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Message
Should I cut my banana trees back this year?
Posted on 1/1/22 at 9:54 am
Posted on 1/1/22 at 9:54 am
With the incoming cold weather, I’m worried my banana trees will die. This is my first year with large trees and I’d like to keep them alive until the spring. I’ve read cutting them back helps.
11
Posted on 1/1/22 at 10:02 am to ShortShorts
You're one of the few people I know who actually like banana plants. Did you get any bananas off them this year?
If so, those stalks can be cut back to the ground since they will not produce more bananas in the future.
If you've not had banana plants freeze before, they are a sloppy mess to deal with afterwards. The stalks are chock full of water and if they freeze, then thaw, they get pretty soft and slimy and a PITA to deal with.
Plus they weigh a hell of a lot per foot.
Not knowing how cold your weather can get, you can take a chance they won't freeze. Here in N.O. we've had real mild winters for a few years now and the banana plants I can see from my back porch have all fared well----and I'm grateful they are in my neighbor's yard and not mine.
If so, those stalks can be cut back to the ground since they will not produce more bananas in the future.
If you've not had banana plants freeze before, they are a sloppy mess to deal with afterwards. The stalks are chock full of water and if they freeze, then thaw, they get pretty soft and slimy and a PITA to deal with.
Plus they weigh a hell of a lot per foot.
Not knowing how cold your weather can get, you can take a chance they won't freeze. Here in N.O. we've had real mild winters for a few years now and the banana plants I can see from my back porch have all fared well----and I'm grateful they are in my neighbor's yard and not mine.
This post was edited on 1/1/22 at 10:03 am
Posted on 1/1/22 at 10:20 am to ShortShorts
quote:
Should I cut my banana trees back this year?
yes cut then below ground level and throw them in the dump. banana trees are the devil and look dead year round and are nothing but trash
Posted on 1/1/22 at 10:21 am to gumbo2176
I think they look great along the fence line. I’m outside of Baton Rouge so I’m hoping the cold weather won’t be terrible. I’m leaning towards not cutting them in the case the weather stays on the warmer side…
Thanks
Thanks
Posted on 1/1/22 at 10:29 am to ShortShorts
It is impossible to eradicate banana trees
They pretend to be dead but then come right back
They pretend to be dead but then come right back
Posted on 1/1/22 at 10:57 am to ShortShorts
quote:
I’m worried my banana trees will die.
You can't kill those things, they will come back.
Posted on 1/1/22 at 11:21 am to ShortShorts
Cut them asap. They will die, and you and your neighbors will have dead leaves everywhere. You can practice your ninja skills and cut them with a machete. If you like them, they will grow back taller than ever in the summer.
Posted on 1/1/22 at 11:54 am to SlidellCajun
quote:
It is impossible to eradicate banana trees
No it isn't, and this is how I did it after I moved into my current home in 92.
I first cut them down to the ground and tried digging the root system out-----that will usually result in a heart attack at worst or bad back at best.
So I got creative and decided I'd stay on top of them to where every time ANYTHING green showed above ground, I cut it down below the ground line with a shovel. This went on for months, but did eventually kill the roots.
If no photosynthesis happens, the root system will eventually die.
I've not had an issue since then with banana plants even though a neighbor behind me has some near my back fence.
Posted on 1/1/22 at 2:50 pm to ShortShorts
depends on if you want bananas or not.
banana plants need to survive one winter in order to fruit, if you cut them back now they won’t fruit next year
I plan on seeing what happens with this freeze it doesn’t look too bad. If they die back then I’ll whack them off with a can knife and discard
pro tip there is no better material for your compost pile than dead rotting banana stalks and leaves. chop up with a shovel and layer them into the compost, you’ll have black magic in a few months which you can use to top dress the roots before they re sprout
banana plants need to survive one winter in order to fruit, if you cut them back now they won’t fruit next year
I plan on seeing what happens with this freeze it doesn’t look too bad. If they die back then I’ll whack them off with a can knife and discard
pro tip there is no better material for your compost pile than dead rotting banana stalks and leaves. chop up with a shovel and layer them into the compost, you’ll have black magic in a few months which you can use to top dress the roots before they re sprout
Posted on 1/1/22 at 6:28 pm to cgrand
Yeah, I’ve been pruning them and adding them to the compost for the spring garden. I’m hoping to get the Mirliton started early this year.
Posted on 1/1/22 at 6:57 pm to SlidellCajun
quote:
It is impossible to eradicate banana trees
I cut mine down to ground level, gouged a hole into the center of the stump, then poured an ounce or two of full strength Roundup into the hole. Repeated a few times. Haven't grown back in 2 years.
Posted on 1/2/22 at 9:25 am to ShortShorts
Banana trees give me nightmares of being a kid and having to cut down a row of them on a fence line. I used a cane knife and by the time I was done I had monkey paw that stayed the same shape as that cane knife for days.
Posted on 1/2/22 at 4:03 pm to ShortShorts
Only 2 times I ever got adult onset asthma was when I cut banana trees down.
Posted on 1/3/22 at 9:54 am to gumbo2176
quote:I really like mine.
You're one of the few people I know who actually like banana plants
Posted on 1/3/22 at 10:33 am to ShortShorts
Your banana plant will survive nuclear winter, solar flares, and/or a bucket of Roundup.
Don't worry about it surviving.
If you insist on having one, and would like it to look healthy, I'd recommend cutting the dead stalks to the ground and new ones will start growing within a week of normal temps.
If you don't, it will look like shite.
When you get around to hating the thing, I can also offer advice. I'm one of the few people I know to permanently get rid of mine.
Don't worry about it surviving.
If you insist on having one, and would like it to look healthy, I'd recommend cutting the dead stalks to the ground and new ones will start growing within a week of normal temps.
If you don't, it will look like shite.
When you get around to hating the thing, I can also offer advice. I'm one of the few people I know to permanently get rid of mine.
Posted on 1/3/22 at 10:38 am to urtoosmall
quote:
You can practice your ninja skills and cut them with a machete
Yep. You can make it fun with the machete and pretend you are in Jumanji.
Just hope that the rats living in it run away before you start hacking that particular stalk.
Posted on 1/3/22 at 1:38 pm to tigahbruh
I was using my largest kitchen knife to trim them last week. Amazing how one of those goes through that crap. it was fun until I stabbed the tip deep into my thumb where it meets the wrist.
Posted on 1/3/22 at 8:02 pm to ShortShorts
You’ll live to regret keeping them sooner rather than later.
Posted on 1/3/22 at 9:10 pm to ShortShorts
You can’t kill them. Nothing kills them.
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