Hardy Tropicals UK

I thought I would take a wander to banana.org, not been for a while,

I went because I got a notification about winter protection. I like this Idea, especially as they can be colour co-ordinated, we all need colour in winter.

Is this the same as polystyrene cus I have loads in my shed waiting recycle?

I thought they were a great Idea.

http://www.bananas.org/f2/permanent-ban ... 17855.html

Interesting link, thanks Kata. Seeing the title I thought it was going to be about safe-sex for Bananas

I wondered how straw would compare - e.g. stuffing a chicken-wire cage around the Bananas with straw. I couldn't find a U-value for loose straw.

The linked article had an r-value of 15 total (2 layers of polystyrene and some glass fibre in between). Straw bales perform at about R1.5 per inch, so a 10" layer of straw would be the same - I reckon it is pretty hard to make a straw cage that "thin" so straw is going to perform well enough. Won't look as nice though, and not easy to open the top in mild weather ...

In theory it is great, and the plans useful as a template, but have you seen the price of polystyrene recently it has been severely hiked as it's 'Green'. You wouldn't get much change from a Tenner per shelter in the uk. You could buy a lot of fleece or straw for a tenner.

The other question is what would you be protecting ? Our winters are not as severe as US non coastal states. Ensete will rot as the ground remains too wet, and basjoo would have to be cut back to your shelter size, when in milder winters the pseudostems would remain intact anyway.

Something like Musa zaifui could be tried using this , as is a rare plant at the moment, and worth the effort.

All in all, a good idea, but for me has limited use.

Just been pricing wire netting up Kristen, quite cheap at Homebase at 7.49 for
Tenax Galvanised Panel - 50x50mm.

Would that be enough to form a circle around the Fern, a small Fern Kristen?

This may be something for my Fern to stop anything eating the fronds like this year.

http://reviews.homebase.co.uk/1494-en_g ... eviews.htm

The idea seems ok at banana.org but it seems a lot of messing, also some Polysyrene disolves in wetness.

I think I am going with Cordy on protection with the wire netting circle and fleece balls and a good fleece jacket. Possibly the duvet if it gets really bad.

Wind rolls of fleece on the log for good measure.

Polystyrene 50mmx600x2.4m £8.62 (how many would you need for the ferns?

Then a specialised knife, tape, glue. paint.

Lets stick to whats tried and tested re - 2010.

Thanks Dave!

kata wrote:Polystyrene 50mmx600x2.4m £8.62 (how many would you need for the ferns?

Then a specialised knife, tape, glue. paint.

Lets stick to whats tried and tested re - 2010.

Thanks Dave!

The stuff they were using was less than 25mm thickness Kata. The reason it is 50mm thick here is that is what is used for house insulation, and is cheaper than many purpose made insulation. The way it seems to be priced is, Cost of material and manufacture. Then they add 50 years of energy savings cost on top, so you make no saving from insulating your property, they make the money instead, up front.