floridagrower

I've seed grown a "Daj Giant" for a year and a half now. It has finally become a respectable plant and is pupping. It actually grew more in the spring than it has all summer. Meanwhile, some starter Thai Black bananas directly adjacent are four times their height. I will be winter testing this guy this year along with a few new ones. Any feedback on winter performance would be appreciated. Does it out perform the regular form of Sikkimensis? How about compared to Basjoo?

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Lancelot

I started one from seed also last year, mine is about a foot tall. I have it in a container and kept it in the basement overwinter. It continues to put out a new leaf every couple weeks, so I will see how far I can get it to grow here in WI.

saltydad

I kept one over the winter in a pot in the basement with minimal water and light. I remained a good 2 feet tall, then withered to nothing when I brought it outside in the shade. It finally died.

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oakshadows

Having just gotten into starting bananas from seed, could you tell me how long it took to germinate and the starting conditions? I realize some take forever but will still try and hopefully do almost as good as other members.

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JuniPerez

floridagrower

I grew mine in lightly moistened peat / soil mix. They were planted about 1/2" deep. They took about 3 weeks to germinate, and grew well for a couple of months. The germination rate was about 60%, but I let natural selection take out the weak ones. They have slowed to a crawl in this tropical weather. One year later...

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coast crab

I've had mine since early 2009 so I thought I'd share.

I bought it as an 18 inch seedling from someone on ebay. After getting it going in a pot in a greenhouse I moved it into the garden in early spring. It started out growing well, but then stopped for the summer and sat there like a bump. As it began to cool down in October it started growing again. The p-stem was skinny and it was about 4 feet tall. The ice creams adjacent to it were 15 feet tall and had leaves bigger than the DG, and did that in the same growing period. The 2009/10 winter was the worst in years, and killed ever banana in my garden to the ground except basjoo, my ensetes, and this skinny thing. The same cycle repeated for the summer of 2010. It was the first to start in the spring, shut down for the summer and grew until frost in the fall/winter. The 2010/11 winter was a terrible repeat but it can through just fine again while everything else was killed back to the ground. Last winter was much better and everthing's off to a good start. So it's growing well now but will stop when the nights get hot soon. It has had a pup since last year and is looking good, it's just SSSLLLOOOOWWWWWWW in tropical/subtropical areas. I bet it would be great in the Pacifif Northwest.

I'll add a picture later. I haven't done that in a couple of years, so I hope it's not as tedious as it used to be.

Russell

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oakshadows

Waiting for the pics. This looks to be an interesting grow. Might try one from seed, something I'm not good at. Thanks

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coast crab

Here goes...

Sorry for the clutter, it's in a corner of my bonsai area.



Hey, I did it!

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floridagrower

Nice. How tall is it? Any pups aside from the one visible?

This is the only banana I would call "slow". It has proven to be very hardy for me though.

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coast crab

Jeff,

It's almost 9 feet to the point where the new leaf is coming out of the p-stem. So far just the one pup. And yes, it's the slowest but hardiest banana I have. It has taken 3 growing seasons to do that.

I picked up a mekong giant at the plant sale last fall and it's doing well too. I'm eager to see how it compares this summer. I haven't had a chance to read the posts on it yet, hopefully this weekend.

R

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floridagrower

Russell,

My Mekong has cranked out more leaves in the last few weeks than the Daj Giant normally does all summer long. It is very fast so far. The Daj Giant clearly hates our summers here.

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