A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2003 1 more

With the change in the weather in Charlotte I have had to bring my outdoor plants inside (I only have two) One is an umbrella (one of the many different plants that are called umbrellas, I don't know which kind it is) There has been zero change in it since I brought it in.

The other is a Banana tree - it is really hurting, it had a new leaf coming out of the center when I brought it in (a couple of weeks ago) and it's still sticking straight up, it hasn't dropped over. The other leaves have all died. I have got it in a sunny room, that when I keep the door closed gets nice and warm, but it just isn't making it. I have read that if left outside in the cold, the bannana will slime up (like my hostas) Dissappear and come back bigger the next year, would it be better to do that or try to keep it alive in the house?

Please help - this is the coolest plant I have!!!

from what i know about a banana plants they can go dormant in the winter cause they will store up water seen a show once and they said about storeing in basment and mentioned had shallow roots.they are hardy here so we don't have to remove them.my friend alicia says to wrap entire plant in newspaper or a bedsheet and store under house or basement& says if a dawrf plant can just grow indoors with plenty of sun but water when dry.you just wanna keep plant above 50 not freezeing.they like growing in organic material.here we just wrap up in sideing insulation or that stuff that wraps around pipes when we hit freezes.& alicia...well she wraps christmas lights on them for christmas& has decided this year to wrap that colored tinsil stuff on them too.they have varieties out that are hardy to zone 6.let me know what kind you have and she may know more what would be better to do

Banana plants require a lot of direct sunlight indoors. Without this light they are inevitably doomed. They need a well-drained soil mix and they use a lot of water when they are healthy and in good light. Good water and light will minimize, but not eliminate, leaf browning. Leaves on these plants tear easily and on purpose so that the wind can blow through in their natural environment. Spider mites, mealy bug and scale are common problems with these rather difficult plants.

The banana requires warm temperatures above 60 degrees at all times and can tolerate high temps if the humidity is high. Keep the soil evenly moist in the summer and allow it to dry somewhat more in the winter. They die after flowering/fruiting, although they send up side shoots from the roots that can be repotted. Use a sharp knife to slice through part of the root to separate the side shoot from the mother plant. High humidity helps a lot.

The growth of many plants slows down in winter because the hours of daylight are reduced. Be patient with your umbrella plant.

The Bannana is in the sunniest spot I have in the house. It is definitely too cold at night to keep outside, and we keep the house above 60 .

I don't know what kind it is, I got it at a farmers market over the summer, and the tag just said, Bannana, $12. It did well on the patio, but with the frosts coming I knew it had to come in. I'll do the best I can this winter and see what happens come spring!!!!

As for the Umbrella - I am just glad that it has stayed the same since bringing it in. It is a single cutting that I just stuck in the dirt back in June or so, and it has really held on. I'm hoping that next summer after it's had a year to take hold it will start to actually grow. We'll see.