Winter hardy banana plants are offered as garden plants and container plants. Read here what you should know about the cultivation and care of these plants.
Exotic flair
You can conjure up a little exotic flair in your garden with such banana trees. But you always have to make sure that you really choose a hardy variety (e.g. Musa) when buying. Otherwise, other banana trees have to be overwintered in a winter garden or another, slightly tempered room on frosty days.
Location
You can plant fast-growing banana trees either in a large pot or directly in the ground - you have to consider the growth height of the individual varieties! You should also choose a sunny location, sheltered from the wind if possible, for such an exotic plant.
Tip:
It must be noted, however, that very young banana plants often cannot tolerate direct sunlight.
You should plant the bananas either in spring or in August.
Care
In principle, bananas should be supplied with a long-term fertilizer from early spring. This is followed by regular nutrient fertilization at intervals of approx. 3 to 4 weeks - until October.
Of course, bananas also need an additional water supply on particularly warm days. However, waterlogging around the trunk must be avoided all year round. During longer periods of rain, you should therefore ensure that no puddles form in the immediate vicinity of the banana trees.
Wintering
If frost temperatures of -15 degrees and more are to be expected, the hardy banana tree - like the rose - must be well protected outdoors. To do this, you should first cover the plant with a special, breathable garden fleece, which also minimizes the frost of the leaves. Alternatively, you can of course also wrap the plant in jute or bast mats. Planted perennials should also be piled up with soil on the trunk and possibly covered with a layer of brushwood around the root ball. You can use potted plants at extremesOf course, bring it to a sheltered place if it is below zero.
Tip:
You should remove the leaves before the first frost, as they usually die off anyway. This makes it easier for the trunk to overwinter.
Smaller banana trees are sometimes even chopped off at the trunk at a height of approx. 50 to 80 centimeters and covered with a box. In this way they spend a kind of hibernation and sprout fresh leaves again in early spring.