Overwintering Tropical Bananas
Tropical bananas need to spend Portland winters indoors in order to survive and there are several ways to make it work.
Planted in the ground - When planted in the ground, bananas grow really fast and by autumn they have an amazing presence in the yard. Watch the weather, and before the first frost dig it up. Next cut back roots, wrap them in insulating fabric and remove most leaves. Store in a cool dry place that won't freeze during winter.
Growing in containers - There are several options:
1. Treat the banana as a houseplant - if the plant is small, bring it indoors and put it in a sunny window. Spray it off with water or insecicidal soap first to make sure there are no unwanted insects hitch-hiking indoors. Scale back watering and fertilizing during winter and place back outside when danger of frost has passed. While living as houseplants, bananas are prone to sucking insects like aphids, so keep an eye out for them and treat if necessary.
2. If the container is light enough to move, cut the top down and bring the container into a cool dry spot like a basem*nt. Cut watering waaayyyy back, but make sure it doesn't dry out completely. When danger of frost has passed, restore the banana outdoors.
3. If the container is too big to move, follow directions for a banana planted in the ground.
