Question
This is my first year with a Basjoo Hardy Banana planted outside. I read on a related website that it should be cut back to the trunk and mulched heavily.  The trunk on my tree is about 4 ft high.  Should I cut it lower, and what does heavily mulched mean in this instance?  I live in the county just outside of Baltimore City, Maryland.
Thank you for your assistance.
Lou

Answer
Hi Lou, because you are in a cold climate zone, your Banana is suceptible to cold damage; it needs to have its corm (underground root system) protected against freezing. The crown will burn back to the ground from the first frost any way, and this will not preclude it coming up again in the spring as long as that corm isn't killed from a ground freeze. The mulch will insulate the ground where the corm is and hopefully (depending on the severity of your winter) keep it viable and alive for a spring awakening. Cut it back to ground level and then mulch it over. Nick