Where are you located? If you have a good location within your living area, bananas should be quite happy with the conditions provided you can provide enough light.

Bananas are not really something that goes dormant to be overwintered. Since they are tropical, they would probably be happy growing at room temperature year round. Again provided there is enough light.

In central FL bananas survive outdoors in the ground though when it gets too cold the tops will die back and if it doesn't stay warm enough long enough, there might not be any bananas from the plant. I've heard of people in the north growing bananas as ornamentals and overwintering them but they are only growing them for the ornamental foliage and not expecting any fruit.

I am in zone 5, north central pa. Light is the main problem as I only have one east window for a dwarf orinico and gran nian and two SDC plants, nowhere enough space. I keep my Truly tiny and Little Prince under lights in several places around the house, no problem. It is the bigger ones that I am trying to find space for.

Bananas have rhizomes - right?

Isn't it one of those plants then that are said not to be suitable for growing hydroponically?

What gives?

It all depends on the type of system you are using. Something with a rhizome might not be appropriate for a small NFT trough but they probably grow fine in a large media filled container that gets drip fed or possibly even wick fed.

They actually grow from corms.

I have two super, super dwarf bananas (truly tiny and little prince) growing is S/H and they are doing fine. As good as if not better than the ones I have in pots.

I have seen photos and heard of many others growing larger bananas in active systems, but most if not all are in greenhouses. I don't have the luxury of a greenhouse at this time so I am looking at options of hydro growing for in the home.

john

I have a banana in a very large top drip hydro system and it is now around 6-7' tall (no fruit of course). I keep it indoors next to a window all year though.