The thing keeps on growing slowly even with temps in the 40f - 50f range

I told you... 😉 I don't protect any of my bananas. They burn when we get a heavy frost, but three or four days later they are pushing out again.

Laaz ... that would be nice if the same weather conditions applied here. Even the hardy Musa basjoo doesn't grow until spring here. In good winters the psuedostems stay intact but most years they collapse from freezing condtions. Nights are cool in the low to mid 30's lately and daytime no more than 50f (10c). So far I'll bet there's been 15 or 20 nights with frost this winter with a seasonal overnight low of 27.5f (-2.5c) one night. Most frosts have been in the 29f -31f range. We never get mild enough rebound weather to promote new growth on banana plants in winter, and if we're lucky the stay dormant and green until right around this time of year. Ensete wouldn't stand a chance here no matter how mild the winter without an enclosure like the one I devised. Even then, I don't know since I've never done this before with this kind of banana.

Cheers, Barrie.

Barrie I think any of the banana species will continue to grow if the ground does not freeze & the stem is kept frost free.

I was always under the impression that banana plants growth range is 53f - 100f. So they won't grow at temps less than 53 and stop growing when temps reach 100f.

Cheers, Barrie.

Well done, guys!
How about a pic Ryan?

Barrie, I don't know what type of Xmas lights I was reading the label from last month (they're up on the roof, so can't look again right now), but there was a warning.
Something about replacing spent bulbs to prevent overheating and the risk of fire

I'm no electrician but a 36 light string, with only 5 or 6 bulbs lit, might be what they're warning against.
Hopefully I'm way off base. 😕

It's only January...you might have to add 4 feet soon 😆

Barb

Geez Barb ... thanks for the heads up. It's something I hadn't considered but I'll run it past one of the electricians at work. So far, six weeks into it, I haven't noticed anything that would cause me concern but I'll have a close look today. Any electricians out there that would care to advise?

Cheers, Barrie.

I hope an electrician can chime in.

Just occurred to me that I bought ONE string only (the kind of bulbs that produce heat!) because I wanted to use it in a propagating box for palm seeds. I did tear the tag off after reading it.

Outdoors we've got all those new low-volt unbreakable strings/bulbs.
Barb

I was always under the impression that banana plants growth range is 53f - 100f

Thats what I have been told as well, but mine keep on pushing. May be that the soil temp is still up there...

The ambient air temperature inside the enclosure is in the 40 - 50 degree range and has been so for about 6 weeks. I don't know what soil temps are like but I doubt at this point it would be signifigent. Oh well, either way I'm fine with it's slow steady growth.
Ha...one neighbor passing by thought I was starting a beehive after seeing the plywood box. Should I have told her to mind her own bees wax? Ohh, that was poor.

Cheers, Barrie.

A look a the box with the added height.

Cheers, Barrie.

Barrie nice work
Still too short 😆 😆
Barb

The box looks good. It is almost as if you have the nanner growing in a well.

My son, the electrician, has told me that, if I want to have some of the light bulbs off, to loosen them until they don't light up. He said not to leave an open socket as refuse could get in it and cause a short.

If you are going to have a lot of the bulbs out of use, I would take them out and tape over the open socket with electrical tape. That way there is less chance of them accidentally lighting up and overheating your nanner.

His official opinion as to whether or not I should use xmas lights to warm seed beds or outside shelters is not printable. 😳

Allen

Thanks Allen 😆 "His official opinion as to whether or not I should use xmas lights to warm seed beds or outside shelters is not printable." I got a chuckle out of that one. He's obviously not gardening inclined. Everything else outlined there is what I've done. I've looked over the whole thing and it looks fine.

Barb, the enclosure ain't getting any taller. If it every reaches the top before spring, I'll just cut it back.

Cheers, Barrie.

That ensete looks as though it'll be 7 feet tall by April 😉
Barb

As an electrician, I would agree with Allen's son. Do not leave a socket open or without proyection if you have the cord plugged in. You can get dirtor worse water in a socket and cause a short. Protect the socket. What I do is put a light bulb that is burnt out and screw it in the socket. I use Christmas lights to protect my lemon trees when it gets really cold -5C or below. I have a string of 25 lights but only 7 actually work and light up, the rest have burnt out. This seems to provide enough heat under a bed comforter.

He lives in an apartment. The closest thing to a planter on his balcony is a portable beer cooler.

Allen