WTG Josh!
It's growing fast!
It's growing fast!
My banana project
- Thread starter Trax
- Start date
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You should have known better!
Trax
Active Member
Thanx guyz! This is def getting exciting and my Zebrina banana is trying to start growing too so I'll def needa put it in the window too!
Hey CrabberGirl,
Good luck with your bananas! I hope they survive.
Btw, I discovered 2 things this winter. Ensete Maurelli bananas dont go dormant, they just die. But I also discovered that the bigger the banana trees are, the better they survive. The small ones (less than 2 feet tall) all died but the big ones didn't! I didn't even put them in pots and just leaned them against a wall (with zero water) and they're looking healthy!
Oh, another thing I discovered is that passion vines do great inside! So do pineapples!
This is def getting exciting and my Zebrina banana is trying to start growing too so I'll def needa put it in the window too!Hey CrabberGirl,
Good luck with your bananas!
I hope they survive.Btw, I discovered 2 things this winter. Ensete Maurelli bananas dont go dormant, they just die.
But I also discovered that the bigger the banana trees are, the better they survive. The small ones (less than 2 feet tall) all died but the big ones didn't! I didn't even put them in pots and just leaned them against a wall (with zero water) and they're looking healthy!Oh, another thing I discovered is that passion vines do great inside!
So do pineapples!
curbhopper
Active Member
Are you talking about inside your home or inside a greenhouse? Will those bear passion fruit? I've never tasted a passion fruit but I know pineapples Curbie
Curbie
Josh,
You are going to need a greenhouse pretty soon. You really have a nack for your plants. My bananas look ok but of course with no leaves we won't be able to tell for sure until spring really arrives. Due to the freezes we got last year we had no fruit and I suppose the same will apply this year.
Passion vines here die back in winter but rebound with vengence in the spring. They are actually considered and invasive here.
You are going to need a greenhouse pretty soon. You really have a nack for your plants. My bananas look ok but of course with no leaves we won't be able to tell for sure until spring really arrives. Due to the freezes we got last year we had no fruit and I suppose the same will apply this year.
Passion vines here die back in winter but rebound with vengence in the spring. They are actually considered and invasive here.
curbhopper
Active Member
I swear, he is exACTly like my nephew was. John could take a stick, stuff it in a pot, and it would grow. He was SUCH a great landscaper but he also built his own crab boat, a corner china cabinet, and a hot tub.......There was about nothing he couldn't do.~Curbie
Trax
Active Member
Hey Curbie,
I'm just growing them in a room with huge windows. But they have to stay really warm and I cant water them too much cause cold + water = corm rot. I discovered that last winter when I tried to keep banana trees inside for the first time. They were all big ones and most of them died from too much water. But I did a lot better this time and half of them survived! And I think I've learned enough now to keep all of them alive next winter! I still have an Orinoco, a Zebrina, a dwarf Cavendish, and 2 Ice Cream banana trees.
Hey CrabberGirl,
Dad's been talking about getting a small greenhouse (hope hope hope!). Btw, there is a way to check your banana trees. Just feel the stems and if there's no soft mushy spots then they're prolly okay. If there are soft spots, just cut them off with a sharp knife. Also, when a banana plant has made 30-40 leaves, that's when it finally makes a bunch of bananas! And that means even if a lot of the leaves died. When it's ready to make bananas, it makes a leaf that's a lot smaller than the other leaves and that's called the flag leaf. Oh, and I'm glad passion vines are invasive cause I want lots of those 4 sure!
Hey Wombat,
Thanx! I'm glad there's more banana growers here! I'll def have probs if my Ice Cream or Orinoco banana trees make bananas cause that'll prolly weigh about 50 pounds or more and I'll needa prop them up so the tree doesn't crash down. But they will needa be on the tree for a whole summer so I hope it happens in the spring.
If you have any pics of your dwarf ducasse trees, I'd def like to see them!
I'm just growing them in a room with huge windows. But they have to stay really warm and I cant water them too much cause cold + water = corm rot. I discovered that last winter when I tried to keep banana trees inside for the first time. They were all big ones and most of them died from too much water. But I did a lot better this time and half of them survived!
And I think I've learned enough now to keep all of them alive next winter! I still have an Orinoco, a Zebrina, a dwarf Cavendish, and 2 Ice Cream banana trees. Hey CrabberGirl,
Dad's been talking about getting a small greenhouse (hope hope hope!).
Btw, there is a way to check your banana trees. Just feel the stems and if there's no soft mushy spots then they're prolly okay. If there are soft spots, just cut them off with a sharp knife. Also, when a banana plant has made 30-40 leaves, that's when it finally makes a bunch of bananas! And that means even if a lot of the leaves died. When it's ready to make bananas, it makes a leaf that's a lot smaller than the other leaves and that's called the flag leaf. Oh, and I'm glad passion vines are invasive cause I want lots of those 4 sure! Hey Wombat,
Thanx!
