Overwintering THE banana in zone 5 (and why I maybe shouldn't)

[@lindseykayesgarden]

Are you and your banana in a toxic relationship? 😂

[@TheImpatientGardener]

🤣🤣🤣

[@AngelaSissySnyder]

I was just gonna ask that! 😂 😆🤣 What fun to follow the bananarama saga! You go girl!

[@terrivance8750]

😆😆😆

[@sheldonmurphy6031]

If you are, you may be entitled to compensation! 😂😂😂😂

[@rhondaschenk5727]

Marianne’s intervention is priceless!

[@jjergins]

Sage banana advice. Lol.

[@lobstahchowdah8920]

I am glad I am not the only one who gets excited any time there’s an update about the banana. Lol. I think this plant needs its own channel.

[@CindyOrangeNeely]

Noooooooooo...don't send the banana plant "into the light"...LOL...I am a TRUE banana fan and because of this channel and YOUR baby, I am a proud banana mama. A wonderful viewer on this channel was kind enough to send me some of her "pups" in the spring and I LOVE them!!! So PLEASE keep these banana videos going!

[@B0bbiPin]

After my banana got spider mites and was successfully treated it was looking wonderful. So, I decided to bring it in as a house plant. It took three men to get it into the house. (There may have been a few stairs involved. And my name may have been used in vain.) But it has been inside for a few weeks now and looks magnificent! There's no room to walk around it, but I love it! Next year I'll try your technique as no one is willing to help me get the beast inside again. I only hope they'll help get it outside in the spring. Maybe I need to hire piano movers.

[@christinahaftmann4065]

Thanks for the laugh-a-thon! You do know that even the word banana sounds hilarious? I still think this story would be a big hit at your local elementary school - and inspire generations to come. Fergus was definitely the cherry on top! 🍒 🌴

[@douglasanderson7301]

Sounds like two stories. Elementary school - Bob the banana and Fergus move. A more mature audience, second book following the script of her friends video. Lots of double entandries to explore in that relationship book. (Do it in the style of a children's book and I can see an entire break up card line)

[@susannewlove2115]

And this is why so many people find you so “a peeling😊”. Showing us the nitty gritty of a heavy task, sharing a behind the scene real life basement, and not taking it so seriously! We trust you for advice. You are not afraid of hard work. As we get ready to decorate for winter interest, be careful with your big circular garden ring…or wear a helmet! So thankful for your channel. Happy Thanksgiving.

[@TheImpatientGardener]

100 pun points for you. As for that ring, I’ve never quite been the same since it viciously attacked me!

[@upnorth21]

Great to hear from Marianne...I loved her book and how she talked about relationships with plants. Wonderful to have a room to hide the plants in for the winter.

[@margitmeier6027]

Experiments are the best part of gardening, you can never know what will happen.

[@kbell8889]

I could hear the banana crying at the 10:52 mark.😂 We love your gardening adventures! So great you had an official intervention.💚

[@denisewade6439]

God bless and Long Live Erin’s “Banana Plant”! Such love and devotion you show this poor plant. See you in 2024 Banana Plant! 🎉😂

[@sandydavidshofer1204]

You just don't back down frim a challenge! It'll probably be the banana's choice to give up some day. In the meantime, we"re still 'rooting' for you, and the banana!!💖

[@melissahuber9741]

Erin, I love your down to earth attitude-- Love your videos! Long live the bananas!

[@sharonperry8978]

I believe I dug up my day lilies and threw them in the compost because you mentioned that it was OK to get rid of something that didn’t give you pleasure in one of you vlogs a number of years ago. I planted a Daphne bush (my sister gave it to me) in its place and has been much happier with my little garden.

[@MyFocusVaries]

I lived my Daphne, until I realized "semi evergreen" meant that it just looks mangy all winter. In the end, I just wish it lost its leaves in winter. We have mild winters--usually around 10C, but the occasional snowfall and occasional 0C days.

[@tvcat3665]

How did I miss this! The banana has a following! 🤣🤣Sleep good mr. banana, see you next year.🍌🍌🍌

[@darlenehiner8719]

Love the banana story. Can't wait until spring. You go girl! Love your channel too!

[@terrivance8750]

Erin, Just wanted to say I've thoroughly enjoyed vicariously growing a banana plant through you! 😊

[@deborahallen3146]

Love Marianne's commentary!

