how do I make my banana bloom?

homedepotgirl1111 · 05-03-2008, 11:18 AM

I have had them for 2 years , am I supposed to be doing something to make them bloom?

Dean W. · 05-03-2008, 12:54 PM

homedepotgirl1111,

First of all welcome to the forum. Do you know what kind of bananas they are? Do you have pictures? Maybe, someone here with more experience than I can help you out.

mskitty38583 · 05-03-2008, 02:22 PM

welcome! welcome! welcome!

Gabe15 · 05-03-2008, 02:43 PM

Welcome!

Before answering your question, we need much more information. What type of banana is it? In what conditions is it growing (in a container, indoors, outdoors, in the ground, in a greenhouse etc...) and what kind of care do you give it? Have you seen the flowers/fruit of other bananas you know are the same type?

homedepotgirl1111 · 05-03-2008, 04:32 PM

Thanks everyone for the nice welcome

I am in upstate NY so they are in large containers and I took them inside for the winter, was I supposed to cut them down?

One is from Florida and it was a large pup and I cut it off and took it home. So I do not know what kind it is as it was on a friends new property they had just moved into but the other plants with it had bananas on them, normal size like you would buy in the supermarket. It is now about 6' tall and growing like crazy.

The other 2 are dwarf with supposed to be edible fruit one I still have the tag for the other I don't, the one is a a super dwarfbanana tree is all it says and musa acuminata says it produces fruit in the first year but it didn't.

homedepotgirl1111 · 05-03-2008, 04:35 PM

Is it just not humid enough here to make them bloom?

Should I plant it in the ground for the summer?

SHould I winter them still growing inside or let them dry out like others have said and start them up again in the spring?

Thanks Banana People

banana berserker · 05-03-2008, 05:40 PM

Well, when it blooms depends a lot on where it's at. I've heard you have to wait up to 3 years sometimes. it needs to be in very good condition to bloom and you need to fertilize constantly. If it's in great shape I've heard you can rush it by putting a garbage bag over it (if the tree is small enough) and put a half of an apple in with it but I would just let nature take it's coarse.

jpfloors · 05-03-2008, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banana berserker

Well, when it blooms depends a lot on where it's at. I've heard you have to wait up to 3 years sometimes. it needs to be in very good condition to bloom and you need to fertilize constantly. If it's in great shape I've heard you can rush it by putting a garbage bag over it (if the tree is small enough) and put a half of an apple in with it but I would just let nature take it's coarse.

Hmm, Interesting. I know that works for pineapples, but doesn't require the garbage bag over the plant. Just put the apple in a closed paper bag near the crown.

homedepotgirl1111 · 05-04-2008, 10:49 AM

Put the apple at the base of the plant of the top?

Gabe15 · 05-04-2008, 02:43 PM

Although there is real science behind the apple trick, I don't see this working well with bananas (plus even it were to initiate flowering, you wouldn't know it worked for another 4-6months possibly), a much better method would be to give the plant everything it needs to fruit, and then it will. Edible varieties will normally always take longer in a container (there are some ornamentals that flower profusely in small containers), especially if it doesn't have an unbroken growing season. The container needs to be fairly large (about 2ft wide and 2ft deep, but bigger in this case is better). They need lots of food, water, sunlight and warmth. If you can give them all of this, they will fruit eventually. Do you have any pictures of your plants?

banana berserker · 05-05-2008, 04:26 PM

Ya, I know you can do it with pineapples. and I think someone told me you could with bananas but as Gabe said it's best to just give it what it needs. to me I think that would be slower but the apple would be very unreliable, and if you force a banana tree to produce fruit when it's not in it's prime. It's not going to do good. So as Gabe said I think you should just make sure it's got food water sunlight warmth and fertilizer. Keep it up and you'll be getting a flower.

mskitty38583 · 05-05-2008, 04:43 PM

why would you want to force your nana to bloom? i dont even buy flowers that have been forced to bloom, it puts to much stress on the plant, bulb, rizone. i want to see flowers on mine but its just not the right time. when your nana flowers, i believe( if i have learned correctly ) that once it flowers and fruits the main nanas dies, but it should shoot out pups. i would enjoy what i have and let nature take its course, forcing it to bloom could kill it before it has a chance to pup. just my opinion!

dgadberry · 07-13-2013, 10:32 AM

I have the same question, but for different reason. I want the banana to bloom early in the spring/summer so the bananas will mature before the first frost.

If that isn't the best option, then how can I protect a 35-30 banana tree, and the bananas, from frost?

Abnshrek · 07-13-2013, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgadberry

I have the same question, but for different reason. I want the banana to bloom early in the spring/summer so the bananas will mature before the first frost.

If that isn't the best option, then how can I protect a 35-30 banana tree, and the bananas, from frost?

