jen

Hello strangers. I had a kitchen remodel that took over my life and I have missed this site and been neglecting my poor bananas. Anyway...

My Mysore is ready to pop a flag leaf any mintue and there are way too many pups. I'm embarrassed to even say how many I have let go. If I cut out three (pretty good size) pups and it shoots out a flag leaf that day or the next how much damage have I done to fruit production? It it better to take my chances with a huge amount of surrounding pups?

Jen

Dalmatiansoap

Cut them of and leave 2-3 max. Lot of pups will suck all energy from plant and it will reduce fruit!

Course all pups U removed U can send to me at low costs!

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Jack Daw

Can't help you from my own experience, but people usually say that 3-4 plants a corm is enough.

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momoese

If you cut the pups very low but leave the corms (cut at or just below ground level removing the meristem) it won't hurt fruit production, but if you start removing pups and roots and in the process disturb the roots of the plant that's flowering it could effect the bunch size.

momoese

Just wanted to add that Gabe has in the past said that fruit bunch size is determined long before it emerges. I still think too much monkey business with the plants roots can't be a good thing though.

jen

I counted 12 pups but they range in size from just out of the ground to a couple biggies. I really don't know what to do. I have promised a person one of them so I would like to cut that one out and give it to him. I know that big guy is popping a flag leaf any day (there is even a small funny leaf popping up that might be it??) So, I would like to thin them out unless it's too late. Here are a couple pictures...if I remember how to post them.

sbl

I recently read a scientific article that looked at the development of the banana flower from it's very beginning in the corm. Roughly, the flower begins forming after about leaf 25 on a banana that will flower after about 33-35 leaves. So, the flower is already formed and inside the stem.

The article did not answer the question I was looking to answer--when and if the differentation of flowers from male to female occurs before it emerges--if that has already happened, you probably have nothing to worry about.

momoese

Interesting and pretty much what Gabe has said. I would still worry that disturbing the roots may result in poorly formed fruit and or more time to form and ripen.

pitangadiego

Wait till after flowering, or the shock will take a toll on the f,lowering process.

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jen

Jon, can I cut a large pup off after it flowers during the maturation process or after I harvest?
Last crop of nanners from this plant took a FULL 6months after popping out to ripen. That is a long time! I will have even more pups by then. This plant is a pup producer, it shoots them out like crazy!
Also I'm worried that there are so many pups it's going to affect my production. I am really tempted to cut all the tiny ones out and maybe a couple of the bigger ones. I do NOT want to mess up my crop this year however so if you really think it will I will wait.

momoese

All of mine take that long.

Bob

Hey Jen , nice to see you back. Remodeling projects are such a hassle. Post pics when the flowers and fruit arrives..... it gives some of us hope. I'm hoping to duplicate your "famous" one soon. ( no joke intended)




Bob

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jen

OMG! I was hoping enough time had passed that everyon had forgotten my "picture". GEEZ!!! It lives on. Thanks Bob! I will be posting pictures of my fruit but none of me...I have learned my lesson. It was a good laugh for everyone but once was enough. Too funny. Good luck to you and your crop, I can't wait to see your pic.

Dalmatiansoap

Jen, it become legend

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Bob

I hear ya!! I'll have learned from your experience and it will only be up for a short time.................if I'm so lucky.....I'm in Jersey so have to allow for being somewhat dillusional as far as getting some fruit! Still if you can't have a goal , what's the sense?
Thanks Jen.

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jen

Dalmatiansoap~ Ya right up there with saskwatch and the loch ness monster. Your funny.

Bob, Absolutley! I hope you get a huge bunch of bananas and I can't wait to see them. PLEASE make the photo as cheezy as mine was so we can forget mine. I'm okay passing on the torch to you. Go grow those bananas! I'm cheering you on.

I have decided to cut one pup for the guy I promised and I will leave the rest alone. The leaf is unfolding and not looking like a flag after all so I am hoping I don't screw things up too much with just cutting the one. We will see.

Jon ~ I would still like to know when to cut the rest of them out. After the flower is done fruiting or after I have harvested all the bananas? Thanks. ps...my Gluay Namwa is beautiful and so healthy. it has two pups. It has grown just in the last 2 months a bunch, it likes the heat. Thanks!

Thanks for all the help and the great replies. They were good advice and also made me laugh.

Jen

pitangadiego

Jen, I would wait till you are clearly in the male flower stage. Different varieties respond differently. Misi Luki really doesn't care, but the Cavendish family really throws a fit and you end up with a lot less fruit, and with smaller fruit. Pup removal stresses the plant in two ways: 1) it was probably deriving some resources from the pup (all those extra roots) and 2) pup removal always damages some roots (sources of water and nutrition) evn when you are quite careful - maybe think of the affect on you if you skipped meals for a few days before a marathon. Once the male flowers appear, your fruit has been pretty much determined, and then it should not bee to much of an issue. However, some varieties really give their all in flowering, so root or leaf damage should be minimized as much as possible. They will be lucky to last long enough to mature the fruit. Others (Belle, Misi Luki come to mind) will have green trunks and leaves for 12 months and more after the fruit has ripened and been picked (18+ months after flowering). They obviously have much more energy to mature ands ripen fruit. Also winter takes a toll on plants with hanging fruit - some more than others. The reds decline rapidly when it gets cold. In some varieties, the parent plant has few roots at flowering and relies on the pups to provide anchoring, so on those varieties (Monthan, for example) you always want to have a few pups. When taking more than one pup, take them a week or two apart, to give the parent plant time to recover.

The bottom line is that you need to get to know your variety and how it deals with stress (cold, pup removal, etc.) - and try to minimize it when and where possible.

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ewitte

I have about 340 miles to drive before I get home. Then I have the fun of moving most of the furniture in the house before they come to install new floors tomorrow morning. Also reconfiguring everything in the attic twice so we have internet/tv in the room we are going to be camping in most of the weekend.

jen

As always, thanks Jon. I have decided to wait. I know it will be very soon so I will just be patient.

Bob

Don't forget to get out and do some weeding in your spare time
(sorry, couldn't resist) , once it's done your going to enjoy it for a long time.

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