Mudcon

ok after 8 years of growing banana plants I FINALLY have a flowing plant. last year I dug up 48 plants and only replanted 15 after giving many away due to time dealing with them. all pups are giving away also. i have always grown them for looks. I live 30 miles north of atlanta ga. I have a few questions though.


1-tonight I went to look at it and it looks like it is leaning over due to the weight. how do I fix it? its not bad but I dont want it to break. I have a pole 4 feet from it I can rope it up to hold it?

2- I noticed I have a crap load of ants walking up and down the stalk and on to the banana. how do I get rid of them? coons ate my corn this year so if I dont get bananas I am going to be pissed......

3- how the heck do I know when to pick them or how long does it take for the to rippen?

some one please help me.......

this pic is when it first came out

Mudcon

well dang pic didnt come through

Abnshrek

Congrats on the nanners :^) What kind is it?

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I'm a Nannerhead :^)

saltydad

Try putting it in your gallery. Then you can insert it into the thread easier.

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Mudcon

I will try this. I really dont know what kind they are?

MediaHound

Congrats, that is an awesome feeling getting a bloom.
You can post a closeup of those purple flowers for a more precise identification, but from the looks of it so far, this is likely "Orinoco" that you have. Those female flowers that you see are different based on the type of cultivar that it is. So if you post a closeup it will help ID them. And they secrete a sugary substance that the ants love. The flowers fall off and with that goes the sweetness, so the ants wont be attracted to them so much when the fruits really start to plump up. Give it a few months, almost 4 months, and they should be ready to harvest and start eating. Wait until they turn a bit yellow then cut the bunch or just the yellow hands.
We have some threads here about techniques to prop the plant so it does not fall over from the weight. Orinoco are not notorious from falling due to their own weight (the yields are not so plentiful as some others) but it cannot hurt, especially if you are in an area with high winds or stormy weather.
If you use rope (like you mentioned), put the rope inside vinyl tubing where it touches the plant, otherwise the rope will act like a saw in the wind. For sure you get the idea.
Here's a couple threads on that topic about propping, there are many more where its mentioned though, just search in the search box for "prop":
supporting fruit with pvc...did I do it right? pics in gallery
I built some PVC supports for my Ice Cream naners this weekend

Did you fertilize the plants or did you just let nature do its thing? You might want to plan your strategy next season around more food for the plants if you want to encourage more vigor.
Again, congrats.. what a long wait you had! Please keep us posted on the progress.

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Apologies in advance if I am slow to reply to your PM. I suggest posting in the forums for support if you need something urgent.

MediaHound

This for example is a closeup of Orinoco flowers, pic found in our member galleries (Island Cassie). You can also see the nectar dripping there:


See if that resembles yours. I viewed the "large" version of your picture (by clicking it twice, once to go into the gallery, and clicking again to make it big) and it does look like that from what I can tell.
Again, congrats on your bloom.. its an awesome feeling having a bloom.

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Apologies in advance if I am slow to reply to your PM. I suggest posting in the forums for support if you need something urgent.

Patty in Wisc

Yeah, especially when they have female flowers to make nanas LOL!
I just had my first bloom & got no nanas. I have another now & I am using an old 2 inch wide duffle bag strap- ends nailed & stapled to the tops of 2 2X2's & set in ground on either side of plant w/flower hanging over the strap. Easy to make.

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Mudcon

ok a few more pics, couldnt get very close up and focus for some reason. the first pic is just wet cause I sprayed all the ants off but there was no sap like the pic posted from a nother member?



this one is the way I tied it up. hope it works



this one is a hole shot. god I hope they make it.

Mudcon

any more ideas on what kind they are?

Gabe15

That's 'Orinoco' for sure.

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Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

Bananaman88

I'd reconsider how you have it tied. Right where the cable and hose is will become a weak point in the pstem as the fruit develops and the pstem will almost assuredly fold over at that point. Do a search in the forums for bunch props to see how to construct an effective prop. Nothing is worse than watching your fruit develop only to come home one day and find it laying on the ground. Trust me, I know first hand.

Mudcon

i will thanks

DaveE

Good call!

Mudcon,

Here is how I brace mine. The black rope around the back is just a safety in case the wind blows it the opposite way in which it is leaning.

Many members use PVC pipe. Both work, just a matter of preference.

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Bananaman88

I PM'd you with the article I wrote on this subject. Here is a photo of what the article is talking about. I'll see if I can find the one's that actually went with the article or at least a better one of props in my yard.

Mudcon

hummmmm green paint would look better on mine...... thanks for your help

Bananaman88

Pitangadiego's two-leg method is probably better than just the single leg.

Mudcon

yea the two poles I used work real well.

Scott

That's funny!!

My wife makes me spray paint my PVC too!!! It's GREEN or it's not happening!!



2" PVC with a sleeve/connector on the bottom. I have another 10' piece that I cut from to get different lengths for a good prop. The one in the pic has a 2' piece connected above the prop spot on the ground

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