Well if you could force one to fruit early there is some chance you wouldn't harvest anything since what you get from a mature plant is a product of the strength of the plant.. Banana's that flower @ the wrong time leave you with no bounty. Knowing your zone, area, environment might help with answering your protection issues.. :^)

sunfish · 07-13-2013, 11:36 AM

One word AZMOCOTE oops Azomite

dgadberry · 07-13-2013, 01:17 PM

Abnshrek,

I am in Houston, TX. And we don't have hard winters, but occasionally it gets down in the 30s which kills the fruit and usually the leaves.

Thanks.

Worm_Farmer · 07-13-2013, 02:11 PM

Sometimes I just talk to it. I will cut a one of the pups down and dig it out. Then tell the plant that had not flowered that it will be next if I don't get from fruit soon. I swear 6 weeks later it flowers. How ever this could all just be in my head, regardless I will keep talking to and threatening my plants.

Snookie · 07-13-2013, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worm_Farmer

Sometimes I just talk to it. I will cut a one of the pups down and dig it out. Then tell the plant that had not flowered that it will be next if I don't get from fruit soon. I swear 6 weeks later it flowers. How ever this could all just be in my head, regardless I will keep talking to and threatening my plants.

I do the exact same thing, a sharp machete makes them co-operate rather easily if you stand large and in charge when you talk to them:}

Be FIRM!

[IMG]

[/IMG]

bananimal · 07-13-2013, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunfish

One word AZMOCOTE oops Azomite

Oh--- so you do like AZOMITE!

You weasel you! lol

bananimal · 07-13-2013, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgadberry

I have the same question, but for different reason. I want the banana to bloom early in the spring/summer so the bananas will mature before the first frost.

If that isn't the best option, then how can I protect a 35-30 banana tree, and the bananas, from frost?

I force bloom early with potassium sulfate - ultra fines grade. Made by Diamond K. Get it from Peaceful Valley. Works good. Got all my naners that were near fruiting size to pop early enough to fill in fingers in before Dec/Jan of 2012. This is a tip I got from a certified organic farmer in my rare fruit tree club.

05-03-2008, 11:18 AM	#1 (permalink)
homedepotgirl1111 homedepotgirl1111 Location: Upstate NewYork Zone: 6 Name: Homedepotgirl1111 Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 4 BananaBucks : 19,388 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	how do I make my banana bloom? I have had them for 2 years , am I supposed to be doing something to make them bloom?

05-03-2008, 12:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
Dean W. Dean W.'s Photo Gallery Location: Cedar Park, TX Zone: 8b Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 4,279 BananaBucks : 240,882 Feedback: 13 / 100% Said "Thanks" 6,325 Times Was Thanked 2,130 Times in 972 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 300 Times	Re: how do I make my banana bloom? homedepotgirl1111, First of all welcome to the forum. Do you know what kind of bananas they are? Do you have pictures? Maybe, someone here with more experience than I can help you out. __________________

05-03-2008, 02:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
mskitty38583 banana junkie mskitty38583 's Photo Gallery Location: north carolina Find me on the map! Zone: 7b Name: mskitty Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 4,071 BananaBucks : 194,142 Feedback: 26 / 100% Said "Thanks" 82 Times Was Thanked 890 Times in 617 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 136 Times	Re: how do I make my banana bloom? welcome! welcome! welcome! __________________ WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION

05-03-2008, 02:43 PM	#4 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,349,512 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,241 Times in 2,200 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: how do I make my banana bloom? Welcome! Before answering your question, we need much more information. What type of banana is it? In what conditions is it growing (in a container, indoors, outdoors, in the ground, in a greenhouse etc...) and what kind of care do you give it? Have you seen the flowers/fruit of other bananas you know are the same type? __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

05-03-2008, 04:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
homedepotgirl1111 homedepotgirl1111 Location: Upstate NewYork Zone: 6 Name: Homedepotgirl1111 Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 4 BananaBucks : 19,388 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: how do I make my banana bloom? Thanks everyone for the nice welcome I am in upstate NY so they are in large containers and I took them inside for the winter, was I supposed to cut them down? One is from Florida and it was a large pup and I cut it off and took it home. So I do not know what kind it is as it was on a friends new property they had just moved into but the other plants with it had bananas on them, normal size like you would buy in the supermarket. It is now about 6' tall and growing like crazy. The other 2 are dwarf with supposed to be edible fruit one I still have the tag for the other I don't, the one is a a super dwarfbanana tree is all it says and musa acuminata says it produces fruit in the first year but it didn't.

