In zone 10 where growing conditions are truly tropical, bananas can be grown outdoors year-round in gardens. That isn't the case in colder areas. Alas, we will have to dig up the plants, and put them in a safe place during the colder months. But that is a small price to pay for the pleasure these plants bring.
Assuming one has a greenhouse or conservatory with lots of space, the banana plants can thrive indoors during the winter months. Dwarf varieties would be best for indoor culture.
If you have a sunny room with large skylights or large windows, they will grow very well in such spots. Otherwise, they'll need to go in a dark basement or other frost-free space for the winter.
To avoid confusion, I should explain there are ornamental bananas that are hardy to -20 Fahrenheit (zone 5) if they are properly mulched. However, these don't bear edible fruits. They're grown strictly for their beauty.
Strictly speaking, bananas are a perennial herb. They may resemble a tree, but appearance can be deceiving. The true stems are underground, and are known as rhizomes with buds or eyes just as dahlias and potatoes. The plants, 8-25' in height, have leaves 4' to 8' in length.
In addition to the standard yellow banana available in supermarkets, there are also small red ones, and tiny, finger-sized ones.
There are many sources of information on growing bananas. A great place to start is with the book published by Stokes Tropicals, called "Bananas You Can Grow." This won the best new book award from the Garden Writers Association.
Some individual banana growers provide details of their experiences on their web pages. This can be valuable information, because you can learn what varieties may work best for your area.
Whatever varieties you choose, give the plants plenty of sun. However, they do require shelter from strong winds. Select a spot with rich, well-drained soil.
In the garden, plants can be spaced about ten to fifteen feet apart. An individual plant should only have one or two stems. If it contains more, prune off the extras.
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