[@christinenovack6048]

Much smoother dig than last year! But not quite as fun to watch. 😂

[@gracefulgrowing144]

Her message was hilarious oh my gosh!! I'm invested in your banana to the point where I want one now just to see if I can do it, it may die a week after I get it who knows but yeah we are all invested in this banana. And if you have to have someone come down there and do some work; you know he's going to think oh my gosh this poor lady has no friends she's the crazy plant lady.

[@ericjorgensen8028]

So Little Shop of Horrors.... Maybe you tried this but if you put the wheelbarrow/cart on it's side and roll the root ball in to it as much as you can...then you might be able to lift it a little and rock the wheelbarrow back upright. Of course it can still be too heavy for that, but I've found that this plan can work well... sometimes. Name it Seymour

[@SunnyBlueSkyDay]

Exactly 💯%...we do it for the challenge & fun 🌿🌱

[@daiseegray9110]

LOL😂 love Marianne Willburn’s message! 🌼🐝

[@robertarohwer3861]

Late to the Betty Banana party... I love that 'she' has a better towel than I can usually find around here! :). I'm sure they'll all be fine. Thanks for sharing :)!!!!!

[@Flowers4Everyone]

No. There is no letting it go Marianne. I (we) are heavily invested in this banana. The following is real and solidly invested 😂 No, seriously! Wait, orange kitty sighting...who is this handsome fella?

[@TheImpatientGardener]

That's Fergus. If you've ever heard anything about orange cats, you just apply those traits to him.

[@Flowers4Everyone]

I do like orange kitty attitude.@@TheImpatientGardener

[@milankatz9628]

I use my bread knife on my banana plant, too!

[@eury5405]

Oh my God!!! I do too!!! I use it to trim palm tree branches!! It is the best!

[@sandigomez6773]

Love this video! I appreciate you and your real world gardening life…bread knife, shooting in the ugly well room 😂…it’s so encouraging really that we don’t have to be experts to grow a beautiful and adventurous garden!❤

[@kimpaynter]

That was the cutest message from your friend. I laughed out loud. It’s OK to let it go to the light.😂😂😂

[@theresaodwyer2026]

You inspired me to try growing a banana plant. My nextdoor neighbor has shared her pups with me. I don’t know the variety but it made it through our arctic freeze (9 degrees) last year. We’re in Georgia zone 7b. I’ve planted them in our backyard nature walk/children’s garden. They’re so much fun for the grandkids to walk around their mini jungle. We had a volunteer cherry tomato plant that climbed the banana. So much fun in the garden! Love your channel, THANK YOU!

[@JM-lo8xu]

Your mood change is incredible versus last year, i remember watching each video amd can only imagine the fulfilling roller-coaster this has turned into

[@Rainmakesflowers]

I love how you show your imperfections. I truly thank you for sharing and showing that you’re human and none of us are perfect. I just found your page because I was thinking about purchasing a banana plant you’ve definitely inspired me😊 Thank you😊

[@melissachristenson3780]

Thank you for including us in your 🍌 journey. I have been invested since your brought it home. Hoping it survives its year 2 hibernation. 🤣

[@michellehoward1239]

I saw Toby Buckland divide a red banana on one of the Gardeners' World winter specials last year. He cut it into four pie-shaped wedges, each with some roots attached. You could quadruple your fun. ---Michelle, aka The Enabler

[@TheImpatientGardener]

I saw that too. 😀

[@cindybohl9593]

Oh my gosh! You made me laugh out loud with that banana! I drug my tropical ferns and my huge Monstera into my basement a few weeks ago. A local greenhouse tried to give me a Chicago fig last year but I said no…. Because I knew I would not be able to leave it outside for the winter and did not want another plant to have to drag into my basement. I also brought in a beautiful Elephant ear that was so gorgeous this summer. I have never had luck wintering them over but I wrapped it in a towel like the book suggested. We shall see…..it’s all a crap shoot!

[@samanthascott712]

You're allowed to start over with a new banana next year. Thanks for introducing me to that book, by the way. I have a bit of a problem with large tropicals and it was a relief to know I didn't have to grow everything inside under lights all winter. My ensete grew better in my home office/plant room this winter than it did all summer. Our summer was crap, cool and rainy. August was like May, lovely but NOT SUMMER. Anyway, I left the ensete and the hedycium ginger in the ground and I am heartlessly watching them die. I proved it could be done for 2 years and I can buy a new one this spring. Mine was a $15 clearance too so I have zero guilt. You get to decide and when enough is enough you can have a new adventure. That is the fabulous thing about being a gardener: next year is full of exciting possibilities. We're enjoying the ride but you get to drive.