I'm glad there's more banana growers here! I'll def have probs if my Ice Cream or Orinoco banana trees make bananas cause that'll prolly weigh about 50 pounds or more and I'll needa prop them up so the tree doesn't crash down. But they will needa be on the tree for a whole summer so I hope it happens in the spring.If you have any pics of your dwarf ducasse trees, I'd def like to see them!
curbhopper
Active Member
Hey, Trax, where do we get these puppies? Will the miniatures bear fruit? I'd like to try to grow a baby banana Curbie
Curbie
Wombat
Active Member
Hey Trax yeah you'll definitely need to prop them up, as the trees can fall over or break in two. Here's a pic on my dwarf ducasse it's a bit weather beaten due to the storms etc. but it's about 7FT tall. I also found a pic of blue java bananas growing at a friends place, they taste delicious
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Trax
Active Member
Wow! This thread's getting popular!
I'll def send anyone a banana pup when mine start making pups! They'll prolly be Ice Cream banana pups since my biggest ones are that kind. One is 8 feet tall and has a big leaf on it so it'll prolly start growing fast when I plant it outside!
Hey Wombat,
That's what they called mine, Java Ice Cream bananas! They said the bananas would look blue too! Thanx for the photos! That dwarf ducasse looks a lot like my banana trees and the leaves get torn here too cause we have tons of wind.
Here's how my dwarf Cavendish looks now. The new leaf is starting to unfurl and is a lot bigger!
I'll def send anyone a banana pup when mine start making pups!
They'll prolly be Ice Cream banana pups since my biggest ones are that kind. One is 8 feet tall and has a big leaf on it so it'll prolly start growing fast when I plant it outside!Hey Wombat,
That's what they called mine, Java Ice Cream bananas! They said the bananas would look blue too!
Thanx for the photos! That dwarf ducasse looks a lot like my banana trees and the leaves get torn here too cause we have tons of wind.Here's how my dwarf Cavendish looks now. The new leaf is starting to unfurl and is a lot bigger!
curbhopper
Active Member
Oh, Wombat, that plant is absolutely lovely. How do you harvest bananas? (I am not climbing a tree.) Curbie
curbhopper
Active Member
Boy, did I get lost in that thought ~ I'm going to cut down a banana tree......How big is the tree? It must be only 4 feet Curbie
Curbie
Trax
Active Member
Oops again! I was thinking too fast and not talking enough. Sorry.
Dwarf banana trees can make bananas.
1. Grow a baby banana tree till it makes 30-40 leaves.
2. After that, it will make a smaller leaf (flag leaf) then it will make bananas.
3. The bananas have to stay on the plant till they're ripe (6-9 months).
4. When they're ripe, just cut the whole bunch off with a sharp knife.
5. If the tree is too big (12-20 feet or more), you can cut the whole tree down to get the bananas.
6. After a banana tree makes bananas - and they get ripe - then the tree dies, even if you dont cut the bananas off.
But banana trees usually make pups before they make bananas. The pups grow out of the ground close to the base of the tree. And they're attached to the tree. But if you cut them off the mother tree, be sure you cut it in a way that gives the pups some good roots. So you have to dig into the ground first before you cut them free.
I hope that helps a little better! I shouldn't be in a hurry and try to talk.
I was thinking too fast and not talking enough. Sorry. Dwarf banana trees can make bananas.
1. Grow a baby banana tree till it makes 30-40 leaves.
2. After that, it will make a smaller leaf (flag leaf) then it will make bananas.
3. The bananas have to stay on the plant till they're ripe (6-9 months).
4. When they're ripe, just cut the whole bunch off with a sharp knife.
5. If the tree is too big (12-20 feet or more), you can cut the whole tree down to get the bananas.
6. After a banana tree makes bananas - and they get ripe - then the tree dies, even if you dont cut the bananas off.
But banana trees usually make pups before they make bananas. The pups grow out of the ground close to the base of the tree. And they're attached to the tree. But if you cut them off the mother tree, be sure you cut it in a way that gives the pups some good roots. So you have to dig into the ground first before you cut them free.
I hope that helps a little better!
I shouldn't be in a hurry and try to talk.
curbhopper
Active Member
No worries, Trax. I always wonder why people don't nkow what I'm talking about b/c insde my head, I'm very busy talking! LOL! OK ~ how big of a pot do you need? Can they live in the snow or do you have to bring them inside? Can I buy a pup on-line? Curbie
Trax
Active Member
I do that sometimes too, lol! Cause I got toooo many things to try to remember!
Here's what I've learned so far.
1. Pot size. If it's a pup then the pup should be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide and about 3-6 inches tall or more. That size pup needs a 6-8 inch wide pot. When it's about 2-3 feet tall, it needs a pot about 1 1/2 feet wide. Oh, and about as deep as it is wide cause most banana trees have shallow roots. Except Ice Cream bananas and they have deep roots.
