jimcareoff

I have a huge banana tree but only produces small bananas . whats up with that . The same last year ,had six produce but they all made small bananas , just two this year again small bananas , thanks for any info

sputinc7

Most likely it has to do with the variety of bananas you have. If not then it's likely fertilizer and / or water.
My best guess is the kind of bananas you are growing. The only ones I have fruited so far are Brazilians, and the bananas are only 3-5 inches long, at best, but they are tasty.

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Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

Botanical_Bryce

Might need better nutrients. I have a banana that gets 16 feet tall and produces the most pathetic bunches of bananas. I have it in drier richer soil in hopes it will produce better than where I got it from.

Kat2

I was gifted what the experts here say are Orinoco pups. I saw the bananas they produced; the bunch was tiny and the fingers were also. I was hoping it was some different variety but was told that nutrients would affect the crop. Makes sense. The mothers are grown a patch that it is never watered, fertilized or tended in any way. Feeding your pups long before they flower is important to the outcome.

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Jose263

Kat - orinocos are survivors and are hard to kill - with good nutrition pstems grow 12-14 ft a fruit are not small bananas - but poor nutrition would reduce the pstem and fruit size and number of fingers. My orinoco mat hasn't been fed in two years but refuses to give up. I would need a backhoe to clear out the corm but I want the space for another variety.

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Growing: Orinoco, Rajapuri, Dwarf Cav, SDC, TT, Dwarf Red, Dwarf Namwah, Tall Namwah (aka Ice Cream), Dwarf Brazilian, Veinte Cohol, California Gold, Double Mohai, NOT-Goldfinger, Gran Nain, Velutina

sputinc7

When I mow, I pile the clippings around my bananas to form a ring about a foot or so away from the stems. I keep it watered so it rots instead of drying out. It acts like a mulch, keeping moisture under it as well as keeping the soil cooler, plus, as it rots your banana plant will send out tons of roots into it and feed off the nutrients.

I actually have two identical plants which have been growing leaf for leaf the last couple months, both Namwah variety. I am experimenting with them. They are about 4 feet apart, so one gets a ring of grass mulch, the other doesn't. All other things being kept as equal as possible (Water, fertilizers, etc.) It has only been about a week or so and the mulched one is half a leaf ahead already. I need more time, obviously, but it seems to help.

Just make sure it doesn't turn into a dried out mass of waterproof clippings. Keeping it wet is important, stirring it a few times if necessary. Periodically check to be sure the water is soaking in by lifting some after watering to see if it is dry. Even if you don't, it will rot from the bottom as it will stay wet there.

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Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

Gabe15

We definitely need photos to give any kind of educated answer, as mentioned it very well could just be the type of banana you have, most bananas are not as large as commercial Cavendish which people usually assume are average sized.

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jimcareoff

Thanks for the information . I capture rain water, 5000 gallons ,for use on plants . Am very generously with 13 13 13 . I will take photos and post . Any particular part needed to potograph to make identification easier
Thanks

Richard

Yes.

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Richard

I would not apply more than 4 lbs per year of 13-13-13 to a single plant or mat, nor would I apply more than one cup per month per plant/mat of 13-13-13 during the growing season.

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sputinc7

Take a pic of the bunch with the flower (Preferably from the side), the flower close up, and the whole plant. That should cover it.

__________________

If you lose your head and give up, you neither live nor win.

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Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

jimcareoff

posted pictures in gallery for id hope that works

sputinc7

One close up of the flower bud hanging below the bunch is best, but Gabe may not need it with the crook in the neck yours has.

__________________

If you lose your head and give up, you neither live nor win.

https://sputinc7.wixsite.com/covwc

Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

Gabe15

They look like 'Saba' to me. The bunch could be a little larger, but you are also not in the tropics, so I would say they look fairly good and healthy and the individual fruit size appears relatively normal.

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jimcareoff

I posted another pic of the flower a little closer up . Thanks for all the info and the I d I really appreciate it . So I understand the Saba is mostly a cooking banana . They sure are hardy . They grow like weeds and producing lots of pups
My mat of these has about 25 large plants moms, daughters, grand daughters and great grand daughters . I think I'll be thinning a lot of those out . I'm looking for an eating variety that I can eat raw that growes in sw Louisiana any ideas .
Thanks

Jose263

I'm in Biloxi and try to grow cold hardy edible nanas. Namwah is my favorite for eating raw or in my raisin bran. I had several bunches last year and so far one bunch hanging this year.
I just planted VC pup which is said to taste good and has a shorter growing season. Orinoco was my 1st nana and fruit is ok but starchy. Both Orinoco and CaliGold(D orinoco) do well at my house.
I'm expecting a Manzano pup - it is also said to be cold hardy and taste good.
Happy Growing.

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Growing: Orinoco, Rajapuri, Dwarf Cav, SDC, TT, Dwarf Red, Dwarf Namwah, Tall Namwah (aka Ice Cream), Dwarf Brazilian, Veinte Cohol, California Gold, Double Mohai, NOT-Goldfinger, Gran Nain, Velutina

hydroid

Personally, I love the saba raw, very tasty. My problem is it matures so slowly and usually gets caught by the cold weather.

Tytaylor77

I've heard this also. How many month average do you find it takes from flower to harvest.

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jimcareoff

Can I cut the from the plant and ripen them indoors , in the fall , if it looks a freeze is eminate

hydroid

I would think it's 6 months to plump up where I live. If you can get them far enough along, I would cut them and hang them inside before the frost hits. Another thing is I couldn't figure how to get to them as they were so tall, my ladder wouldn't even come close. I needed a bucket truck, ha ha. Don @ Going Bananas showed me how to cut a notch in the P-stem and bend them down to the ground to reach. Hope this helps.