from my experience, the secret to wintering them over is keeping them dry. I would cover them as well as possible and around the bottom also. I used wire, leaves as mulch then covered them in plastic. I will post photos tonight....Don

If it were me, I'd cut it 1 1/2' - 2'. As far as the plastic goes, its up to you. I never have used it on naners. Palms, yes. I think the key, is selecting a site with good drainage.

Surprised about your first... freeze. Do you (still)have a vegetable garden? I'm one county north of Cincinnati and lost my tomatoes & peppers back in early October and bananas shortly after. I think of New Jersey as being colder than us cause you're north, but apparently not the case - guess its the Atlantic that helps you...The Ohio River hardly helps us in the temperature department;) There are some folks in my area calling themselves 6b. Must have gotten a hold of Al Gore's zone map...

No vegetable garden. Not enough sunlight on my yard. 1st freeze tonight. I'm only a couple miles from the shore. I've brought in all my tropicals allready. I have the Musa caged up and filled with mulch and leaves. I guess I'll go out and cut it down now. This will be the first time cutting it down. I usually bring it in for the winter. I hope it comes back in the spring.

Ready to becut for winter
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Cut down for winter
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Covered for winter
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Thanks for your help. Hope this works

Beachbum, I'm also at the Shore, in Belmar. I've had my basjoos for about 6 yrs now, and protect them with the same method you've used. Only difference...I use bubble wrap around my stakes, then fill that with leaves and mulch, and covered in black plastic. Last year, I brought some pups inside for the Winter as well. I'll do the same this year. And yes, the Atlantic Ocean is a great buffer to our Winters. Your naners will be fine, unless we get cold akin to International Falls.

why go to all that trouble? I am in zone 6b and never do anything- I let it die down , then I cut off at ground in spring and it grows to about 15' each year.

My soil is heavy wet clay....

Boca Joe

My basjoos return reliably with a good mulch of leaves. They're easy to overwinter in N.J.

I have some banana pup not doing well got them off ebay The baby leaves are just bent over only have them for a month. what do I do ? Thanks Connie

Finally got my photos up of my wintering job, enjoy....

Here is a link that might be useful: musa basjoo etc...

Wilson, what did you do with the Elephant Ears and the palms? I had elephant ears that I brought in and out of the house each year untill they got too big to bring back in. So I planted them this year but I let it go in the fall. It had a pup last year and I cut it off before I brought it in for the winter and it lived and now it is about 3 feet tall. The mother plant was about 7 foot tall.

Beachbum, I am SO glad to hear that about the Elephant Ears! We are in the same zone and this is the first winter in the ground for mine. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I did nothing at all with them, no winterizing, just chopped them down. Like I said.... keeping my fingers crossed! :)

Wilson, you have THE most awesome pics!!

I have been growing musa basjoo successfully for the past 5 years in southern Ontario. My multi-stemmed plant grows in front of a south facing brick wall. Every November, I cut the stems to about 18" high. I built a box of white styrofoam insulation approx. 4x4'wide by 2' high. This I fill with compost, straw or leaves. I cover the box with a couple of sheets of foam and then a plastic tarp. Some air can get in. I manage to overwinter all but the smallest stalks this way, which gives the plant a head start in the spring.

I uncovered my Musa Basjoo about 4 days ago. I think it looks very good. We went through a very cold winter this year. 2 of the trees had a new leaf starting to grow. 1 plant in the middle doesn't look as good, byt I am hoping it will come back. 1 pup is growing too. Very happy with outcome. This is the 1st time I have overwintered outside. These are the same ones as in the pictures above. Do you thoink the middle one will come back? Should I take the dead stuff off the bottoms of the trees?

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Beachbum, Awesome pics! Your basjoos look great (not sure about the middle one, it's my 1st winter too!). But I am a zone above you, so I am still anxiously awaiting the big uncovering. I am very tempted, believe me, but our nights are still going down into the 30's and 40's, and our location is extremely windy most of the time, so I don't want to chance it yet. I think mine still probably have a couple more weeks. But your pics sure are making me anxious to see what mine look like right now. Very exciting! Thanks for posting! Laura