Banana plants thrive in tropical climates, developing long leaves and reaching full size in just a few weeks, according to Texas A&M’s AgriLife Extension.
These plants — often called trees — are actually herbs that grow from a succulent, not wood, stem, according to PBS News Hour. Their luxurious appearance enhances any patio or swimming pool, making them popular with homeowners.
“We have an in-ground pool in our backyard where we have lived for 30 years,” David, a North Carolina resident, says. “I planted banana trees that are hearty in cold weather and really enjoy them; one even bloomed and had little bananas.”
However, his banana plants are just 7 feet from the pool and he wonders if these picturesque plants pose a hidden threat.
“Another pool owner cautioned me that the roots could cause problems,” David says. “Just wondering if anyone else has had any issues, because thankfully we haven’t yet.”
It’s good when friends look out for each other, but in this case, David shouldn’t worry. Banana plants have soft roots, which don’t present the kinds of problems that wood roots do.
For instance, concrete driveways and walkways are often no match for trees’ wood roots, which can create big cracks and undermine the foundation.
Skip to [5:29] for the full segment in the Today’s Homeowner’s Podcast.
In this episode, we also cover these topics:
- Whether to install gutters on a house with a metal roof.
- Whether you should wire a ceiling fan to a light switch or hire a pro
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Simple Solutions
Safer Kindling Chopping — Cutting kindling with an axe can be dangerous because you have to hold the board or log with one hand while chopping it with the other. Here’s a much safer solution: Take a 12- to 16-inch-long 1-by-2, or similar narrow board, and drive a drywall screw through one end. Next, set the screw point onto top of the board or log you plan to chop, and tap the screw head with the flat-end of the axe, just to drive in the screw point a little bit. Now, you can safely chop the kindling while holding the end of the stick with your hand well away from the danger zone.
Watch: How to Safely Chop Scrap Wood for Kindling
Fast Fix for Slippery Bed Slats — Wooden bed slats have a tendency to slide out of position, resulting in poor support of the mattress and box spring. In extreme cases, the box spring can crash to the floor. Prevent this by simply wrapping rubber bands around the ends of each slat. This will keep the slats from sliding on the bed rails. And if the slats fall to the floor because the middle of the bed frame spreads apart, then pin the center slat with a screw through each end to lock the frame in place.