Winterizing palm trees and banana plants

For all those who have planted hardy palm trees and banana trees, it is high time to protect them!

Here's KERAMBOO's Winter Protection Tips:

http://shop.keramboo.com/en/palm-tree-banana-winter-protection?coID=28&xb5c6c=6775576fe96d2f3f2254f69b7b482d9d

Your KERAMBOO Team

KERAMBOO
Tiki Bamboo Style
[email protected]
http://www.KERAMBOO.com

DE (in German)

Für alle diejenigen, die winterharte Palmen und Bananenstauden ausgepflanzt haben, wird es höchste Zeit, sie zu schützen !!

Hier KERAMBOO´s Winterschutz-Tipps:

http://shop.keramboo.com/de/palmen-bananen-winterschutz?coID=28&xb5c6c=6775576fe96d2f3f2254f69b7b482d9d

Euer KERAMBOO Team

KERAMBOO
Tiki-Bamboo-Art
[email protected]
http://www.KERAMBOO.com

KERAMBOO
Tiki-Bamboo-Art
http://www.KERAMBOO.com

[ Edited by: Ralf Liesendahl 2013-11-18 09:00 ]

Original subject was "Here is an example of how you can get your hardy palm trees and banana tree, safe through the winter"

[ Edited by: Hakalugi - Renamed subject to be more compact. - 2013-11-21 08:46 ]

Ralf, you're doing this in Europe? This is a great innovation, and I'm sure visitors to your homes are impressed with your bananas and palms.

Comparable to the US do you know what zone you live in?

Wow, a lot of work, but also great ideas!

Most of my bananas I keep in pots, but I do plant some in the ground over the summer.

They all go back in my basement for the Winter in pots, and I use the same method of cutting off all the leaves, though I do leave one on.

I have a small south exposure window for some light, and I water them a little throughout the Winter.

I'm in Zone 5, and this year I had a 2 year old tree fruit just before the hard freeze.

Has anyone tried these banana trees ? They sell two different types of trees which they cay can take the winter. Plan on ordering some to try.

http://www.floridahillnursery.com/banana-tree-plants-c-3/musa-basjoo-banana-tree-p-18

http://www.floridahillnursery.com/banana-tree-plants-c-3/musa-mekong-giant-banana-tree-zones-6-10-p-407

[ Edited by: dtel 2013-11-20 17:33 ]

Took your advice and last night tied up the top of my Windmill Palm. It is about chest high to the top of the trunk. First year in the ground here. And I have a baby that is a foot. I used a large zip tie and twine to hold the leaves up and bought some of that plant anti-freeze stuff. May move the patio umbrella over it too. It is a big investment! It hits the upper 20s here this weekend. I have had reasonable luck as long as it stays in the 20s. Below 20 F I take action. I have put Christmas lights around the plants. My Gardenias mainly at single digits. The Gardenia will survive even very cold temps, but the ends get black and that is where all the blooms are. SO I cover it and put the lights on it to keep it happier.

I got mine from here:

http://www.banana-tree.com/

The say they are hardy to -20. mine came as rhizomes and I started them inside. they did not fair too well outdoors this summer as we had a rough year. we'll see if they make a comeback. I might have to try again and give them more then 6 months inside to get a little bigger before I move them outdoors.

I believe I am in zone 5 or 5A

A good clickable zone map for the United States is available here:

http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/

I'm in 9a, heh...

8b here so we would probably loose the leaves on a cold winter but I wouldn't have to dig them up, that helps a lot.

The Windmill palm is pretty tough, there good to around 10 degrees at least, we planted many on landscaping jobs. The only thing I didn't like about them (other than being a fan palm, not my favorite) is when they get older they don't look nearly as nice.

[ Edited by: dtel 2013-11-21 13:52 ]

[ Edited by: dtel 2013-11-21 13:53 ]

Based on the map I am in a 6a zone. pretty sure we use to be 5a. Tropicals are really tough to maintain up here. Canna and Elephant ears do well in the summer but have to come up after the first frost. I've had decent luck with the root bunches and bulbs coming back.

I also have 7 cold hardy Hibiscus that that I planted last fall and were well mulched that came back this spring.

I would love any suggestions of plants that people have had good luck with in a similar zone.

On 2013-11-22 06:51, Shaff01 wrote:
Based on the map I am in a 6a zone. pretty sure we use to be 5a. Tropicals are really tough to maintain up here. Canna and Elephant ears do well in the summer but have to come up after the first frost. I've had decent luck with the root bunches and bulbs coming back.

I also have 7 cold hardy Hibiscus that that I planted last fall and were well mulched that came back this spring.

I would love any suggestions of plants that people have had good luck with in a similar zone.

Here ya go:

http://www.palmsnorth.com/forum/index.php

All the answers are here.