[@Vivi_1_1]

My red bananas are as tall as my house. Wish I could show a pic. They were easy to dig up and store. I absolutely love them

[@labelleforme1]

You have hilarious people in your life. You will live to be 126 through laughter and because they have your back in these perilous situations!

[@tinah8065]

Love this! I might have to confess that as a WI girl, I like tropicals too much! Lol! And it is so stressful to overwinter them! Could you keep one of the small ones growing as a houseplant to see the difference?

[@betha5539]

Omg I'm so glad you posted this. I recently moved to south Carolina and accidentally bought a few non hardy bananas and didn't know how to overwinter them. Thank you thank you!!!!

[@altheab.8907]

Yet another banana adventure, Erin. Loved Maryanne’s intervention. 💕😊

[@darcyclark1523]

So glad to watch you take this on, Erin because I simply wouldn't 😂 can't wait to see how it comes through winter!

[@markgolden6265]

Thanks!

[@DalhiaSun]

Erin the banana saga is fun and I’m happy you did it! Loved your friend!!! Keep up your great work.💗

[@wesleyhackney]

Very well done. The fun of keeping it is seeing how big you can get them. Mine are over 16’ tall now

[@taylorswf23]

Permission from the tropical queen herself 🌺🌴🍹 the year you do decide you’re ready to part with the banana tree, it would make a pretty funny white elephant gift…. 😅💪🏼

[@judymckerrow6720]

Thanks Erin, good luck. 🦃🍁🍂💚🙃

[@robertstonestreet9262]

The Musa Basjoo Cold Hardy Banana trees are cold hardy to zone 4 from what I read. I planted 2 this year and have heavily mulched them in hopes that they can get established. I’m also zone 5.

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Report back please! I’d love to know how they do. Heather @hereshegrows (zone 5) also has one. I do sort of love the ability to do something different with this guy every year.

[@samanthascott712]

I'm in cleveland and have failed twice to get a musa basjoo to overwinter in the ground. Its not the low temps I think because we haven't been below zero here next to the lake in several years. I think its the speed at which we go from warm into the teens. Even my figs winterkill to the ground more winters than not.

[@sannaericditsler4034]

I am in zone 5 in indiana and I got a Musa basjoo several years ago. It is still surviving and now has 3 pups. I heap mulch over them and they make it through the winter. They get about 5 feet tall.

[@t-bone6467]

​@@sannaericditsler4034is there anything else you do like cut leaves off etc?

[@michellescountrygardens]

I’m on my second red banana. The first one I was able to overwinter it for 7 or 8 years. I keep mine in a trash bag in the garage which is heated to around 45 degrees. It does get some light from a window. It throws up a few leaves that touch the ceiling. I give it a tiny bit of water occasionally.

[@maryalicegillette614]

Love the use of the bread knife.

[@PawsInTheGarden]

Oh my I bought 4 bananas this year now I get to see how monster mine will get and I’m in the same zone can’t wait to see what mines do next year

[@FlowerPatchFarmhouse]

For a long time last summer I could not find a red banana at all, they were always sold out. Finally I spotted one while in Costco and nabbed it. It was $35 also. But because it was so difficult to get one I made sure to bring it into the house and I have it under a grow light. I enjoyed it so much on the back deck this year that I want to make sure to keep it alive over winter and I didn't trust myself to actually cut it back and overwinter in my basement successfully. So now I have a 6 foot red banana in my office looking huge but gorgeous. Now to see if I can keep it alive indoors. My Musa banana seems to actually prefer it indoors. It looked great in my dining room all winter, no grow light, but once I put it outside it seemed to struggle all summer. ??? I thought that was weird. I did notice your banana has fans all its own.

[@christophertaylor9826]

The red banana will survive as well as the others best of luck and we will see next spring. Love watching your videos.

[@michellehoward1239]

I had an Abssynian banana that I was able to overwinter in the ground for three years here. It was HUGE by the end. I decided to take it out, as the leaves were so wind tattered by August, and it's just too hot and dry here. I love seeing your journey.

[@scallywags12]

That is a big banana root! Good luck for next year! I only winter over Cannas and sweet peppers in my laundry room in the garage.

[@JAYNEmM1962]

I followed your banana obsession and bought one this last spring it was a MONSTER but I'm hooked mine is settled in my basement with my elephant ears. I LOVE A CHALLENGE. THANK YOU !!!!

