Gardens Apprentice – Page 3 – Gardens Apprentice

Living outside the tropics in a semi-arid environment I had to do some research to see if bananas would even grow in my area before I started growing them. I found out they grow almost anywhere, if you are determined. Banana plants come in many sizes from wild varieties that can grow to 40 feet or more, to very small varieties that may only grow 1-2 feet in height. The variation in size of banana plants gives the grower many options for how and where to grow bananas. With so many options given to the grower it allows bananas to be grown almost anywhere. Bananas are tropical plants and grow quite well in tropical environments. Let's take a look at some of the places that this tropical plant can grow outside of the tropics though. Bananas can be grown in cold areas too. Bananas do not tolerate the cold that well and most edible varieties will die back if there is even a light frost. That shouldn't stop you from growing bananas though. Look at The Agricultural University of Iceland who has, and may still be growing bananas. They grew the bananas in a heated greenhouse to stave off the cold. The heat was provided geothermally as Iceland has many geothermal hotspots they tap into for heat and energy. Denmark has had its own success as well, growing bananas at Wageningen University. While not as cold as Iceland it is still much colder than typical banana growing regions. The bananas in Denmark were grown in a greenhouse, on a rockwool substrate and fed a nutrient solution. This was to test the viability of growing commercial bananas in a soilless medium to avoid soil born disease. A soil born disease called fusarium wilt which attacks plant roots is a serious concern in banana cultivation. Can Bananas be grown in the desert or arid regions? While bananas do require plenty of water, they can be successfully grown in arid regions as well. Just look at Carnarvon on the west coast of Australia. Even with an arid environment they are successfully growing bananas in that region and distributing them for sale. You can learn about the bananas in Carnarvon here. According to the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology, Carnarvon receives an average annual rainfall of 219.6 mm (8.65 inches). That is not much rain, especially compared to somewhere like Hawaii, where bananas are also commercially grown. Some of the largest banana production in Hawaii is in Puna and Hilo with average annual rainfall of 2,044.7 mm (80.5 inches), and 3,302 mm (130 inches) respectively. Will bananas grow in containers or pots? Young banana in a rolling pot Bananas can, and are frequently grown in pots. In fact that is how most gardeners get their banana plants in the beginning, just like other plant starts. Growing in pots allows the grower to move the banana to safety, and avoid things like high heat, cold, or maybe even drying wind. Pots also allow the bananas to grow in sterile soil or substrate, or hydroponically to avoid soil pathogens that may be present in the soil in the ground. If you do not have a yard to grow in, a container or pot is a great way to grow you bananas. Just be aware of how big the bananas you are growing can get as they will get top heavy and can tip over. Bananas can also be grown inside. If you do not have a greenhouse, enough space in your yard, or even a yard to grow in, you can still grow banana plants. You can grow banana plants in pots inside with the right varieties. Good banana varieties to grow inside are ones that are described as dwarf, or super dwarf. It will often be in the name but you may need to read about the variety you are looking to grow to make sure. Some examples of dwarf varieties are Dwarf Cavendish, Dwarf Namwah, Dwarf Namwah, Dwarf Valery. Two easy to find super dwarf varieties are Truly Tiny and Super Dwarf Cavendish. Don't forget about wild varieties though. If you don't want to eat your banana fruit then wild varieties are a great option. The fruit of wild bananas can be eaten but the flavor and texture varies, and they are full of rock hard seeds. So if you do decide to eat them you will be picking through seeds and not getting much fruit in return. Some wild species like Musa Velutina (Pink Banana) for example fruit at just a few feet tall and produce pink bananas. Musa Velutina also produces fruit in a relatively short amount of time, 4-6 months. Edible varieties can take 12-24 months. Try and avoid wild species like Musa Ingens which can grow to 40 feet (12 meters) or more Try growing bananas on a balcony or porch. If you don't have room to grow inside, try using a balcony, porch, or any other small spot outside as your growing area. Bananas grown on a balcony or porch have many of the same requirements as growing bananas inside. You may have more room on a balcony or a porch but you will still need to account for weather, height, light, etc. If it gets too cold in your area you may need to cover or protect bananas grown in your small outside growing area. Some people even use coverings and a small heater ,or string lights to help keep their plants warm. The easiest option would be to just bring it inside if you can, and move it outside later. What about growing bananas in the yard? I left this for last because bananas can of course be grown in your front, back, or side yard. The yard usually offers the most space for bananas to grow, and can be grown like any other plant outside. Like any other plant though, you need to know what it will and will not tolerate. Just like tomatoes can be grown outside, they will die when the frost comes.