It will depend on how big your plant is when you start. If you put a little banana in a big pot, you'll risk root rot over the winter. How big is your banana pup, how large is the rootball now, and do you know what kind it is?

I find overwintering them indoors to be a PITA as well. I've contented myself with putting a basjoo in-ground in a sheltered spot, applying some fertilizer and lots of water, and mulching lightly over the winter but not building a cage. After a couple of winters in the ground, they now regrow so fast each spring that they're already 3 feet tall now and I get a good 8 to 10 feet tall by autumn, probably would get more if I fertilized more, and I have so many pups that I'm actually cutting them down to keep the mat in its allotted space.

Just two small pups beginning with foliar growth. They are in approximately 6-8 oz size cups. I got them at the plant swap on the 19th (pre-arranged trade) - oh and these are M. basjoo. I have another type, but I'm not sure yet if the pup survived or not (long story, it was a gift from a friend that got it via online order).

I have to tell people that despite my zone and general location within this state, the general information applicable to most plants doesn't usually apply readily to my mesoclimate. It tends to defy the general "rules" if you will. "Full Sun" plants for instance, are usually killed by the full sun of my precise location (despite my efforts) - so I have to adapt. Likewise, plants that are known to overwinter outdoors in my zone and this state, even further north, or overwinter outdoors with some added protection - usually don't. I've "learned the hard way" with so many precious botanical treasures in the past, that I just prefer to not take any additional risks if I can avoid it.

I don't mind bringing in even the largest pots/containers in the winter - I do it for my Brugmansia so adding Musa spp. to the indoor overwintering is a non-issue to me. I'm very likely to also bring in the Japanese Rice Paper Plant rootstock and/or pups that I got earlier this spring (provided they make it, three out of at least five, already croaked from two different types at transplant time - unless they make some miraculous recovery from the rootstock before the end of the year). I'm definitely in a spot where "lifting" is prudent for the winter unless I want to have to find new ones in trades or fork out more money. I think I've sown or transplanted enough money in the ground to have it die though.

Anyhoo, so if I am aiming to container grow M. basjoo - would you recommend that I simply start with smaller containers and transplant to larger containers as they become rootbound in order to try and avoid rotting?

While I don't have a greenhouse (I wish!), I do have a room that I "take over" in the winter that has great northern light (this has proven to be a better spot for my variety of plants in the winter than southern light - go figure) and I am prepared with CFLs as well for my indoors-in-winter plants in that room as well as in some other rooms. I don't mind the indoor-jungle in winter.

I'd just really like for the Musa basjoo to not have to re-grow from scratch every year - or I'd at least like to stick with a three year plan to see if I can coax optimum size out of at least one of them while in containment for growing.

I would start with small pots and work your way up as they get rootbound. Start with a pot that is 2 inches wider all around than your rootball. As your plant grows, move it up into pots that are 2 to 3 inches larger in diameter each time (as your plant gets really big, you can make bigger jumps, like 10 to 14 inch).

I overwinter lots of tropicals indoors, and personally I find bananas to be tedious. You have to make sure they get dry between waterings, and wipe down the leaves every week to avoid spider mites. A humidifier will help keep the mites away too. Even so, mine tend to look pretty shabby until they go outside again. But it can be done if you're so inclined.

PS - If you have a lot of wind, you will find that there are other varieties of bananas that don't get shredded leaves as easily as basjoo.

basjoos are pretty tough. you most likely don't have blaring sun on all four sides of your house all day, find a spot that gets some shade and try one of them in the ground.If you are growing strictly in pots , i would try something fancier than basjoo, like ensete maurelli or musa zebrina, the blood banana.You should have no trouble in your zone with basjoo in the ground.

If you want to overwinter a dormant plant, simply dig up the basjoo rootball and put it into a garbage bag with some peat moss, then store it in the garage.

If you want to keep it growing you will need a huge pot to accomodate multiple stems, probably something about 24" across at least. There's no real benefit other than maybe having a quicker larger plant in the spring but it will be a headache to deal with it indoors if you don't have to.

Wanted to thank everyone who responded. I haven't had a great deal of time to post over the last several weeks unfortunately.

Both of the Basjoo babes went into larger pots from the size of the containers that they were in, and now we will see how they do. I'm hopeful.

Now, if I can just find a replacement "Ice Cream" pup I could be considered a happy banana camper for the rest of this year. Though I must confess, seeing all the varieties folks are growing, makes it soooo tempting to try and get other varieties.

Depending upon their growth, I'm going to aim for overwintering these indoors this winter - yet another reason I'd like to lay my hands on an "edible" variety.... Things appear a bit slow-growing this year, not limited to Musa, but a lot probably has to do with the rapid onset of "hot" weather and so very, very little rain.