Bananas you can grow
James Waddick (Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:13:46 PST)

Dear Shirley,
Finally a topic I can speak on with some expertise.

Please send me a private email to jwaddick@kc.rr.com and I
can help you locate a cheaper copy.

When the book was published one reviewer (from the
Smithonian, no less) said it was "the best book available on growing
bananas.". Although humbled by his comments, this is a very small
competition and at the time was the ONLY book on the topic. True,
but....

Bananas, by the way, are quite suited to this forum as large
geophytes. My M. basjoo has been through a number of hard freezes and
the grove is in the process of dying down and going dormant for
winter. I have had a growing expanding grove here in the ground for a
decade and more. I'll soon add a thick layer of leaf mulch to protect
the underground rhizomes from temps down to -12 F (last year's low).
Once warm weather returns I can get 20 feet of spectacular tropical
growth in the summer season. It gives me warm thoughts just
contemplating it as the snow prospects are building by the day.

So while we are at it, does any one grow 'Musa 'Mekong Giant'
in a cold climate with success.

So Shirley and John, have any banana experiences to share?

Best Jim W.
--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +