Tuesday 7 November 2017

Winter Protection For The Banana Plants


Top Of The Bananas

The day and night time temperatures are reducing and there have already been two mornings when the team have arrived at work to find frost on the ground. Usually found in tropical climates, the banana plants, Musa basjoo, in the herbaceous border, do not appreciate the colder temperatures and need to be protected from the frosts for the winter. 

Leaves Tied Around The Stem
 
However, five of the twelve banana plants are too tall to be easily wrapped so the decision was made to cut the top off to reduce their height, 5 metres were cut off on the tallest. Once reduced, and now with easy access using the smaller step ladder, the bananas are wrapped. Those still with leaves have them pulled down around the stem and tied to create a layer of protection. Those without their leaves, having had them cut off, are wrapped with a triple thickness of insulating horticultural fleece and those still with their with leaves, a double thickness. (The plants that had their tops removed had grown a few centimetres overnight before they could be fleeced, room has been left in the fleece for them to grow into!) When all are wrapped, a thick layer of leaf mould is added around the base to protect the root from frost. The plants will remain under cover until late May next year.

Grown A few Centimetres


Easy Access To Height

Wrapped And Mulched



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