust of your furnace, then make a sort of tent like structure and let the heat from the furnace keep them a tad bit warmer. The colder the weather, the more the furnace runs, thus warmer plants.

Ok, you guys will find out I get lots of weird random thoughts when I only have 2 hours of sleep.

[AbbeyLehman]

I know yours are already planted but a thought I had...place plants that are not quite your zone hardy near the exhaust of your furnace, then make a sort of tent like structure and let the heat from the furnace keep them a tad bit warmer. The colder the weather, the more the furnace runs, thus warmer plants.

Ok, you guys will find out I get lots of weird random thoughts when I only have 2 hours of sleep.

Weird or not, it sounds good to me!!!

[gardengirl72]

Great advise Abbey, where were you when I planted them miles away from any exhaust fan:)!

[Backyard Permaculture]

For information on growing Bananas, or any other Tropical fruit, go to the experts. They are the Californa Rare Fruit Growers whose website is http://www.crfg.org and the (formerly Florida) Rare Fruit Counsil whose website is www.rarefruit.org

I was a founding member of the Phoenix Arizona chapter of the Californa Rare Fruit Growers and active in it for about 8 or 9 years. I had growing at my house several fruits, papaya, passion fruit, guava among them and working on many others.

Then I moved from Mesa, USDA Zone 9 or 10 to St David, zone 8a, and still am dabbling in tropical fruit plants. Here I have several pineapple, avocado and moringa plants, a passion fruit cutting that looks like it may make it, mango seeds to plant and papaya as well.

By the way, Maypop, which some of you may be familiar with is a passion fruit that is native to north America, cold hardy and deciduous. Also, the Paw Paw is a North American native fruit that is related to the Cherimoya and Soursop tropical fruits which are delicious. Mark Twain described Cherimoya as Deliciousness itself.

Ron

[Backyard Permaculture]

By the way, very little of what we eat is native to the americas. Bananas, Oranges, peaches and other stone fruits are native to china.

Almost everything we consider "normal" food originated on other continents.

So if you get it to grow and fruit, its local

Ron

[RogueAPBT]

Patti, I didn't read this whole thread, but just wanted to throw out this idea for growing largish plants that can't survive outside. An Austrian friend of mine uses large containers/pots and put a heavy duty dolly underneath. She can then keep plants on the patio all spring/summer/fall, and wheel them into the garage for the winter. It's just warm enough in there that the plants know it's winter, but they don't get the damaging cold temps like they would outside.

Cheryl

[Sinfonian]

I'll never be a true localvore because we eat a ton of bananas and I seriously doubt I could get a tree to grown here in our climate. The only thing tropical in our area are fish from the pet store, and even then you need a heater, hehe.

[gardengirl72]

This banana thing has about a ten percent chance of working in my climate. But I figured I would give it the old college try. Check out the video.

[Kittikity]

You might try a pvc frame around the banana trees with some clear plastic over it.. Sort of a personal greenhouse for the trees.. The sun warms the inside of the plastic structure and keeps the trees warmer.. Same concept as the cold frames..

[AbbeyLehman]

You might try a pvc frame around the banana trees with some clear plastic over it.. Sort of a personal greenhouse for the trees.. The sun warms the inside of the plastic structure and keeps the trees warmer.. Same concept as the cold frames..

+1 for this!! I'm a big PVC fan, as I'm sure you'll discover. These could be very versatile, too--I'm liking it!!

My DH: "Great, that's all you needed, was another PVC idea."

Thanks hon!!! :D

[Kevin]

A quick banana tree update. They have made it through an initial shock very well, and since the transplant are a tiny shade greener. I am working on a winterizing system for them.

Hey Patti, I have been reading over some of these older threads,and I came across this. I have been growing bannanas and plantains (off and on ) for years. I may have a winter solution for you. When you gain a little experience with bananas, you will soon reallize that the plant is expendable, It is the root ball that needs to be taken care of. An example of this is when bananas are harvested the tree is cut down , Once a banana sets fruit it is going to die anyway. Your next years crop comes from suckers growing from the root ball . The larger the root ball the more suckers and usually the quicker the growth. This all being said , I really feel you may be able to cut down your trees every fall, dig up the root balls and store them in your root cellar or green house until spring . Bananas are one of the fastest growing plants that exist. Eventually you should get big enough root balls to set fruit before your next winter. I Have never actually done this up north but it may be worth a try. Good Luck , Kevin

[Sinfonian]

Oops, I too just re-read this thread and must have missed it the first time. Hoping not to hijack this thread, I wanted to ask about using the exhaust of a gas furnace or heater to warm a greenhouse or hoop cover. I heard from a gas guy that it should not be done. Something about the CO2 or whatever being bad for plants in concentration.

If I'm mistaken, I could heat all sorts of stuff in my garden. Unlike GG, I have an exhaust in my garden.

Thanks

[AbbeyLehman]

Oops, I too just re-read this thread and must have missed it the first time. Hoping not to hijack this thread, I wanted to ask about using the exhaust of a gas furnace or heater to warm a greenhouse or hoop cover. I heard from a gas guy that it should not be done. Something about the CO2 or whatever being bad for plants in concentration.

If I'm mistaken, I could heat all sorts of stuff in my garden. Unlike GG, I have an exhaust in my garden.

Thanks

I thought plants LIVED on CO2????

[gardengirl72]

Thanks Kevin, Makes a lot of sense. I will not be discouraged. I really want banana trees. If they don't come back, I'm going to pot some and bring them in for the winter every year.

[Kevin]

Thanks Kevin, Makes a lot of sense. I will not be discouraged. I really want banana trees. If they don't come back, I'm going to pot some and bring them in for the winter every year.

Patti, forget about potting these. The last orinocos I dug out of my yard , the root balls were the size of a shopping cart. Just get the root indoors and you should be fine. bananas are almost indestructible other than freezing them. good luck, Kevin

[Backyard Permaculture]

To contribute to the CO2 discussion, Co2 is necesary for plants, and in fact they make CO2 generators to make CO2 for greehouses to stimulate plant growth.


You can go to this website where they talk about it, and sell them:

http://www.hydroempire.com/store/product_info.php/products_id/807

On that site it says:

"Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is one of the easiest ways to accelerate plant growth. Plants grown with supplemental CO2 can produce up to 40% more flowers or fruit. A propane or natural gas CO2 generator is the most cost effective way to add CO2 to your environment. Many greenhouses use CO2 generators to boost CO2 levels safely and economically."

So capturing the heat and CO2 from your water heater vent or heater vent might work, but I would be sure to have a Carbon Monoxide alarm there too.

Ron

[GoldenAcres]

Patti how did the trees survive the winter?

[Computer Cowboy]

I am crazy. But if it makes it, I will have the last laugh.

Either way, you've gone banannas.

Seriously though, isn't it great fun growing something you're not supposed to? I'm trying dwarf lemons and limes in the Rocky Mountains. Totally crazy, but so far so good. I have one inch-long lime at the moment.

[GoldenAcres]

Seriously though, isn't it great fun growing something you're not supposed to? I'm trying dwarf lemons and limes in the Rocky Mountains. Totally crazy, but so far so good. I have one inch-long lime at the moment.

A friend lives near the NM/CO border and she has some lush patio lemons in a huge pot on casters. They are brought in during the winter and do great.

[Computer Cowboy]

A friend lives near the NM/CO border and she has some lush patio lemons in a huge pot on casters. They are brought in during the winter and do great.

Wow, that's encouraging! I wouldn't say mine are doing 'great', but they're alive, at least.