Hey, yardman, we did dodge the bullet, didn't we, thanks to the clouds off of that storm system in Ohio. It was like 38 at Oakland Pontiac Airport just a few miles NW of my house, and 32 in Lansing. Anyway, I assume this is an in-ground banana and not potted. I've wintered them a lot of years with probably 90-95% success. Just dig it up before the frost/freeze really does zap it, and leave a little bit, like six inches, of soil clinging to the bulb (if possible, if it's really sand or something and falls off, don't sweat it). Cut all of the leaves off (ok to leave the curled leaves at the top. Put the root into a big paper lawn and leaf bag, and then pack some DRY inert material around the root and part way up the pseudostem -- sawdust, shredded newspaper, sphaghnum moss. Then, tie up the bag in a couple places around the pseudostem so it will stay on. Store it for the winter somewhere dry and cool but non-freezing. I put mine in the utility room in the basement behind my water softener, in total darkness, and never water them all winter. Generally, the entire pseudostem will survive quite nicely. Sometimes, it will rot off part of the way down. Generally, several leaves will continue to grow and unfurl over the winter, and will be yellow/white due to no light. In spring, when it's safe, just replant it, and it will hardly miss a beat.

Where I am planning on planting it, it will get full sun until about 4:00. Im hoping that will be enough. If not, I can move it back a few feet to give it more sun. I have read on some websites that the leaves can really fry in the heat of the summers down here, so I was hoping maybe giving it some late shade would help.

Looking for a local trade in Ventura County or the San Fernando Valley including Burbank and Glendale. I have a blooming size Crinum Pedunculatum (the Australian version of the Hawaiian crinum lily). It is big and likes shade. Or I have several smaller seedlings available. I also have pink amarcrinums and a couple of small monstera delicosa plants. I also have a tiny seedling of carambola (starfruit) and one of a mango but they are both 2-3 inches tall. Thanks, Susanne

I'm glad your ice cream has come around for you, Bryan. I do echo with Steve on planting the bananas when they're at least a foot tall. Usually the pups that pop up near the mother plant are able to survive better as they're part of the comb. But pups that that are on their own root system usually are weaker especially when they're very small. So, the idea of a root hormone makes a lot of sense there. I do apply root hormones whenever I plant new things in the ground. I've tried that on my bananas and they're doing rather well (pictures attached below). They're pushing out new growth a few days into planting. I dug out some Mexican Red pups after its parent died. Some of them were transplanted to a new spot. The littlest one came loose on its own and survived in pot for a while, but it died recently when I placed it in a sunny location :( Apparently, I've forgotten that these young plants need some kind of sun protection too. Now, I have a make shift beach umbrella to help out my other young plants in the ground when the sun is too strong. Here are a couple of my newly planted bananas: Left: Mexican Red, Center: Musa Sumatrana X cross (I think), Right: Raja Puri Pineapple Right: Double Mahoi, Center: Kru (a red banana) and Right (Dwarf Namwah) Some of these varieties are cold sensitive ... especially "Kru" and possibly "Double Mahoi," "Mexican Red," and Musa Sumatrana. I love all these red bananas, but they don't seem to stand the cold too well. They have been in the pot and are doing nothing much, so I thought to let them at least try out in the ground. And I picked close to the house for added protection. We'll see how they do this Winter. Do share more pictures as your ice cream grows for you, Bryan.