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05-03-2008, 04:35 PM	#6 (permalink)
homedepotgirl1111 homedepotgirl1111 Location: Upstate NewYork Zone: 6 Name: Homedepotgirl1111 Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 4 BananaBucks : 19,388 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: how do I make my banana bloom? Is it just not humid enough here to make them bloom? Should I plant it in the ground for the summer? SHould I winter them still growing inside or let them dry out like others have said and start them up again in the spring? Thanks Banana People

05-03-2008, 05:40 PM	#7 (permalink)
banana berserker Location: sacramento, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 160 BananaBucks : 125,318 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 3 Times Was Thanked 11 Times in 8 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: how do I make my banana bloom? Well, when it blooms depends a lot on where it's at. I've heard you have to wait up to 3 years sometimes. it needs to be in very good condition to bloom and you need to fertilize constantly. If it's in great shape I've heard you can rush it by putting a garbage bag over it (if the tree is small enough) and put a half of an apple in with it but I would just let nature take it's coarse.

05-04-2008, 10:49 AM	#9 (permalink)
homedepotgirl1111 homedepotgirl1111 Location: Upstate NewYork Zone: 6 Name: Homedepotgirl1111 Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 4 BananaBucks : 19,388 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: how do I make my banana bloom? Put the apple at the base of the plant of the top?

05-04-2008, 02:43 PM	#10 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,349,512 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,241 Times in 2,200 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: how do I make my banana bloom? Although there is real science behind the apple trick, I don't see this working well with bananas (plus even it were to initiate flowering, you wouldn't know it worked for another 4-6months possibly), a much better method would be to give the plant everything it needs to fruit, and then it will. Edible varieties will normally always take longer in a container (there are some ornamentals that flower profusely in small containers), especially if it doesn't have an unbroken growing season. The container needs to be fairly large (about 2ft wide and 2ft deep, but bigger in this case is better). They need lots of food, water, sunlight and warmth. If you can give them all of this, they will fruit eventually. Do you have any pictures of your plants? __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

05-05-2008, 04:26 PM	#11 (permalink)
banana berserker Location: sacramento, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 160 BananaBucks : 125,318 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 3 Times Was Thanked 11 Times in 8 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: how do I make my banana bloom? Ya, I know you can do it with pineapples. and I think someone told me you could with bananas but as Gabe said it's best to just give it what it needs. to me I think that would be slower but the apple would be very unreliable, and if you force a banana tree to produce fruit when it's not in it's prime. It's not going to do good. So as Gabe said I think you should just make sure it's got food water sunlight warmth and fertilizer. Keep it up and you'll be getting a flower.

05-05-2008, 04:43 PM	#12 (permalink)
mskitty38583 banana junkie mskitty38583 's Photo Gallery Location: north carolina Find me on the map! Zone: 7b Name: mskitty Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 4,071 BananaBucks : 194,142 Feedback: 26 / 100% Said "Thanks" 82 Times Was Thanked 890 Times in 617 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 136 Times	Re: how do I make my banana bloom? why would you want to force your nana to bloom? i dont even buy flowers that have been forced to bloom, it puts to much stress on the plant, bulb, rizone. i want to see flowers on mine but its just not the right time. when your nana flowers, i believe( if i have learned correctly ) that once it flowers and fruits the main nanas dies, but it should shoot out pups. i would enjoy what i have and let nature take its course, forcing it to bloom could kill it before it has a chance to pup. just my opinion! __________________ WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION

07-13-2013, 10:32 AM	#13 (permalink)
dgadberry Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 4 BananaBucks : 1,955 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: how do I make my banana bloom? I have the same question, but for different reason. I want the banana to bloom early in the spring/summer so the bananas will mature before the first frost. If that isn't the best option, then how can I protect a 35-30 banana tree, and the bananas, from frost?

07-13-2013, 11:36 AM	#15 (permalink)
sunfish Banned sunfish's Photo Gallery Location: San Diego Find me on the map! Zone: 9-11 Name: Tony Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 18,429 BananaBucks : 1,010,302 Feedback: 8 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,210 Times Was Thanked 20,592 Times in 7,760 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,716 Times	Re: how do I make my banana bloom? One word AZMOCOTE oops Azomite Last edited by sunfish : 07-13-2013 at 12:50 PM.

07-13-2013, 01:17 PM	#16 (permalink)
dgadberry Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 4 BananaBucks : 1,955 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: how do I make my banana bloom? Abnshrek, I am in Houston, TX. And we don't have hard winters, but occasionally it gets down in the 30s which kills the fruit and usually the leaves. Thanks.

07-13-2013, 02:11 PM	#17 (permalink)
Worm_Farmer Worm_Farmer 's Photo Gallery Location: Palm Bay, FL Zone: 9b Name: Mike Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 1,533 BananaBucks : 51,274 Feedback: 14 / 100% Said "Thanks" 5,326 Times Was Thanked 1,830 Times in 679 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,866 Times	Re: how do I make my banana bloom? Sometimes I just talk to it. I will cut a one of the pups down and dig it out. Then tell the plant that had not flowered that it will be next if I don't get from fruit soon. I swear 6 weeks later it flowers. How ever this could all just be in my head, regardless I will keep talking to and threatening my plants.

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