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ben_jo

bananas under coffee bush

ben-jo
15 years ago

Hello, this is my first post here. I'm moving back home to Knoxville after 4 years of being away and can't wait to get started gardening. I'm a complete newbie, but many of the cold winter days up north have been spent reading and daydreaming about growing edibles. Right now my plans are rather fantastic. I'm hoping to put up a cheap hoop tunnel with PVC pipes and plastic during the winter and just take off the plastic during summer.

Okay here's the question. Has anyone tried growing coffee bushes and bananas trees in pots in similar conditions. I've read about growing coffee as a house plant, and I've read some varieties of banana can be protected during winter. I'm just curious if anyone is doing something like this in zone 7. From what I've read the coffee could appreciate the partial shade underneath the banana. I guess what I'm really wondering is would the passive greenhouse conditions be adequate to protect both plants in winter or would I have to bring them inside?

Any input would be really appreciated.

Ben

Comments (3)

  • sandie329
    15 years ago

    Welcome home! I have a coffee plant but it's potted and I brought it in this winter. I've not tried leaving it outside protected. I'm also curious about the banana tree.
    I did something similar with the hoops this winter. It worked fairly well but I recommend you find a way to hook your pvc pipes to your bed, the wind around my area blew mine apart a few times.
    Next year I plan to use straw bales edged around my bed and place plexi glass panels on top but allow some water in.

  • ben-jo
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Sandie329, thanks for the welcome and input. Have you been able to get the coffee to fruit? I've read about a few gardeners getting bananas going in knoxville. It seems the bananas always go dormant in our climate and must either be dug out and placed under the house ie crawlspace or covered with straw and burlap insulation during the winter. I'm just wondering if/when I'd need to do this in a hoop house.

    Excellent info about the hoop house. I've read the poor person's way to anchor the pipes is a comination of two things. One is to bury the edge of the plastic sufficiently with dirt. The poles I've seen connected on the ground with attachments to boards running around the edge of the house. I've also contemplated using 4-way joints connecting the two 10ft pvc pipes as well as short pipes running along the ridge of the hoop house. Oh, and I've also read about running rebar metal throught the pvc for added strength.

    Did you come up with the straw bales idea on your own or is this something others are doing too?

    Thanks!

  • Amazindirt (7a TN)
    15 years ago

    Musa basjoo can be left outside over winter with no protection, at least in some parts of TN. But it won't give you edible bananas. There's a couple others as well, but the banana aficionados around here can give you much more complete info!

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