RRedBBeard

I'm in CT zone 6, and would like to find a good, really dwarf edible banana plant. I was considering musa pink velutina, however, while edible, they're packed with large seeds that can break a tooth if you're not careful. Can a dwarf variety be intentionally underpotted and still be somewhat happy and bear fruit? I've heard that even dwarf plants can be overwhelming, and in colder zones like mine are an exercise in futility without a greenhouse?

Any insights or suggestions? I don't have bananas, but I do have some great species begonias, hippeastrums and aroids available to swap. Feel free to contact me!

Thanks,
Rick/New London, CT

kubali

Welcome aboard,
pull up a chair and have some fun learning.

from the sea

super dwarf Cavendish stays really small

Richard

Fruiting bananas will need greenhouse conditions during your Fall, Winter, and Spring.

__________________
Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com

RRedBBeard

Thanks guys!
So, how small is 'small'? If I use a heat mat and 2 or 3 of the screw-in LED's w/reflectors, would that get a banana through the winter in my kitchen?

--Rr

Richard

Some characteristics of Super-dwarf Cavendish grown to produce fruit:
15 gallon pot
4+ ft high at maturity
30+ inch leaves
Very small fruit size
For indoor lighting, I'd recommend an 8-bulb x 4 ft. SunBlaze VHO fixture.

__________________
Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com

from the sea

Pr that's a sweet looking banana, were do you get all these cool varieties from?

RRedBBeard

Wow...that's a fabulously expensive fixture for a single plant. I guess I'm in touch with my inner Cheap Old Yankee...lol. Are LED bulbs too impractical for this?
--Rr

Richard

It takes energy to grow fruit, and that energy needs to be in a particular spectrum. An LED system with the equivalent spectrum and wattage output has a higher price tag than the SunBlaze VHO 8 bulb x 4 ft. system. Further, the spectrum is not available from HPS and metal halide bulbs.

Edible bananas will take approximately 18 months from pup-size to mature and produce fruit in subtropical zone 10. You have that for weather for 5-6 months. You do have the option of bringing your plant inside and letting it be dormant or under low light conditions -- however, these periods will not contribute to the overall time leading to plant maturity.

__________________
Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com

CTPalm

I'm going to try Musa Veinte Cohol Banana this year - i'm in CT too and have overwintered bananas in pots and/or dug up and stored and had them produce bananas the next year.

cincinnana

Welcome to our Aroid Jungle............

__________________

from the sea

thanks PR, Ill have to see if I can get TC's sent here

from the sea

I'll have to put my feelers out for some of these awesome varieties. Thanks again.

wong5330

THANK YOU, I WILL PULL UP A CHAIR SIT DOWN AND LISTEN TO OUR LEARNED MEMBER.
WITH REGARD FROM WONG