[@angiezavacky4347]

I did the same 😂😂

[@JAYNEmM1962]

@@angiezavacky4347 😍✋️

[@tahoeblue2491]

Love your attention and story with the banana. It does look really great in your yard. Have you named your banana? Such a big plant.

[@discolemonade8794]

Yes we must name the banana!!!

[@trulyblessedyog4863]

I grew up surrounded by bananas. Following your banana saga makes me realize I want to graw my own special banana. And I want it from my dad's farm in Cameroon. I live now in a zone 5 as well.

[@michelebushnik2874]

The Famous Banana!!!❤ I hope the roots didnt die by letting it upside down for 5 days!!! Good luck Banana EPIC Queen ❤❤

[@venusgarden959]

Awesome video🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

[@tamar1211]

Lol ❤❤❤ thank you for the entertainment!!!

[@susankilpatrick2918]

I’m here for the banana too ………even though I’m not doing anything but cheering you on Erin 🥳🥳🥳

[@mandocool]

Marianne is so nice! 😅

[@lynnthorson1349]

I was so laughing out loud at all your grunting noises. I'm guessing that there was a little cussing going on under your breath! Love your videos!

[@lorihanby6733]

I love your videos! Your banana journey has been fun and a nice change from typical gardening videos. I love that you do things like this just to see if you can! I hope next year your tiny bananas grow much bigger. 😊

[@sheldonmurphy6031]

Marianne, as sweet as she is, speaks Blasphemy!! 😂😂😂 Goooooo Banana Tree! Everyone, let's stand on the corner, and protest, "Keep The Banana" & "No No, Its Not Right, Don't Send The Banana To The Light" 😂 Thank You So Much For All The Knowledge You Have Shared! I now have 4 Red Dwarf Banana Tree, and it's all your fault Ma'am 😜 Watching From Iowa

[@wavelene7]

Great and encouraging information Erin! I would have never considered trying a tropical plant in my landscape but I WILL now! Thank you for always keeping it real… your basement looks much better than mine! 😊

[@truthbetold2611]

Good news to you, the beloved banana has got a new fan : ) I'll follow up every year. Blessings. (I'm fancying fig, mango, avocado trees in zone 6...quite a push!)

[@TheImpatientGardener]

You should go for fig for sure (I know you can do that). You should also go for mango and avocado, cross all fingers and then report back in with amazing success.

[@bernadette1510]

Great job Erin! The things we are willing to do for plants! A wonderful article in “fine gardening “ covered overwintering tropicals. The article did support tipping them upside down for up to two weeks to allow to the steams to dry out to avoid rotting. It maybe to late for this

[@gardeningatriverside]

I have some of the smaller bananas. Last year was the first year I had 100% survival rate over winter. Packing up this fall was much lower stress than prior years

[@mariemcgrath8681]

I don't think your Banana journey is toxic, you're in Love. Putting a nappy around its bum is beautiful. From tropicalAustralia you're quite "bananas"!

[@desireehouse]

I love a good experiment! I completely cut back some supertunias, just with some twigs coming out, no leaves, in zone 6a. I put them in pots and brought them to our place in zone 9a. I’d love to get them to grow here but fear that they won’t survive when we go back home for the holidays. I don’t have automatic water/drip here yet but I have nothing to lose.

[@ji.ol.1490]

You could try setting up a wicking system with cotton rope and upside down soda pop bottles. There are plenty of tutorials on that type of system.

[@desireehouse]

@@ji.ol.1490 I will check that out! Thank you.

[@Fabdanc]

It is all for science! Next you are going to get into radical propagation by dividing up the basal plate 🤣Experimenting is what makes gardening so fun. My summer experiment was dwarfing sunflowers, which is very much a thing and does really work -- they don't loooooooove it, but they still grew, bloomed, and set seed... And I think that means success.

[@TheImpatientGardener]

I have been doing a little reading on that. 😀 Tell me about the sunflower thing. I don’t think I’ve heard of that.

[@kathypiercy5833]

I now have two banana plants, (thanks Erin). I live in the South Island of NZ and it hasn't been a warm spring at all. We'll see how long my enchantment with the banana lasts. At present it's inside, outside every day.

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Oh that’s a lot of banana hauling! Hope your spring warms up quickly. I recall NZ springs as being rather dreary affairs.

[@kathypiercy5833]

Bloody awful, rain, clouds, more rain and more clouds!@@TheImpatientGardener

[@juliabinford6500]

Erin v banana… This saga is soooo fun to watch! Also, Fergus is a cutie.

