Cut it or Keep it???

TNAndy · 06-03-2014, 07:32 AM

I've got a Super Dwarf Cavendish in a 24 inch diameter pot. The original pup I planted flowered, fruited, (HOORAY!!!) and now the flower stalk has died back to the top of the pseudo-stem. There are three or four green leaves remaining, but they are slowly turning brown, too. (I realize this is normal.)

It took a couple of years to flower and fruit. During that time numerous other pups sprouted around it. One pup has grown into a full-sized tree (well, as full sized as SDC gets, anyway). A couple more are a foot tall or so; the rest are much shorter. The few remaining leaves on the old pstem are shading some of these pups.

My question is, will those green leaves contribute anything to the root mat or is that old corm over and done? Are those shading leaves doing more harm than good? Should I cut the original stalk or leave it there until it dies of its own accord?

kubali · 06-03-2014, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TNAndy

I've got a Super Dwarf Cavendish in a 24 inch diameter pot. The original pup I planted flowered, fruited, (HOORAY!!!) and now the flower stalk has died back to the top of the pseudo-stem. There are three or four green leaves remaining, but they are slowly turning brown, too. (I realize this is normal.)

It took a couple of years to flower and fruit. During that time numerous other pups sprouted around it. One pup has grown into a full-sized tree (well, as full sized as SDC gets, anyway). A couple more are a foot tall or so; the rest are much shorter. The few remaining leaves on the old pstem are shading some of these pups.

My question is, will those green leaves contribute anything to the root mat or is that old corm over and done? Are those shading leaves doing more harm than good? Should I cut the original stalk or leave it there until it dies of its own accord?

if it was me I would cut it down and make compost out of it,i mean it will die own it own soon anyway...

Abnshrek · 06-03-2014, 08:24 AM

If you decide to separate the pups keep a portion of the mother corm attached to each one if possible.. :^)

TNAndy · 06-03-2014, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abnshrek

If you decide to separate the pups keep a portion of the mother corm attached to each one if possible.. :^)

Oh. I was only considering whether to cut the stalk. I'm not doing anything with (most of) the pups. (I'm going to cut one out that's in a tight spot next to the edge of the pot, then repot it for propagation purposes.) My only question is whether it is more beneficial to the pups to leave the green leaves of an old stalk (because they derive energy from the mother plant) or cut the stalk so the pups get more sunlight.

The corm is the ground level to underground part, right? The area where the leaf stems connect? I wasn't thinking about cutting into that... certainly not digging it out.

Olafhenny · 06-03-2014, 04:54 PM

I tend to agree with Richard, who once said: "A green leaf is a solar panel."

Thus I would leave the leaves, where they are, until the wilt on their own.

Good luck,
Olaf

TNAndy · 06-09-2014, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kubali

if it was me I would cut it down and make compost out of it,i mean it will die own it own soon anyway...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Olafhenny

I tend to agree with Richard, who once said: "A green leaf is a solar panel."

Thus I would leave the leaves, where they are, until the wilt on their own.

Good luck,
Olaf

OK. By my count, that's 1 vote for cutting the bloomed-out pstem and 1 vote for leaving it be.

I'd like to encourage MANY, MANY MORE responses so I can see if there is a consensus one way or the other. PLEASE CHIME IN, FOLKS!!!!!

Duckfood · 06-09-2014, 09:38 AM

I would agree with what Olaf said about Richard's comment... Leave it for a while...

Olafhenny · 06-09-2014, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TNAndy

OK. By my count, that's 1 vote for cutting the bloomed-out pstem and 1 vote for leaving it be.

I'd like to encourage MANY, MANY MORE responses so I can see if there is a consensus one way or the other. PLEASE CHIME IN, FOLKS!!!!!

Meanwhile I am going to have it "my way". You will have to leave them, until you
decide not to cut them off.

Have a nice day!

Olaf

06-03-2014, 07:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
TNAndy Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 48 BananaBucks : 14,944 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 25 Times Was Thanked 78 Times in 16 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Cut it or Keep it??? I've got a Super Dwarf Cavendish in a 24 inch diameter pot. The original pup I planted flowered, fruited, (HOORAY!!!) and now the flower stalk has died back to the top of the pseudo-stem. There are three or four green leaves remaining, but they are slowly turning brown, too. (I realize this is normal.) It took a couple of years to flower and fruit. During that time numerous other pups sprouted around it. One pup has grown into a full-sized tree (well, as full sized as SDC gets, anyway). A couple more are a foot tall or so; the rest are much shorter. The few remaining leaves on the old pstem are shading some of these pups. My question is, will those green leaves contribute anything to the root mat or is that old corm over and done? Are those shading leaves doing more harm than good? Should I cut the original stalk or leave it there until it dies of its own accord?

06-03-2014, 08:24 AM	#3 (permalink)
Abnshrek Happy Growing Abnshrek 's Photo Gallery Location: Beaumont Texas Find me on the map! Zone: 8b, but 9b weather.. Name: Migael / Michael Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 9,493 BananaBucks : 213,578 Feedback: 45 / 100% Said "Thanks" 10,447 Times Was Thanked 16,443 Times in 5,238 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,318 Times	Re: Cut it or Keep it??? If you decide to separate the pups keep a portion of the mother corm attached to each one if possible.. :^) __________________ I'm a Nannerhead :^)

06-03-2014, 04:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
Olafhenny Olafhenny's Photo Gallery Location: Penticton, BC, Okanagan Valley, Canada Find me on the map! Zone: Hardiness Zone 6 Name: Olaf Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 1,705 BananaBucks : 251,323 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,050 Times Was Thanked 2,012 Times in 876 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 77 Times	Re: Cut it or Keep it??? I tend to agree with Richard, who once said: "A green leaf is a solar panel." Thus I would leave the leaves, where they are, until the wilt on their own. Good luck, Olaf __________________ The reason I joined this forum was to share experiences, my own and those of others and to learn from them.

06-09-2014, 09:38 AM	#7 (permalink)
Duckfood Location: Knoxville, TN Find me on the map! Zone: 7 Name: Michael Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 329 BananaBucks : 40,148 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,084 Times Was Thanked 275 Times in 133 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 361 Times	Re: Cut it or Keep it??? I would agree with what Olaf said about Richard's comment... Leave it for a while... __________________ By the way, there is no cure for the human disease of growing bananas. ~~~ Richard 05/22/2014...

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