Friday 31 October 2014

Banana Protection

We swapped the sunny and cooler conditions of Wednesday back to milder, duller and damp conditions on Thursday. A little overnight rain brought our monthly total up to 40.8mm a little bit less than we might expect in October.

Our banana plant musa basjoo has spent the last couple of winters outdoors with very little protection.  It’s reckoned to be hardy down to -15°C so I’d expect it to survive outside especially last year when the temperature only got slightly below freezing in any case.
The border where the banana was growing is undergoing a refurbishment and I'm not too sure our banana plant will fit in any more so it’s been potted on and moved into the greenhouse for over winter. Although the plant survives outside it can be late starting into growth in the spring and early summer and it might struggle to justify its place in our new border. Its future at the moment is unsure. It may well become an extremely large pot plant. 
Our greenhouse is now filling up nicely with plants that are either making it their new home or finding a more protected spot in which to spend the worst of the winter weather. I've still got to find space for another two large tubs of parsley and mint which will be used to provide us with some fresh herbs through winter.

4 comments:

  1. Sue, what a lovely greenhouse you have, with plenty of room for overwintering guests ! We have managed to lose a Musa Basjoo in a greenhouse, goodness knows how ! Yours is a lovely big chap, who would grace any situation !

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    Replies
    1. Might have to make the greenhouse door a bit bigger.

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  2. It's a magnificent plant, well worth looking after. It was apparently 24 degrees today in London, so maybe we'll be able to grow bananas outside all year before too long.

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    Replies
    1. Lovely mild day here too. Our banana survived the very cold winter of 2010 outside so its pretty tough.

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