You should try posting this question in the tropical fruits forum. There are quite a few people who grow bananas and have more insight into your dilemma.
-Bo

In a normal spring it would be too eary to leave it unprotected. But this is suppose to be a warm winter - early spring so you probably haven't hurt anything. My Musa basjoo in the past has been pushing new leaves by March when we have a warm spring, so I usually clean them up by then.
I have stopped protecting it since this species is completely root hardy in the PNW.
There are plenty of people on this board that have and still do grow this plant, so you came to the right board.

Thanks, Issafish. I will see what happens. I kept one in a pot, inside, just in case.
I did look in the banana forum, everybody seemed to live in Florida.

Hi Novita,
I have a similar experience with issafish. I am in Auburn, WA, and have a big area filled with basjoo. They have been coming back for the last 5 years, covered or uncovered. It survived last year winter so now I don't do anything except giving them cow manure every year.