[@jann6082]

Had a fun laugh watching your video today, it was different, thanks!

[@KimatRevAcres]

I’m in the banana fan club crossing fingers successful overwintering. I agree not about the investment more about trying something new.

[@robertstonestreet9262]

I’m overwintering Red Abyssinian banana tree for second year in a row as well. I just keep it in it’s pot and move it to the basement with a grow light.

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Is it small? I’m just imagining how much room that could take up.

[@robertstonestreet9262]

@@TheImpatientGardener it’s about 8-9 feet tall right now. I’ll let it die back in the pot and bring it back outside in the spring.

[@aalejardin]

Do you have a headlamp? Really useful, I find, for gardening in the dark :).

[@juliafiore120]

What a lovely message! It actually made me lol 😂. I gotta say, Marianne was right you’ve got a following for the Banana 🤣 myself included.

[@sarahmarti141]

OMG! Get a paint sprayer and paint that scary room. A cheerful color like yellow or turquoise!! Then it wouldn’t be so terrible going down there. 😊😊

[@MrAbba1966]

Thank you very much for this valuable information. I'd like to grow banana also.And I live in zone 5 in nova scotia Canada Very informative.I cannot wait your next video on it.Have a beautiful day and thank you for your help

[@mandysmith7619]

Ive got one of those hardy root types....she comes and goes naturally every winter and spring BUT for the folirst time i want to keep her going so will be giving this a try. Thankyou 👍

[@jimblair7724]

I get to leave mine in the Ground and just cover !

[@lesliehardin7963]

The yellow cat 😊

[@juliepuhr9806]

At 7:28….looked like a scene from E.T. Where they are hiding him in a closet…

[@TheImpatientGardener]

Excellent reference and I totally agree!

[@debs-more-plants]

So love those plants! I’m 8b and I’ve murdered quite a few over winter! Thanks for sharing!

[@deeaustin379]

The saga continues! Stay tuned!

[@angelwolfe6728]

I do I just love your style! ❤😅

[@ladikmk]

Night, night Banana! Something tells me that sucker is going to be even bigger next year lol. On that note I'm going to go make a peanut butter & "banana" sandwich because I've been painting inside my house and I'm pretty sure my last meal was at 9 am. Bananas rule!!!

[@daver2028]

super video, amazing job and great info i definately am going to get an E. Maurelli for next year. hope i have your success much thanks :)

[@missgardenlove]

Go banana! 💪🙏

[@MrAbba1966]

Good morning I am so impressed. I love your videos. I’m just wondering how the Banana is doing I’m a big fan I bought one last fall and I cannot wait to put it outside this spring but I’m definitely follow your step. Thank you very much. Hope to see soon an update, have a beautiful day

[@markgolden6265]

Erin, Go for it with the banana 🐒 It came back nice last year. It's a fun saga. And your room is great. The sunk pump and the water softener have to go somewhere in the basement! I can't believe how much colder it gets where you are compared to Chicago so soon. 😮

[@shanachrisman6638]

How much water was in the tub at the time you turned it over?

[@lauriegarrett7355]

I have several of the smaller bananas you are storing. Some of them I keep in a pot and they tend to do well esp since they don't get so big. I believe they are dwarfs. Some I did like yours and a few dried out and looked totally dead...BUT I tossed them in an odd corner of the garden to compost but they absolutely came back as multiple pups. I have two of the big red ones that I had to scour the shops to find. They didn't get as big as yours but they were in smaller containers. I am trying to leave one cut down and in its container. We'll see. I save some other large bananas in the way you have done yours, successfully so far in the past few years. I am running out of room. I tried buying really small red bananas last year online, like about 10 inches tall and very skinny, and both died quickly even though I babied them. I was afraid I wouldn't find bigger ones locally. It didn't work and they cost as much as the bigger ones!! Be careful with that!!!

[@danakenoyer106]

😊the banana gets a cozy winter sleeping room🎉

[@carmenbailey1560]

Fantastic information, thanks for sharing. 👍❤️😊

[@MrAbba1966]

I love your banana. I had one like that that survive five years I was a doing Exactly like you but the fifth year It's just Lost it to Rot, I just bought another one this year agai. Just love them. I love your videos very informative. And I love your tips thank you I have a beautiful christmas

[@t.e.mccall8886]

I think next year you need to build a small insulated building with a window to sit on top of it with a heat bulb. LOL!

[@anitahadley2871]

This video to on a bit of a Blair Witch feel when you were digging in the dark! 😄