TropicTheresa

All winter long, visions of lush banana plants dripping with plump fruit, filling the breeze with a sweet tropical scent, enriched my dreams, and made me weak in the knees. My desire for that luscious fruit consumed my heart. I must have you… I can’t bear the thought of another California summer without you.

As the weather warmed, I embarked upon my pursuit. My peaceful summer days in the shade will never be the same. Now, I will lounge in the shade of my first banana, Ice Cream. Oh, banana, why did I wait so long???? I am under your magical spell. You have captured my heart.

From the unpublished work, Banana Dreams, by Duke, the Golden Retriever

chong

Welcome Theresa!

Just what we needed, another poet. I'm looking forward to reading your writings about the lush banana garden and luscious fruits! Post a lot of pictures, too, please.

Chong

Caloosamusa

Welcome TropicTheresa to Bananas dot org!!

May your Banana dreams (or at least Duke's) become reality!!

TropicTheresa

Hi everyone.

I'm so glad I found this website. I love growing edibles, to the delight of our two Goldens, Duke and Ginger. I posted a picture of Duke enjoying a banana, and will add the one of him enjoying a melon. He also loves sugar snap peas. Ginger loves strawberries, but not the big kind. She goes for sweet little alpine strawberries that pop right off.

Some of my other edibles include:

• Passion Fruit (Frederick)
• Cherimoya (Honey heart)
• Avocado (2 Hass)
• Apple (Fuji)
• Semi-Dwarf Lemon (Eureka, Varigated Eureka, and Improved Meyer)
• Semi-Dwarf Lime (Bearss)
• Semi-Dwarf Orange (Washington Navel and Valencia)
• Guava (Red Strawberry)
• Blueberry (Sunshine)
• Peach (Early Elberta and Red Baron)
• Plus many herbs and veggies

I grow many of the citrus in the front yard, because they are also ornamental. My garden is only a couple of years old, so I'm not getting fruit on some of my plantings, but eventually....

I like to grow things that my family from Kansas aren't familiar with, such as Michelia champaca, figo and two other michelia's in the yard (love the smell), Magnolia grandiflora Majestic Beauty and Little Gem, variety of gardenias, jasmines, and hibiscus, bird of paradise, bougainvillea, agapanthus, and Cleyera japonica.

I'm also thinking about getting a couple of super dwarf cavendish for the planting bed and dwarf red (cuban red?). I'll look these up in some of the other forums and do some research.

Chong,
Is that a picture of Michelia champaca on your profile? If not, I'm curious what is it? It is so pretty.

Thank you for the great welcome. I'll be posting pictures of my banana soon.

Happy gardening, Theresa

chong

Except for Michelias, all of those plants may be available at Lowe's or Home Depot, periodically.

What information are you looking for regarding these plants? They both grow in your area.

Yes, thank you. My avatar is the very first bloom that I got from any of my Michelia Champaca, var. Alba, aka The Joy Perfume Tree.

TropicTheresa

My figo just finished blooming and I think my champaca will be starting soon. My dad and I were shopping for plants three years ago; when we smelled the champaca, it was a must have. In addition to the edibles, I love growing fragrant flowers, and nectar-rich flowers to keep the hummingbirds happy. I can't wait for him to see the banana plant, soon to be plants...

About the other two varieties, I was wondering if they grow well in my area and if people have had better luck with or like something else. If it doesn't taste great (sweet) then I would rather use the space for a banana that does. I haven't seen any others that stay under abt. 4', that would be good for my planting bed along a glass wall (I don't want to block the view), but then again I'm a newbie banana grower. The other I was wanting to put along the side of the house near a walkway (max abt. 10'), but maybe a dwarf mango or two will go there if there isn't a suitable banana. I also have one other spot to fill and I'm hoping to put in a taller/full-size banana that would give me some shade.