🍌Growing Bananas in -30C in Canada in a Passive Solar Greenhouse.

[@PeterSedesse]

I lived in Nicaragua and had a few hundred banana plants for about 5 years. What I learned from the locals regarding pups. You only ever want to have 4 stalks at any one time, and in fact most of the time you only want 3, and you want them to be staggered in size. You don't want any two of your stalks to be the same size. So for example, you will have your tallest stalk with developing bananas, your 2nd stalk, and then your 3rd stalk. Keep eliminating your 4th stalk until such a time that your 3rd stalk is pretty big ( I waited for 6 feet). So then when the 3rd stalk hits 6', you let a new stalk come up, but shortly after that you will be harvesting your bananas from the tallest stalk, and then immediately cut down that stalk and go back to having only 3 stalks. If you do it that way, your 2nd stalk will be flowering while the 1st stalk is finishing off the bananas. You can be harvesting about 2.5 times per year. All of those extra small stalks are just stealing energy from your 2nd stalk and preventing it from flowering. Just keep chop/dropping that 4th stalk until the 3rd stalk gets big. There should be a mess of dead stalks under your plant, and once you harvest the bananas, cut that stalk also and let is decay under the plant. This creates a lot of mulch and the stalks are almost entirely water. The other thing is to learn to recognize the difference between stalks, and hijos(children). If you think of indeterminate tomatoes... a stalk will be like a branch, but a hijo is a sucker. The way you can tell the difference is at the very base of the plant. A stalk will develop out of the same base as your other stalks, but an hijo will develop it's own base. So if it is all stalks, the top view of the base will look more like an 0 (an ellipse), but if it is a hijo, it will look more like a number 8. Hijos should always be removed. You can take a shovel and basically split between the number 8 and create a separate plant if you want to give it away, or you can just dig it up and drop it to die. I never really counted, but I would guess that about 50% of the time something comes up, it will be an hijo, and 50% a stalk. Hijos can get really out of hand if you don't dig up the base of it, and they just take so much energy/space away from your main plant. For instance, we had areas that had thousands of wild banana plants, but the hijos developed so close and so often to the parent, that you never see wild bananas develop, just the plant. I think banana plants want to propagate using hijos, and producing actual fruit is a secondary means to reproduce. Kinda like if you don't trellis and prune indeterminate tomatoes, you may never get fruit as the suckers will just develop roots and grow and compete with the original plant.

[@ArkopiaYouTube]

All super good advice. Appreciate it. ✌️

[@AmbersDaintyThrowBlanket]

Awesome advice, thanks!

[@Parker.planet]

So kind of you to share!

[@RanchKings]

W

[@JayGreggy4973]

I learned quite a fair bit from your post and I really want to thank you for taking the time.

[@BouncingTribbles]

I've been hesitant to farm in Canada, for a variety of reasons, but a greenhouse like this seems like a dream come true. Congrats brother.

[@bobsmith8124]

You should do some more research on all the amazing fruit and nut trees you can grow naturally in Canada. From zones 3-8, much better than these cavendish bananas grown with synthetic nutrients.

[@BouncingTribbles]

@@bobsmith8124 I was talking about the greenhouse, but okay. I'm sure everyone has their preferred produce, i'm glad you enjoy yours.

[@bobsmith8124]

@@BouncingTribbles have you researched the cavendish banana and the dangers of monoculture?

[@ranch_enthusiast]

@@bobsmith8124 have you researched minding your own business and letting other people have their own opinion?

[@BouncingTribbles]

@@bobsmith8124 are you okay?

[@lyndalovesraccoons]

..." it warmed up abit, its only -22°C ... 😂...ohhhhhh caaaanada🎶🎵

[@emonsahariar9292]

People there are living ice-creams.

