The following web address is an article posted by another member I followed about outdoor winter care. Although we had a mild winter, my basjoos were sprouting up in Feburary. MY Ice Cream and Black thai came up in late Spring. I also garage kept bananas, Queens, Sago and Pygmy Date Palms and my Palms actually leafed some except for my Sago's.My Sagos lost all their leaves but flushed once I put them outside in the Spring. I thought my Sagos had died.My garage kept Bananas stoped growing except for one that leafed. However this was my second year to keep plants in my garage and had better success than the first year.I did a better job with light and watering but still was unsure if I was over or under watering. I believe my garage temperature stayed in the upper 50's to low 60's most of the winter. Like Chad mentioned, I put a couple of pups in the garage as back-up but did not need them. I will do the same this year and have aquired some more light fixtures to install. The Basjoos I wintered outside was really nice to have alrady growing and filling-out in March when we had some nice days to sit outside. I had the tropical look going for me in March while other plants where just getting started. http://www.plantdelights.com/Banana-Trees-for-the-Garden/products/494/

Beachbum, Awesome pics! Your basjoos look great (not sure about the middle one, it's my 1st winter too!). But I am a zone above you, so I am still anxiously awaiting the big uncovering. I am very tempted, believe me, but our nights are still going down into the 30's and 40's, and our location is extremely windy most of the time, so I don't want to chance it yet. I think mine still probably have a couple more weeks. But your pics sure are making me anxious to see what mine look like right now. Very exciting! Thanks for posting! Laura

shipkdc... I've tried Basjoo many times, in many areas and with a variety of degrees of protection... Here's what works here in OHIO... 1. Make sure the soil you plant it in is well drained, especially in winter... add rocks and sand if possible... 2. Planting next to the foundation of the house or in a protected area is usually helpful.. not necessary, but helpful... 3. Limit the feritlizer, but give it plenty of water in summer... 4. Wait until a hard freeze kills/turns the leaves brown and cut the pseudostem back to about 2-3ft. It would be very rare to have the pseudostem overwinter, no matter how much protection you afford the plant. 5. Spray the pseudostem, (especially the base of the plant) very well with a copper based fungicide, to prevent rot. 6. Build a wire cage around the pseudostem and fill the cage with oak leaves or dry straw... (make sure the material is DRY and pack it tight) 7. Secure the cage in place and cover it with a big garbage bag. Since a garbage bag in the yard is ugly, I cover it again with burlap, to hide the black bag... As soon as temps begin to warm (mid-April) uncover everything. The pseudostem will be mush, but the base should be firm and a whitish/pinkish/green in color. Spray the base again with the fungicide and growth usually begins when temps start staying in the 70's. Good luck

You could use an insulating material around the stems up to the growth point and cut back dead leaves as needed. With those temps you're quoting, I wouldn't be the least bit surprized to see unprotected pseudostems remain intact with only the leaves getting frosted. You've seen how fast they grow so even if they do die down ... Cheers.