DaisyTx

Hello all, I live in the Galveston Tx area and have my very first bananas ripening. The tree bloomed late in mid August but cold weather has arrived. With lows hovering around freezing tomorrow night and they are saying daytime high in 40s. I have read that bananas may totally stop ripening at this point (not sure if true). Even worse I walked outside this morning after days of rain to discover another tree has bloomed!?

Thanks for any advice you can give me!

edwmax

You can cut the bunch off and hang for the nanars to ripen as is. They wont get any bigger. ... OR ...

You can cut the bunch with as much of the peduncle (near the stalk). Then hang/support with the peduncle in a water bucket (like a flower). The nanars should keep filling out and then ripen. Cut off the hands as you need them to ripen quicker. This assumes the bunch was near full size. And move the bunch to a garage or enclosed porch to keep from freezing.

The new flower/bunch is not viable. But you could cut the big flower for table decoration or shred the red/purple leaves to use in a salad. Google for recipes. ... Also, you could collect the banana leaves to use for cooking or placemats/table-runner at the table. The leaves can be blanch & frozen for later cooking use. These are $7 to $15 per pound (Walmart) & more if you buy leaves. Just an suggestion.

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edwmax

Oh ... Welcome to the forum & Jungle.

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DaisyTx

Thank you for the advice, I will harvest them today. Posting pictures, first one I took today but it is so overcast it is hard to get a good one. The second I took mid October. We had a very HOT fall, was still in the 80's last week. I hate to lose the new little bunch, perhaps I could wrap them in Christmas lights and hope for the best? We had very strong winds over the weekend, it did some damage to the trees.
Today


Mid Oct.

edwmax

Hey ... that's a nice little bunch. The upper nanars are nice & plump. These should ripen well. Let us know how they taste. You could cut off a fat hand or 2 to ripen now.

As far as the 2nd bunch, if they just formed in the past few days I don't think there is any hope for those. The leaves and tree will die back as soon as the frost hits it. The fruit wont have a chance to grow or developed any flavor.

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Richard

I wouldn't harvest them until the night-time temperatures are consistently below 50F for several hours.

BTW, those appear not be blue-colored skins on those fruits. Is that true?

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edwmax

@ Richard

Freezing temperatures tonight and high tomorrow in 40's should meet that.

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Richard

You're in Georgia.
She's somewhere unknown in Texas with possibly very different weather.

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DaisyTx

I am in South Texas near Galveston so we are fairly far south and it has been cold since the storm last weekend. 50's all day today, tomorrows low is expected to be about 37 or lower (local weather just said could go below freezing), more cold next week.

I bought the plants from the local extension service and was told they are blue java ice cream bananas. They are large about 10' tall, had no problem last winter they survived a couple frosts well. However, you are correct no blue tint.

JCA433

The high temperature near my bananas today was 85.7 F and the low this morning 71.6 F. Much much colder weather is on the way though. The low temperatures may plunge into the 50s F this weekend.

I worry this winter the temperatures may fall below freezing. This is not likely in December but maybe January.

JCA433

Is this your banana bunch?




This is a very nice healthy bunch! These bananas appear filled out to me. I would certainly harvest them if there is a threat for a freeze.

Richard

Certainly not Ice Cream / Blue Java, but likely Namwah ... an improvement!

Sure, it could dip down that low just before sunrise. The real concern is if you have sustained temperatures for several hours below 50F.

When you do harvest them, I'd ignore the advice to put the peduncle in water. Just hang them up in your garage to ripen.

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DaisyTx

It's done! Most are now hanging on bike hook in garage. Thank you for all the help!

edwmax

Yes, I'm in Georgia and predicted low is Friday night is 30 deg. However, i was going by what the little Lady stated in her opening post: that was near freezing and high the next day in the 40's at her location.

And, I agree the bunch peduncle does not need to be in water as it is well matured.

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sputinc7

Those look ready, cut em... As for the others, never cut em down until the frost kills them. Depending on what kind you have and other factors, they may survive. Don't hold your breath, though.

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Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

Mr. K

Hi DaisyTx,

I live in the Clear Lake Area, just up I-45.

I have a small bunch, only 9 Bananas, they are still green, I need to cut them, and hang them to ripen. Today's high is expected to be 77f, and the lowest temp in the 10 day forecast is only down to 48f, so I may leave them on the tree.

Yes, I know, I need to learn how to care for, and grow more Bananas. That's why I joined, and next year, I will surely have a bigger, and better Banana crop.

My Tree is over 20 years old, and I have had Bananas from it a few times, but not every year. The fruit is tasty, and firm.

Any comments anybody?

Here is a picture from 12/11/16


Mr. K

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