JoeReal, you are correct on the pups. You have to keep them thinned out. I generally pull all pups except 1 to replace the mother up to about a month or so before I think it is going to flower.
Otherwise you can imagine how crowded it would get - like my ice cream last season:
Remember my Dwarf Orinoco that I was telling you is at fruiting size? This is last seasons stalk:
And here is what a typical bunch of Dwarf Orinoco looks like for me here at my place:
Here was my Ice Cream bunch last season - The flower that is out on Ice Cream now seems much larger than last seasons as to be expected on a 2nd generation plant:
If you want to see some really big fat Healthy banana plants you need to check out Davids place. He grows them more like a commecial banana plantation. Not just landscape plants as I do.
I guess the main point for everyone to keep in mind is that if you are dedicated enough, you could probably fruit a banana in any climate. It is all just a matter of how much time and energy you want to invest.
One more note on the California Gold's - I had sent one to Southergrower last season and he is interested in moving it out since his greenhouse space is limited. He tells me it is 5ft now! If someone were to want it, he could cut the main stem off and send you one heck of a mother corm! It would most likely imediately send up many suckers. If interested contact him on it. I believe he is on this board as well.
Happy Growing,
Mike