jen

Well my niehbors plant has been id'd as a Dwarf Cavendish and now she needs to know how long until the fruit ripens. Should she just leave it alone and wait until a few start to turn yellow and then cut it off and bring it in? Would that be 4 months? 6 months? We are by the beach in Southern California so pretty mild weather.

Thanks,
Jen

Here they are so far...





In this last picture you can see the flower and fruit at the right of the tree almost to the walkway.

Dean W.

Jen, I would be intrested in knowing aswell. I know some can take a long time to mature.

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jen

Dean that plant that is in next to your name is so pretty. I love the plants with red mixed in the leaves. I think the red and green are so striking. I'm new to all this banana stuff but I am totally addicted now. I have cleared a spot in my yard for more and I'm looking for a new kind and I've decided it has to have red in it and be edible. Anyway, that was a long post to say...your plant is so pretty! hee hee What kind is it?

Jen

momoese

She can figure about 4-6 months from the time the flower opened.

jen

So just cut them down in 5 months green or not? Or wait until they start to yellow and then cut them down and let the rest ripen? Should 6 months be the longest she waits green or not and just cut them after that?

jpfloors

I've taken my Dw. Cav. as soon as three months... but I also use them normally while green to cook some Puerto Rican dishes such as Pasteles

MediaHound

Is she the type that checks them daily?
If so, sure, she could wait till the first hand gets ripe on the plant. However if not, the fruit flies and ants could beat her to it. If that were to happen, she could just cut below the first hand and the rest will ripen in the kitchen as you would normally ripen green bananas.
The flowers will fall off, the purple bud will leave behind a long raceme (the rope like thing we use as a "handle" for the bunch), the fruits will plump up and round out a bit as well. The leaves of DC in my experience stay green way past the time the bunches are ready to cut down. With other types of bananas, the leaves on the plant will one by one yellow and brown out. DC on the other hand will have many lush and green leaves even with ripe bananas.

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MediaHound

Also tell her not to cut green leaves from that plant, if she is of the OCD scissor happy perfectionist persona.

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MediaHound

And resist the urge to cut pups from it for best results till after the harvest.

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Dean W.

Jen, that is a Rojo aka Musa Sumatrana. Musa Sumatrana (Rojo) - Bananas Wiki It produces a seeded inedible fruit so you may want to choose another.

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jen

Darn! It sure is pretty. Thanks for the info.

jen

Jarred, your info was great thanks so much. I was outside early being my OCD perfectionist self cutting off a few leaves from my fruiting tree. I knew it was bad. I did. but I couldnt stop. I read your post and I was cracking up and feeling very guilty. I will stop cutting. I read it to my husband and he said did you tell them you check your bananans 5 times a day and just once would be a nice. So I have some issues. This is new to me and I'm excited! hee hee

Thanks for all the great info. I printed it out and brought it over to her.

Jen

capthof

My Cavendish take 4 months to mature after flowering.
When the top ones get plump and get a little color break I harvest them a hand at a time off the plant. leaving the others to mature a little.
This also spreads out the harvest for a week or two.

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Chironex

I suggest a Cuban/Jamaican red or Red Iholena.

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Scot

microfarmer

My Mysore has some nice red color, but not splotchy on the leaf tops, but more like blushed red tinting along the stems.

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