[@tuvoca825]

Imagine! You could make the most expensive tropical crops... in the least tropical place? TAKE THAT SHIPPING AND HANDLING 😂🎉

[@ArkopiaYouTube]

We also solve tropical fruit issue with our freeze dried smoothies, reducing shipping by 95% and zero food waste. 👍

[@dougwarren5471]

This is awesome! With the amount of land we have here in Saskatchewan there's no reason we can't have more of these and stop relying of goods coming out of country.

[@scottfraser706]

Truly amazing 👏. We should be doing this across Canada especially in the far remote communities up north

[@renamaemcdonald2075]

We live up close to the Yukon border. The challenge in the winter is the lack of daylight. We would need to add some lights as well as lots of heat at that time to keep the plants alive.

[@roselewis1426]

Please show us the ins and outs of how you built your passive solar greenhouse. What considerations you made, how you figured out how to angle it from the sun, what you use for solar mass, what you built out of and all of it please!

[@ArkopiaYouTube]

In all previous KZbin videos. Playlist for “Arkopia greenhouse” on our channel. ✌️

[@DerekJohn]

@@ArkopiaKZbinthank you! I was about to say the same thing, we live in America, but on the Wisconsin/Illinois border and I LOVE tropical fruit and also that feeling of being around green and feeling natural sun hit

[@naturefreek1953]

Me and my wife are doing this in saskatchewan as well, we have a year round climate battery greenhouse

[@abbyiyer2011]

As a canadian im so proud you have shown to the world where there is a will there is a way❤❤❤❤

[@redshedacres]

I'm old enough to be your mother, but we are kindred spirits. When you talked about wrapping your Tilapia in a banana leaf with herbs, your face and passion of what you are doing resounded with my soul. So glad your generation get to enhance this science with the know how you have acquired with your talent and trade. Well done you.

[@sharonsomers]

What a beautiful greenhouse! You must be so beyond proud you not only built it, but are creating food for your family, and you know exactly where it came from, what sprays if any are on it. What a dream setup. Just lovely.

[@revk8611]

Damn! I am so impressed and this has given me “food for though” for building a better greenhouse for growing in Canada. Well done!!!

[@TheChapExp]

We need a million more of you, in Canada! :)

[@kathyjames9250]

Hmmmmmm! 💡 I imagine all the closet mad-scientist passions re-awakening in the hearts of guerrilla gardeners of the North with their impossible dreams and fresh possibilities that your videos have inspired! Thanks for sharing… Blessings from Manitoba 🦬

[@Camberlea17]

Awesome, finally Canadians can have fresh food year round ❤👍🕯

[@loriwiggins3892]

Beautiful!! We've been off grid for 6 years, our house is designed to be warmed much like your greenhouse with passive solar heating. Looking forward to making my greenhouse of wonder now, too!

[@can-cruiser]

Incredible.. Great accomplishment.. Greetings from Alberta...

[@BreakingBarriers2DIY]

You’ve done so much more than build the greenhouse but that was the hook for me. This feels the awesome major milestone. I’m celebrating this grand thing that you guys are doing. It is so hopeful for fellow Canadians.

[@thewitchyprepper8396]

Sooooo proud of you and your Canadian bananas Arkopia!!! Amazing work!! 😍😍😍

[@lb6110]

Awesome and Very Impressive! Good on You!! I'm in BC and wish you continued success with your labour of love!

[@alicialane-jd7sh]

Fantastic! What an inspiration to promote self sustainable healthy living, & environmentally friendly, so no comebacks. Keep up the great work & sharing.

[@EDX2308]

You are absolutely nuts. You really have gone Bananas. My absolute respect coming all the way from BC.

[@bethwhite2857]

Once again proud of you Dean. Your passive solar Greenhouse is exceptional, and your tropical garden frickin amazing 👍 leaves the Piggies don't eat, can be used finely ground up for a compost for the kekis (Kay key) baby in Hawaiian. Like most plants bananas feed bananas. So you could also use the peels finely chopped up for compost. Try take the kekis away from stalk before 2 ft tall. For mealy bug..mix a pour of rubbing alcohol, a squeeze of dish soap in a medium hand sprayer spray bottle, fill with water. You can spray the crotches of the leaves in the banana plants where they may be hiding. Wow man great job loving your videos. I want to come camp in the jungle and sit by the wood stove and have a smoothie. 🤣🌴🤠

[@ArkopiaYouTube]

Thanks so much. All great advice. 💪👍

[@marley7659]

This is my dream. As someone who graduated in horticulture and love tropical fruit. I have always wanted to move to an affordable province and set up shop.

