You underestimate how large and how fast plants can grow in the tropics
where there is high rainfall and high humidity.

Keeping the soil warm is a good idea for overwintering tropicals in a cold
climate. The best thing is to overwinter them in a warm greenhouse.


wrote in message
...
On Wed, 04 Jan 2006 05:08:49 GMT, "Cereus-validus-..........."
wrote:

First off, Bananas are large growing perennials not trees. They have no
woody trunks. The fleshy leaf bases will eventually die back anyway.

Second, they are rhizomatous and cutting back the foliage will encourage
new
plants to sprout from the base.

Its is most important to protect the rhizomes from freezing temperatures
and
not worry about the leafy growth over the winter. The top growth will be
replaced in the spring.


What about bananas that fruit only once they reach 8ft? If they
die-back each year, is it likely they will ever grow high enough to
fruit in one season?

I was thinking of next year using soil warming cables to keep the
roots warm, but I know very little about these cables as I have never
used them before. Does this sound like a good idea?