if you have space, put the nanner in front of a bright sun facing window and keep it growing during the winter. No fertilizer. I'd use a clay pot, they allow the soil to dry better and thats good for inside in the winter. Water sparingly, keep the soil fairly dry. and mist the plant daily to ward off the mites. If you want to overwinter by digging the corm up and dry storing, do a search on this forum for "overwintering bananas" and you'll find all kinds of good advice. good luck.

thank you for your advice

"We were wondering what we should do over the winter, should we put it in a larger pot? ... and what about fertilizer."

No, not until it is actively growing next Spring.

"clay or plastic?"

Plastic. Name one commercial grower who uses clay pots.

"2 foot high ... put it in the garage or should we keep it in the house."

Put it on a sunny window sill.

There are pros and cons of clay and plastic. The clay (unglazed) pots will help keep the plant warm from the sunlight hitting the pot and warming it and also help prevent the soil near the roots from becoming stagnant from moisture, if it's watered too much. Plastic on the other hand is much lighter and easier to move. I grew citrus and they loved the clay pots much better than the plastic ones. I can't say for sure with bananas tho. I've always used plastic for my bananas and have had no problems.

Use whatever kind of a pot you already have, just make sure you don't overwater it. If you want to buy a clay pot because it's decorative, or because you only have one "pet" banana plant, then by all means go ahead, and don't feel like you're wasting your money.
Clay pots actually ARE better for water sensitive plants. They weigh more too and that's good out on your patio when the wind blows.
The cost and breakability/liability factor/shipping weight is why you don't see growers using them, not because they don't work well. Also they are harder to sterilize for re-use, being porous.

Hey!!!
Sounds like alot of good info. there. I overwintered all of my banana's inside last yr. . I used both types of pots and couldn't swear there was a difference either way.I did keep a ceiling fan running all the time and mist several times a day.Everyone survived...LOL Best of luck!
Blessings
Chena

"Clay pots actually ARE better for water sensitive plants ... The cost and breakability/liability factor/shipping weight is why you don't see growers using them, not because they don't work well."

Circa 1972 I worked at a commercial grower, Elmhurst Flower Growers, of cattleya orchids for cut flowers (plants not sold, no pots to ship). They used plastic pots. The simple fact is that plastic pots commonly have numerous holes in the bottom sides, whereas clay pots do not. Typically, for orchid growing, clay pots need extra holes cut into the bottom sides. Also, in a humid environment, the porosity of clay pots has little effect. Eventually the outside of clay pots will become coated with algae and/or moss. Even in a nonhumid environment, insoluble salts eventually form on the outside, thereby preventing water evaporation through the sides.

"They weigh more too and that's good out on your patio when the wind blows."

Absolutely true, which is why I place cinder blocks on top of the pots, which you can see in this picture if you look closely:

{{gwi:419793}}

Had I wanted a more cosmetic look, I would have molded semicircular weights out of green colored concrete.

Wow, that's a beautiful ensete maurellii, very nice! Isn't it cool that we can grow such nice plants in places like Illinois and Indiana? I bet lots of people are surprised to see that in your yard....