[@MrDee001]

This greenhouse looks amazing.

[@HillsideHomesteading]

I love watching fellow Canadians thrive on their farms! The greenhouse is a dream come true

[@loriwoloshyn7266]

I do believe the time is coming where we will be growing fruit and veggies inside large warehouses or buildings. If you can control the environment, anything is possible. Hats off to you for thinking out of the box.

[@OutThere5]

Such a wonderful job you’re doing. When I discovered the passive solar greenhouse, I’ve always said this is the answer to greenhouse growing in Canada

[@raksha1940]

Plant a moringa plant. This is a magnificent plant to have. Very versatile & healthy. God bless 😊

[@metabuilders]

You're living my dream. I am about to do this in the Dakotas in zone 3-5, I will be watching the rest of your videos for some insight. Thanks for the great content.

[@nadinehanchar1752]

WOW! CONGRATULATIONS BEAUTIFULLY DONE.. ❤️ 👏 ❤️

[@mammyoffgrid]

Yes you should be very proud!!! I had a smile on my face through the whole video😅

[@belieftransformation]

Fantastic accomplishments! Thanks for sharing! My daughter & her partner bought a property with huge greenhouses; now to get them to the passive solar! We’re in central Alberta so we had the same bone chilling temperatures! Enjoy those bananas🤗

[@chargermopar]

I don't eat bananas but I grow them and give them to friends. It's good to know that when I move from south Florida I could take my banana plant collection with me and grow them inside a greenhouse.

[@kylepflanzer7429]

You’re my greenhouse hero! I hope to build my own greenhouse one day here in northern Ontario

[@goblue1238]

So impressive!! I have been following you since the beginning of building your greenhouse. This is my dream to live such a paradise like this!!

[@clearasmud1945]

Definitely something to be proud of. Just starting to warm up in ND. Having a greenhouse such as yours would be a dream come true. Congratulations Dean! You deserve all the rewards of your hard labor.

[@ThePhiphler]

You could legitimately perform agriculture on Mars with your setup, it's a very well designed system.

[@UnsaltedCashew38]

Except Mars goes to -100C, gets 2/3rd the sunlight and the soil is poisonous.

[@ZiThief]

Man this shit is amazing! You're so cool! Keep doing what you're doing king!

[@BeneathTheGold]

Without adding high intensity light that is an amazing accomplishment. Well done guys. Very well done indeed👏

[@mailobiker9525]

Great Job you're doing there, greetings from a Tropical Country 🌴(Mexico)

[@marvettebarkerthompson455]

You are the real big man. Big up yourself. What an achievement!🎉

[@russellwood8750]

As an Irish Alberton, I just like to congratulate you. That’s amazing growing tropical fruits in the middle of a Canadian winter that’s absolutely amazing. They give people Nobel peace prizes for crapper reasons than that. Growing tropical fruits in Canada in the middle of winter so they don’t have to travel from tropical places we can have Canadian bananas yeah that’s definitely the Nobel peace prize in my book.. Bananas split sundaes all year round.

[@ArkopiaYouTube]

Appreciate it 💪🙏✌️

[@raeleenrobinson5749]

You are very clever, , all you need now are bees for pollination and you will be sooooooo self sufficient. You certainly are not letting your local environment stop you, go you!

