I bought 2 tiny TC I.C. in June '06 & one is at my house in cold sunroom mostly dormant -not ONE leaf since Oct, but the other I gave to my fiancee's son for Christmas gift '07. I planted it there last May & put a big red bow on it & surprised him coming home from work. Then we all dug it up last Oct when they called for frost. Fiancee' has a 20ft ceiling in L.R. I put it in a 30 gal pot w/ M.G. potting mix with lots of perlite. I fert'd it last Nov with 'banana fuel' & it took so well, been fert'ing every 1-2 weeks. It's now 12 1/2 ft tall, & it's 6th leaf since is about 2 ft (6 leaves in 4 months). Roots have more than doubled in size.
It's the talk of the town. Mike's son, 25 & living there, brings everyone over to show off his banana 'tree' . Guess who brags about it... then guess who takes care of it!!! LOL.
Since this will be it's 4th summer, & it's on its 27-30th leaf, I think there's a good chance it will flower soon-esp planted back inground in May!!
I will takes pics & post them by Monday. I want y'all to see this! It's been the most exciting thing all this long cold winter.
In '06, neighbors though I was nuts for trying & some southern friends said I'd never get fruit this far north. We will see
It's amazing how our plants can cheer us up...sorry I've been so crabby lately
Wind chills are below 0 again, but I'm thinking NANAS & CITRUS

Can't wait to see pics!!!

Gina *BabyBlue*

Me too!

Congrads Patty. I'm glad your feeling better.

Your going to love the fruit. Excellent flavor. It takes about 90 days for the fruit to ripen after flowering.

I can't imagine trying to get that plant back outside though. @ 12 feet it has to weigh a few hundred pounds...

Thanks ML.
Laaz, when I got this in '06 yours just got a flower & I asked you lots of questions LOL.
The boys measured from the floor up so the plant is actually little less than 12ft from soil. It wasn't too bad carrying it in last Oct. We are determined!
I will tip it over & take it out of pot shaking soil off roots. Then wrap rootball & drag it out door to the skidster & slide it into bucket. Mike can drive it to the spot & we can roll it off & drop it in.
Now, digging it back out in fall will be a nightmare! If it doesn't get a flower by then or gets a late flower, it's what we gotta do (these guys LOVE that plant!).
The skidster can pretty much lift it out of ground & I'll put straps around the rootball & 2 guys can lift while I guide it into pot. I told them not to get their hopes up too much as it may only get 10 nanas LOL
If they can move & plant big palm trees, we can do this.
...Pics coming Mon.

If there is a will there is a way. So I say.
I almost ruined my transmission in my Tacoma truck when I tried to move out a palm tree from its hole. But we made it.

Way to go Patty! I can't wait to see the pictures. I'm rooting (sp?) for it to flower and make bananas. How cool would that be? If anyone can do it, you can.

Theresa, I'll invite you over for a taste of Wisconsin grown nana!
Have you been to the domes lately??? There is a big Ice Cream banana with a bunch of bananas ready to ripen!!! I was there couple weeks ago & took pics but forgot to take lens cover off - DUH. I gotta go back.

Way to go Patty! Wow, 30 gal pot. That's big. I bought a 30 gal Windmill Palm last year & it was a backbreaker to plant it, but well worth it! What's banana fuel? Can't wait to see the pics.
Vinny

Hey thanks Vinny. Pot is 24WX17 1/2"T & someone did the math for me as to how many gal's. I have a canary Island date palm in same size pot.
I use a fert 15-5-30 s'posedly perfect for nana's with all the micro's - from the internet, & it really says "banana fuel" on bag LOL.
Here's some pics FINALLY:
The lowest leaf stalk is 6ft from floor - I can walk under it


Taken from loft. Ground still covered w/snow.


Oops, timer lights are on. The "boys" taken from loft


In 15 hours, leaf still growing out & unfurling already.


Still enough room to ceiling -- really 16-18ft instead of 20 like the boys measured LOL


The base of plant is about 8 inches diameter & there are 2 small pups.


Still a ways to go but I think it's big for being in a container! Wait till it gets inground -- WAHOO
Sorry about pic quality.

Wow....

Patty, is that the room you built? - Millet (1,426-)

Great job Patty. Heres what you have to look forward to ! Sorry they are so grainy, but they are on my old HD from old camera.

No Millet...I WISH LOL. That is Mike's living room / great room with those south facing windows.
Here's my sunroom... only 12 1/2ft high ceiling.

Facing east


From kitchen to sunroom facing east. On right (facing south) are large windows w/ 2 skylights above. 18ft wide X 16ft. In center are the 2 I.C. nanas taken winter '06 - '07. How small they are there. The pics above is the smaller one here. It's only smaller because it's in a smaller pot.