2. Snow. I love snow but banana plants dont! They like to be about 50*F or more all the time. Also, if it's like 50-60*F, they dont want any water or the corm (the part that's underground) will turn soft and start rotting and kill it.
3. Watering. If it's summer, they need lots of water then they needa dry up totally before they get lots of water again. They needa be dry for a whole day.
If it's winter, they needa be inside and warm. But even if it's really warm inside, they grow a lot slower in the winter. Only give them a little water about every 3-4 weeks. Oh, and no plant food in the winter.
4. Feeding. They only need a little phosphate but lots of Potash (more Potash than Nitrogen). So the NPK should be something like 2-1-3. Two good ferts are Scotts Miracle Gro For Fruits (16-8-24) and Grow More (20-5-30).
They like lots of ferts sprinkled around them but not on the base of the tree. That should happen once every 3 weeks in the summer.
5. Light. Most banana trees love tons of light. But dwarf Cavendish doesn't like it as much and needs to be near a shady area. Ice Cream bananas light tons of light and high temps, even 100*F or more.
6. Buying pups online. There's sites online where you can buy them BUT be careful! Most sites are selling clones they make with tissue cultures. NOT GOOD. The clones are tiny and dont survive shipping very well. And sometimes they ship them too wet and they rot. It's really tuff to buy one online and get one that will survive. I only have 2 that I bought online and they're both dead.
The best way to get good pups is from friends or at a farmer's market or a hardware store that sells plants. I got all the trees that I have (and are still alive) that way!
7. Disease. If the leaves ever start looking yellow or brown, spray them with a copper fungicide. That will cure almost any banana disease!
That's all I can think of right now and I hope that helps! If you have any more questions, ask!
Cause I got toooo many things to try to remember!Here's what I've learned so far.
1. Pot size. If it's a pup then the pup should be about 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide and about 3-6 inches tall or more. That size pup needs a 6-8 inch wide pot. When it's about 2-3 feet tall, it needs a pot about 1 1/2 feet wide. Oh, and about as deep as it is wide cause most banana trees have shallow roots. Except Ice Cream bananas and they have deep roots.
2. Snow. I love snow but banana plants dont!
They like to be about 50*F or more all the time. Also, if it's like 50-60*F, they dont want any water or the corm (the part that's underground) will turn soft and start rotting and kill it.3. Watering. If it's summer, they need lots of water then they needa dry up totally before they get lots of water again. They needa be dry for a whole day.
If it's winter, they needa be inside and warm. But even if it's really warm inside, they grow a lot slower in the winter. Only give them a little water about every 3-4 weeks. Oh, and no plant food in the winter.
4. Feeding. They only need a little phosphate but lots of Potash (more Potash than Nitrogen). So the NPK should be something like 2-1-3. Two good ferts are Scotts Miracle Gro For Fruits (16-8-24) and Grow More (20-5-30).
They like lots of ferts sprinkled around them but not on the base of the tree. That should happen once every 3 weeks in the summer.
5. Light. Most banana trees love tons of light. But dwarf Cavendish doesn't like it as much and needs to be near a shady area. Ice Cream bananas light tons of light and high temps, even 100*F or more.
6. Buying pups online. There's sites online where you can buy them BUT be careful! Most sites are selling clones they make with tissue cultures. NOT GOOD. The clones are tiny and dont survive shipping very well. And sometimes they ship them too wet and they rot. It's really tuff to buy one online and get one that will survive. I only have 2 that I bought online and they're both dead.
The best way to get good pups is from friends or at a farmer's market or a hardware store that sells plants. I got all the trees that I have (and are still alive) that way!
7. Disease. If the leaves ever start looking yellow or brown, spray them with a copper fungicide. That will cure almost any banana disease!
That's all I can think of right now and I hope that helps!
If you have any more questions, ask!
curbhopper
Active Member
oh...........i'm glad i asked.......... curbie (wot a dumbhead -i am going up against a seasoned bananabrain......where did i go wrong)
curbie (wot a dumbhead -i am going up against a seasoned bananabrain......where did i go wrong)
oh...........i'm glad i asked..........
You should have known better!
In the past I have had lots of bananas on my trees and no need to support them. But last year and this year we have had un-natural weather for our area meaning hard freezes days and days on end. The stalks of the trees were ok last week but as it warms up is when you find that they may begin to mush. It will be in the 70's today so if I have time when I get home I will do a check to see if they are ok. I know they will come back from the ground but I had hopes they would not freeze all the way back. In years when they freeze to the ground they will not produce fruit for the following season. They have to have at least one entire year witout a freeze to produce fruit.
It will be in the 70's today so if I have time when I get home I will do a check to see if they are ok. I know they will come back from the ground but I had hopes they would not freeze all the way back. In years when they freeze to the ground they will not produce fruit for the following season. They have to have at least one entire year witout a freeze to produce fruit.
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