[@Universalhealing-bo3ir]

Great video from Alberta your neighbor 😊💜

[@kws1957]

You are great and the music too. God bless and protect you, thank you. I didn’t think that this is possible…

[@rogerkenworthy6380]

We lived in Thailand and grew our bananas, they are so much tastier than the ones you buy in a Canadian grocery store. And CONGRATS well done. Those pups will take over your entire greenhouse. Cheers Roger

[@deanorr5378]

This is how tropical fruit in Canada should be grown! It is crazy to ship fruit 1000's or tens of 1000's of KM! No brainer for improving food security and reducing travel costs/ logistics/ pollution.

[@K12war]

This 1000%

[@Serrated_Leaf]

It’s a cool idea for a hobby and possibly small farmers markets but this isn’t cost effective for selling tropical fruit. If this was how all tropical fruit was grown for grocery stores in Canada no one would be able to afford it. Shipping fruit into Canada is much more cost and energy efficient than growing it here.

[@sidekickmusic5936]

@deanor5378 I would need to see studies and evidence on this.

[@blackmoonlilith455]

​@Serrated_Leaf I just don't believe this to be true. If our government rebated farmers related to clean farming and gave allowable permits to anyone with space who can grow these kinds of foods, then we wouldn't be paying much, if not less than what we do now. Right now, what is happening is that our farmers are being told how to farm, being forced to use pesticides, and are charged so much tax that even simple vegetables are insanely expensive when buying local.

[@martinlebreton6391]

A waste of ressources. Would much more efficient and productive to grow grains on that field. But if suckers like u want to pay 10$/bunch for hutterite bananas at the farmers market. U are free to do so. But it is better for the planet to grow them in the south and grow grains in the north.

[@TenleyAtwood]

Oh Bravo! Well Done Sir. 0:20

[@sreykmao69]

Love seeing self sustainable folks working outside of the box. If you harvest green bananas, you can use them like you would potaoes. Cook them up in water or bake them, skinned the green parts out, and fried them as well.

[@homesteading]

Very inspiring - well done! Having grown up in Australia's "Banana Republic" - Coffs Harbour (home of the "Big Banana") I can say your plants look as good as any in their natural climate. One note: In Oz the growers refer to the new shoots as " suckers" and the wide leafed ones as "water suckers."

[@shantibronowicki9565]

Omg I was thinking green houses to grow tropical veggies and fruits in Canada And what I see on my you tube this morning new subscriber You make my day🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@FarmsteadForge]

Wow, congratulations, that is so cool!

[@chrisgibson9629]

Great job

[@Misssunshine6767]

Awesome 👍 we get to -40 in Calgary I'm zone 3 also I'm trying this I want to grow pineapple oranges cherries peaches ❤

[@melonetankberry5211]

my heart dropped a little when you just opened the door outside. congratulations. if the banana (daughters) grow so fast and take so much room maybe you should sell them instead of just giving them away? it will reach more people and fast if you place an offer where people are looking for it^^ + might help your piggy bank for future projects.

[@AlexanderSupertramp142]

Impressive! You give a new meaning to no excuses..

[@stevenjohns7017]

Awesome.

[@CoffeeWalksandWhatever]

This awesome great video, we are in southern Manitoba. Have a awesome week ☕️

[@HDHhomestead]

Impressive greenhouse. 💪💪💪💪

[@Momo_Gt]

Im from Montreal Canada. I discovered your channel 24h ago, and I'm already a subscriber 🤓 . your content is inspiring, Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge.

[@meowmix3129]

Beautiful and yes it was freaking cold last week in Saskabush!

[@kentchamberlain5720]

You're living the dream, man. I've been meaning to make myself a tropical greenhouse ever since I saw a guy one town over from me in Nebraska growing oranges this way, except he doesn't even need to heat it, a heat pump is all it takes.

[@lizabouchard5706]

Absolutely incredible- coming from another Canadian farmer. Respect. I am so excited to have found your channel. Can’t wait to see all your content

[@tersta1]

Now that's SUCCESS! Thanks for sharing your techniques and letting the world know that the impossible is possible! I'm over in Ontario, growing my veg in a greenhouse, that can be worked 9-10 month of they year in a climate with a 4 month growing season. It's so good to see people putting their time into creating food sovereignty and self-sufficiency for themselves.

