Texas

[AllenK RGV]

I think it is all relevant to what measures you are willing to take to overwinter bananas. Sports superstars in OK city grow out our Sabal Palms, but have their tree keepers wrap the trunks and trees in burlap and christmas tree lights. Rule of thumb to me is don't try citrus unless you can see Sabal Palms from your window, or be prepared to wrap those guys every November 1st in outdoor X-mas lights and burlap to keep em warm for night time temps under 40F, that or keep them containerized. I keep my pineapples in containers as planting them in the ground has failed for me 2 years in a row. For bananas I would adopt the same idea however I do not know if they containerize at all.

Regarding your lemon seeds.....they can't be dried out. Citrus goes straight from your mouth and spit it into the soil! Read the attached pdf for guidance: One thing they did not mention in the pdf file is only polyembryonic citrus will come true to type and the strongest shoot out of the gate is often the hybrid produced from pollination so discard the strong shoot and you can carefully divide the weak ones.


I haven't seen many normal folks growing Sabal's north of San Antonio. In Austin we had neighbors across the way who would replant their front yard Cycads every spring. They must have paid a pretty penny for them because mine are 12 years old and about the size they replaced annually.

 

[electrycmonk]

Awe that's awesome news to learn. Thanks. I have rough plans drawn for expanding the soon to be build wellhouse version 2.0 with a full on greenhouse. I dare think they should survive in there for a few years eh?

In my coop thread I posted pics of my plans & IIRC one shows the dotted lines for wellhouse & greenhouse footprints.

 

[RUNuts]

I think I read that Bananas can be grown in Zone 9 with limited success. Houston is zone 9 and I've got a microclimate near the water that keeps us warmer than North Houston. Our freezes will kill the leaves, but the corms survive to shoot more leaves out. Unfortunately, this years freezes got 2 bunches that are hanging before they ripened. I was hoping, but think they are lost. Bananas take 18 months of growing before fruiting on each stem or corm. The last one fruited in June and we ate them in September. The next 2 flowered in October so I was hoping for a mild winter. Didn't happen.

the bananas can be dug up and overwintered in the cellar. BIL does it in Atlanta. Haven't got details from him yet.

Bananas are also heavy feeders. Plan on a lot of compost and a banana circle. Best wishes!

 

[Kiki]

I think I read that Bananas can be grown in Zone 9 with limited success. Houston is zone 9 and I've got a microclimate near the water that keeps us warmer than North Houston. Our freezes will kill the leaves, but the corms survive to shoot more leaves out. Unfortunately, this years freezes got 2 bunches that are hanging before they ripened. I was hoping, but think they are lost. Bananas take 18 months of growing before fruiting on each stem or corm. The last one fruited in June and we ate them in September. The next 2 flowered in October so I was hoping for a mild winter. Didn't happen.

the bananas can be dug up and overwintered in the cellar. BIL does it in Atlanta. Haven't got details from him yet.

Bananas are also heavy feeders. Plan on a lot of compost and a banana circle. Best wishes!

My neighbors bananas still look good, I don't think the cold affected them.
I'll get a picture today.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Awe that's awesome news to learn. Thanks. I have rough plans drawn for expanding the soon to be build wellhouse version 2.0 with a full on greenhouse. I dare think they should survive in there for a few years eh?

In my coop thread I posted pics of my plans & IIRC one shows the dotted lines for wellhouse & greenhouse footprints.

For sure greenhoused in Denton/Montague County citrus will do fine. They do require a chill period during winter to flower and set fruit or so I have read. I haven't read the whole Citrus for Dummies book I just am one and they flower up every spring. This is only my third winter with my citrus I inherited them from the previous owners of the property. Banana will also do well for you greenhoused. I have lived in Dallas, Wise and Collin counties so know the region well as far as the climate there goes. Pineapples will also do well for you provided they do not get chilled under 45F. All of our current citrus did well with a very short freeze to 32F. Pineapples not they just went to rot. Playing the I am a survivor game for months before finally turning to compost and yep we had em wrapped up in insulating material.

 

[electrycmonk]

Sheeesh. Good news. Thanks.

 

[AllenK RGV]

We have 5 new fluffbutts it would have been 7 had I realized that 4 broody hens would play soccer stealing chicks from one another like they did with the eggs. So don't be stupid like me if you want all of your viable eggs to hatch and then survive past day 1 separate the additional broody pullets to breaking prison on day 18-19 if they are all brooding the same nest. TBH I'm happier only having 5 new ones. Tonight all of the non blue eared Silkies are going to the bachelor(non breeder pen as well as all cockerels from the front yard pen. Hopefully one of these 5 new ones will be a pretty cockerel I would want to breed. 4/5 seem to carry decent silkie feathering. This is yesterdays picture showing 4/5 hatched. I'm only bringing cockerels back to the front pen if I have raptor losses.

 

[AllenK RGV]

Wow it has been a week of no activity here in the Texas thread. Well back to my story then, yes, every old man has a story! So it is interesting how momma reared chicken treat us humans vs human reared ones. I am apparently Godzilla to them glad the little week old things aren't weaponized. They still stay in the coop with momma and they seem as though they will present with some interesting color patterns. I am looking forward to how these guys develop(2 blues 2 blacks(one with a blonde beard) and a weird white half and halfey one).

Tomorrow I think we are past the time I need to worry about them drowning in their water so the stones can come out. We got our 80's back down here finally so I was able to dress like a south Texan yesterday. I was amazed to see all the people at walmart were still wearing jeans though who knows maybe they had a funeral or service to attend 'cause jeans are usually for dress up down here.

 

[AllenK RGV]

On the Citrus front I have started some Key Lime seeds as those breed true from seed unlike my Meyer "Valley" Lemons. I also have my eye out for Valencia Oranges as I want to get one of those going(true from seed) as well. Cool thing about the Key Limes is there are not pollination concerns as they are self fertile.

 

[Kiki]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/5-or-6-roosters-free-to-good-home.1343607/