Help?!? LOTS of pics- Any "for certains" what type B.plant this is?

Lawler · 07-26-2013, 10:29 PM

We are in SE Texas (near Houston). We've had these banana plants for awhile. We've gotten bananas from them, but it was awhile back as we were not supplemental watering them. Changed location of some w/ drip system and w/ all the rain, our 'wild' growing ones have put on some bananas as well.
The pic w/ the big leaf: leaf is about 1.5 ' wide x 4' long for reference.

Does anyone have a CLUE as to what type they are?
And, can anyone tell me when I should expect them to be ripe? ..or should I cut a hand off, put in a bag on the counter??

Thanks for ANY info. you can give!

caliboy1994 · 07-27-2013, 01:30 AM

I say Orinoco. It does look to be pretty short for an Orinoco, but the p-stem would probably be fatter if it was a Dwarf Orinoco.

verndoc50 · 07-28-2013, 12:07 AM

I'd vote for Orinoco--fruit size, shape, and also the fact that they're so prolific (looks like many trees there.) They're tasty cooked and fair out-of-hand.

Lawler · 07-28-2013, 04:20 PM

Thank you both so kindly. As, I've said, with all the info. abound on the web, it is nice to have it condensed so laconically here!
Can you or anyone say how long it takes the Orinoco to ripen once the first hand appears? From the little I've read, I just leave them on the plant until they start to turn yellow?
Lastly, does fertilization increase flowering or production by much (we have horses and plenty of 'it' ...just don't know that it will necessarily and truly make a noticeable difference?

verndoc50 · 07-28-2013, 05:29 PM

They tend to take a long time to ripen. I'd just leave them until one or more just begins to turn yellow. then cut and hang to ripen.

Fertilizer usually helps. Horse manure would be great, spread over the surface soil. Composted manure is also very good.

You can increase your yield somewhat also by thinning the mat. Too crowded usually results in lower yields. On the plus side, small bunches might be fine for a backyard grower vs. a commercial operation.

07-27-2013, 01:30 AM	#2 (permalink)
caliboy1994 <div style="font-style: italic;"><div style="font-style: italic;"></div></div> caliboy1994's Photo Gallery Location: SFV, California Find me on the map! Zone: USDA zone 10a; Sunset zone 18/19 Name: Andreas Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 2,301 BananaBucks : 264,708 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,474 Times Was Thanked 2,196 Times in 1,148 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 236 Times	Re: Help?!? LOTS of pics- Any "for certains" what type B.plant this is? I say Orinoco. It does look to be pretty short for an Orinoco, but the p-stem would probably be fatter if it was a Dwarf Orinoco. __________________ "The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings." ~ Masanobu Fukuoka Find me on linktree here as Solarpunk Farmer: https://linktr.ee/solarpunkfarmer

07-28-2013, 12:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
verndoc50 Location: Florida Zone: 10b Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 115 BananaBucks : 9,457 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 77 Times Was Thanked 109 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 123 Times	Re: Help?!? LOTS of pics- Any "for certains" what type B.plant this is? I'd vote for Orinoco--fruit size, shape, and also the fact that they're so prolific (looks like many trees there.) They're tasty cooked and fair out-of-hand.

07-28-2013, 04:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
Lawler Location: WSW Houston, TX by 45 min. Zone: 8b/9 Name: Lawler Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 146 BananaBucks : 95,481 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 317 Times Was Thanked 74 Times in 37 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Re: Help?!? LOTS of pics- Any "for certains" what type B.plant this is? Thank you both so kindly. As, I've said, with all the info. abound on the web, it is nice to have it condensed so laconically here! Can you or anyone say how long it takes the Orinoco to ripen once the first hand appears? From the little I've read, I just leave them on the plant until they start to turn yellow? Lastly, does fertilization increase flowering or production by much (we have horses and plenty of 'it' ...just don't know that it will necessarily and truly make a noticeable difference? __________________ These are the 'good ole days'.

07-28-2013, 05:29 PM	#5 (permalink)
verndoc50 Location: Florida Zone: 10b Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 115 BananaBucks : 9,457 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 77 Times Was Thanked 109 Times in 58 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 123 Times	Re: Help?!? LOTS of pics- Any "for certains" what type B.plant this is? They tend to take a long time to ripen. I'd just leave them until one or more just begins to turn yellow. then cut and hang to ripen. Fertilizer usually helps. Horse manure would be great, spread over the surface soil. Composted manure is also very good. You can increase your yield somewhat also by thinning the mat. Too crowded usually results in lower yields. On the plus side, small bunches might be fine for a backyard grower vs. a commercial operation.

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