Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX

jewelbaby1224 · 05-09-2006, 10:10 PM

Hi,
Happy to have this forum! Our home "came with" a small area of bananas 40+ yrs old. In 2 years they have never fruited. Though some similar looking ones accross the road from me did. Bright green. Plants grow 12+ feet high, provide great shade and the trunks can get up to 10" across.

I want to enjoy all the fruiting varieties that I can grow. Lady Fingers are listed as one for our zone 8-9. Love small sweet bananas.

Can you guys reccomend some? As well as terms? What the heck are pups? I have about 6 to transplant, but as I want fruiting varieties there really is no reason to do so.

Thanks

pitangadiego · 05-10-2006, 12:01 AM

Someone else will have to advise on varieties suitable for your area. However, fruiting can be suppressed my inadequate watering, fertilizing, etc. Too many plants in a "mat" (the term for a clump) means too much competition for nutrients, etc. which can also suppress growth and fruiting. You may need to thin out the mat. Another idea: The fellow across the street has a variety which is tolerant of and seemingly suitable for your climate and has fruited. Maybe you should get a pup from him, and start a new patch with a proven performer.

A word of caution, in general, the red bananas (anything with red in the names, plus a few others) are much less cold tolerant that other varieties.

MediaHound · 05-10-2006, 02:31 PM

Hi JewelBaby,

Here's a good thread about pups and transplanting.
pup size
Worth a read!

Welcome to the forum. Keep us posted!

imdocrob · 05-11-2006, 02:41 PM

Hey Jewel, one possible reason as to why they are not fruiting is that they may have already produced fruit. Bananas will only produce fruit from one pseudostem. You can remove the pups that it produces and grow them as well seperately. Good fruit producing bananas in your area would be the Goldfinger, Dwarf Cavendish, Ice Cream, Mysore and Orincino. I hope you enjoy this, but I will let you know it's addicting.

devildog805 · 05-11-2006, 03:29 PM

It sure is addicting.

jewelbaby1224 · 05-14-2006, 08:32 PM

Wow you guys, thanks for the input. We moved here from Oregon 3 years ago and are starting to get a feel for the climate here which is Warm/Hot/Hot

Truly! So we're learning about tropical landscape.

I do cut the bananas totally back to the ground in the winter, it actually does get cool enough a couple of times for them to die back. So if I'm getting this, where each "clump" is there really should be just one in order to bear fruit?

These plants provide awesome shade where they are and look great, so I can happily transplant "pups" to other areas for fruiting purposes.

PaulOdin · 05-15-2006, 06:58 AM

It is standard to leave about 3 stems per corm. Die backs aren't usually that serious a problem- think of it as a tree losing its leaves during the winter.
You might also consider some fertilizer or Black Cow compost, if that patch is 40 years old!

Paul

05-09-2006, 10:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
jewelbaby1224 Junior Grower jewelbaby1224's Photo Gallery Location: Conroe, Texas zone 9a Find me on the map! Zone: 9a Name: Karen Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 77 BananaBucks : 45,586 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 26 Times Was Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 11 Times	Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX Hi, Happy to have this forum! Our home "came with" a small area of bananas 40+ yrs old. In 2 years they have never fruited. Though some similar looking ones accross the road from me did. Bright green. Plants grow 12+ feet high, provide great shade and the trunks can get up to 10" across. I want to enjoy all the fruiting varieties that I can grow. Lady Fingers are listed as one for our zone 8-9. Love small sweet bananas. Can you guys reccomend some? As well as terms? What the heck are pups? I have about 6 to transplant, but as I want fruiting varieties there really is no reason to do so. Thanks __________________ WHEREVER YOU GO, BRING YOUR OWN SUNSHINE....

05-10-2006, 12:01 AM	#2 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,488 BananaBucks : 132,647 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 2,729 Times in 929 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX Someone else will have to advise on varieties suitable for your area. However, fruiting can be suppressed my inadequate watering, fertilizing, etc. Too many plants in a "mat" (the term for a clump) means too much competition for nutrients, etc. which can also suppress growth and fruiting. You may need to thin out the mat. Another idea: The fellow across the street has a variety which is tolerant of and seemingly suitable for your climate and has fruited. Maybe you should get a pup from him, and start a new patch with a proven performer. A word of caution, in general, the red bananas (anything with red in the names, plus a few others) are much less cold tolerant that other varieties. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

05-10-2006, 02:31 PM	#3 (permalink)
MediaHound Tally-Man MediaHound's Photo Gallery Location: Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Jarred Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5,261 BananaBucks : 2,028,281 Feedback: 66 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,856 Times Was Thanked 5,086 Times in 1,353 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,086 Times	Re: Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX Hi JewelBaby, Here's a good thread about pups and transplanting. pup size Worth a read! Welcome to the forum. Keep us posted! __________________ 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.

05-11-2006, 02:41 PM	#4 (permalink)
imdocrob Junior Member imdocrob's Photo Gallery Location: Salem Oregon Find me on the map! Zone: zone 8 Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 105 BananaBucks : 41,142 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX Hey Jewel, one possible reason as to why they are not fruiting is that they may have already produced fruit. Bananas will only produce fruit from one pseudostem. You can remove the pups that it produces and grow them as well seperately. Good fruit producing bananas in your area would be the Goldfinger, Dwarf Cavendish, Ice Cream, Mysore and Orincino. I hope you enjoy this, but I will let you know it's addicting.

05-11-2006, 03:29 PM	#5 (permalink)
devildog805 Member devildog805's Photo Gallery Location: Oceanside,CA(Currently in the Sandbox) Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 80 BananaBucks : 8,364 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX It sure is addicting.

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05-14-2006, 08:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
jewelbaby1224 Junior Grower jewelbaby1224's Photo Gallery Location: Conroe, Texas zone 9a Find me on the map! Zone: 9a Name: Karen Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 77 BananaBucks : 45,586 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 26 Times Was Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 11 Times	Re: Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX Wow you guys, thanks for the input. We moved here from Oregon 3 years ago and are starting to get a feel for the climate here which is Warm/Hot/Hot Truly! So we're learning about tropical landscape. I do cut the bananas totally back to the ground in the winter, it actually does get cool enough a couple of times for them to die back. So if I'm getting this, where each "clump" is there really should be just one in order to bear fruit? These plants provide awesome shade where they are and look great, so I can happily transplant "pups" to other areas for fruiting purposes. __________________ WHEREVER YOU GO, BRING YOUR OWN SUNSHINE....

05-15-2006, 06:58 AM	#7 (permalink)
PaulOdin Muddy handed ditch digger Location: Leesburg, FL Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 137 BananaBucks : 41,597 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 5 Times in 4 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX It is standard to leave about 3 stems per corm. Die backs aren't usually that serious a problem- think of it as a tree losing its leaves during the winter. You might also consider some fertilizer or Black Cow compost, if that patch is 40 years old! Paul

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