[@TBonerton]

Thank you for sharing. This is my life goal.

[@ahmadshukry3731]

Unbelievable. Congratulations for successfully growing bananas in the midst of ice, literally. I'm from a tropical part of the world. Been growing bananas for a while now. No problem here for sure. I used to harvest the whole bananas and had to deal with more than I can consume, afterwards. But I learn a new trick here. Now I know how to enjoy my bananas for longer.

[@wd8131]

That's amazing.

[@rosemondadjaidoo9001]

That is incredible, you doing a great job

[@RandomGreymane]

I’m Zone 5 and this totally gives me hope for growing tropical stuff! Now I just have to figure out where to put a passive greenhouse in my small back yard. 😆

[@missy3609]

Wow! I am impressed and amazed at what you have built!

[@GeorgeLucas1138]

it makes perfect sense that you could grow bananas in a greenhouse

[@alexandreveilleux9854]

Hey Dean! Congrats for the bananas!! Hard work pays off 👌 really nice !!

[@thefutureofgardening5912]

Dude that is something to be absolutely proud of!!! Amazing!! Congratulations on your achievements bro!

[@2listen2u]

Truly inspirational! Well done!

[@kimberlymuzzi]

Incredible from a fellow Canadian :)

[@Mrs.LadeyBug]

That is Thee Coolest! My King James/Shakespearian comes out when I am truly impressed! 😃

[@quirkychelle]

I'm in Ontario Canada and have a planta greenhouse. We have it on a heated cement floor. We're thinking of winterizing to grow all year. Now I'm convinced! I also have a massive fish tank we were considering using the water too!

[@GtJrGrowsItAlaska]

Bananas 🍌 in the cold, nice 💪🏾

[@dientran1365]

Good morning. I just found your channel, I live in Canada too.

[@wildadavis5139]

Congratulations on growing tropicals in your greenhouse! FYI: the small bunches you mentioned is call "hand" in the Caribbean. Hope this helps.

[@ArkopiaYouTube]

Thanks. Learned somethjng new today. ✌️

[@Greatwon]

Love your intro my family sing it every Christmas 🇯🇲

[@StanHowse]

lol -65 out, I know exactly where I would be... Out in that greenhouse, hanging out with my Plants.

[@BennLuvsYou24]

This is incredible! Congratulations!

[@davidjondoh8671]

Where the heck do fruit flies come from in the middle of winter?! I store my fresh fruit in the garage in the winter as the temps run in the low 50's F. I'm always amazed to find the fruit flies buzzing around the garage in the dead of winter. You must be the envy of your neighbors with your tropical conditions!

[@sionemataele7900]

Guess you don’t understand when fruits start ripening that’s where the fruit flies come from, maybe try leave over ripe bananas on the counter and see the fruit flies coming out in a few days even winter time

[@jmfrc]

I would love to have that I’d just go sit in it all day. Good for mental health in the prairies when it’s cold. Good job, nice build too. I can’t stand Sask in the winter anymore lol. Having that would help.

[@lpi6608]

The banana blossom are eatable. Sell your banana leafs there is a local Asian Thai and Filipino market for it. And feed the trunks to the pigs

[@Joseph_Dredd]

It's only MINUS 22 degs outside he says as he walks around in a short sleeved tshirt!! Amazing what one can do if one sets one's mind to it. Bravo indeed. :)

[@PeterEntwistle]

Absolutely incredible, Dean! It's always been a dream of mine to one day get an edible banana to fruit here in the UK. I think I might be getting close with my ornamental Musa basjoo banana plant, but the edible ones will be much harder to get to fruit.

[@DCChau-or9ji]

Amazed. You have two big green thumbs.

[@jackieow]

This is the right way to do it. None of those nasty venomous tropical spiders.

[@c.5376]

Fantastic work brother.

