October 15, 1999

It takes about 15 months of growth for bananas to fruit. The plant can be over wintered by cutting it back, digging the corm and storing it where it cannot freeze. Some people put them in the crawl space under the house or try to keep them going inside. If winters are not too severe, they can be cut back in place and mulched heavily. These methods will usually not result in fruit. I winter my banana plants in the Solarium where they can continue to grow slowly.

October 23, 1999

This year, one plant started blooming in September. Since the fruit would not mature before cold weather and I didn't want to move it, I started thinking of ways to protect it. Tenting with plastic would work for a while, but I needed a good insulator. Well, I have straw bales in the barn ------ Hmmmmm. The experimental straw bale greenhouse under construction.

November 21, 1999

 The straw bale greenhouse completed - well, almost. This version is 16' X 16' with commercial twinwall greenhouse glazing. It is built to be temporary and portable. Next year I will relocate it to an area with better solar orientation.

November 24, 1999

The greenhouse was built around the growing and fruiting bananas. Inside walls were covered with housewrap to reflect light . 55 gallon oil drums filled with water provide thermal mass. They absorb heat during the day and radiate it back at night. If I designed this right, the daytime temperature should not get over 100 deg. and night temps should stay above freezing down into the 'teens. I will put in a dairy barn heater for severe cold weather and prolonged cloudiness.

28 November, 1999

The Big banana in Winter
or how to make the most of thermal mass.