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How to Dig Up a Banana Tree

Banana trees produce bunches of sweet, crescent-shaped fruits and have wide tropical-looking leaves. Banana trees prefer to grow in warm climates and thrive when planted in well-drained soil. If you've decided to relocate a banana tree, you'll find digging up the tree is a relatively easy task. According to a fact sheet by the University of Florida Extension, bananas have an underground stem called a rhizome in addition to hundreds of thin, fibrous support roots. The depth of the roots depends on the height of the tree.

Things You'll Need

  • Shovel
  • Blanket
  • Bubble wrap
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Instructions

    • 1

      Use the tip of the shovel to mark a circle around the base of the banana tree, about 2 feet from the trunk.

    • 2

      Peel away any low leaves that may be damaged during the move.

    • 3

      Dig up the soil from around the banana tree using the shovel. Tug at the tree gently to free the root ball.

    • 4

      Lift the banana tree up and out of the hole. Shake excess dirt from the roots and cover with a blanket or bubble wrap until it can be planted.