[@fabiancanada8876]

You made it with the bananas, congrats!! -54 C ? Holy cow that is cold!! I know that you have a nicer dry cold than us but that is still extremely cold. We came close to -20 recently but overall had quite a mild winter so far here in Nova Scotia. We have an outdoor furnace but no money for the greenhouse yet (thanks to Trudea who destroyed this country). Have you heard the recent interview of UFC champ Sean Strickland who is for freedom and common sense, attacking Trudeau and the communist Canada? Sean is not the most sophisticated person but it was very refreshing to see, maybe there is a tiny hope that people will stand up some day?

[@ArkopiaYouTube]

I’ll be on with Canadian Prepper shortly. We chatted about the state of things. I have to hold back a bit, but said my piece. Watch for it soon. ✌️

[@fabiancanada8876]

@@ArkopiaKZbin Awesome, looking forward to it! Happy new year!

[@fabiancanada8876]

I thought about it. I think what you are doing is not safe. It needs to be regulated&inspected more but most importantly at the end you need to give 50% of your bananas to the government- maybe you will have the honour of Trudeau visiting you personally to eat them. I remember a small distillery in Germany where that was (is) actually the case. The government came and physically took 50% of the alcohol.

[@ArkopiaYouTube]

😂 They don’t care about my 3 banana plants. Gotta watch getting big for sure. They also don’t care about hilly, small farms. They’ll like stealing big ones for sure.

[@MaxineChambers-y5o]

I just came across your channel, I think what you’re doing is absolutely amazing. I live in zone 8a in the UK and have been growing Musa Basjoo bananas outside in my garden since 2019. They’re not the eating variety, they’re grown for their beautiful leaves and I was so excited late 2023 when the oldest one flowered. You’ve inspired me to try and grow one of the eating varieties, I can’t seem to get the dwarf cavendish through the winter, but having watched your video, I’m determined to keep trying. I’ve liked and subscribed today so I’m looking forward to seeing the results of your other tropical fruits. I too am growing hardy citrus (outside) but have used a poly tunnel during the winter to protect from the UK rain. Keep up the good work, everything looks amazing!! Well done!!!

[@nateross14]

One thing to know is that the white very innermost core of the Banana plants pstem is edible and very nutritious. It can be treated like a vegetable and used in salads, steamed, or whatever.

[@canoypinoy]

I just found your channel without even looking and I'm rather excited! I'm happy that you live in Saskatchewan. I live in Saskatoon and we have dwarf cavendish, and they are growing like crazy in our apartment. I will be subscribing.

[@jburbinski7057]

perhaps build another greenhouse that is designated strictly for the tropical plants - a enclosed orchard of citrus and tropical plants - When i had my freeze dryer i would purposely buy a ton of bananas to freeze dry. I love the chunks of freeze dried bananas, such a great snack. I met a fellow years back, about 2007 who had built a earthship in Bancroft ON, he had avocados growing in it.

[@LucasOliveira-fl7tt]

Fantastic! It’s a dream came true!

[@raeleenrobinson5749]

We got to visit Canada before COVID locked the world down and apart. We loved it , such a beautiful place with beautiful polite people. Congrats on your achievement.

[@tylervolk7817]

Dude 🤯 I’m shocked well done

[@tadasa498]

Hi everyone, respect from Lithuania,lets hope nothing changes if(or shoul i say when)Triudo will be "wiped out" by elections,and Canada will no longer be banana republic(with all due respect to Canadians).P.S. good job!

[@Mrs.LadeyBug]

Don’t worry! I’ve discovered a much better replacement for when that time comes!!! 📣Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Hark if thou wouldst! 📣 I hearby declare Sir Dean “Banana King of the Arkopian Republic.” Bow now, Bananarians, bow now.

[@JaySyzdek]

Seriously, could we just have one video that isn't overtaken by some political statement? Geez

[@Kiyarose3999]

@@JaySyzdekExactly! ✌🏽🌎