Q: I would like to grow edible bananas. I could bring them indoors during the winter. Can you recommend a variety?

A: A recent caller to my radio show said he had small banana fingers showing on his bloom stalk already this summer. A banana produces ready-to-harvest fruit twelve months after it is propagated from a small side shoot (a sucker). That’s why bringing the entire plant indoors before frost is a necessity. Pollination is not necessary. Bananas require heavy fertilization and regular watering but if you have a large tub and a strong back you could harvest a few bananas. ‘Cavendish’ and ‘Raja Puri’ are reputed to be best for this type experiment.