Nicolas Naranja

I figure it's some genetics, some environment and some nutrition but I can't find anything telling me what the cause is for short fingers. I'd like to get my Dwarf Cavendish to produce those big fingers like you see in the store, but I have so far this year only been able to get them to produce fingers that are about 5.5-6" long.

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Some people go bananas, I went plantains.

Gabe15

The first and most influential thing to control that is just what you mentioned, genetics/variety. First of all, 'Dwarf Cavendish' are not the same variety as what you buy in the grocery store, those are 'Grand Nain'. In order to grow those big bananas, you will need the right plant. 5-6 in is normal for 'Dwarf Cavendish'.

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pitangadiego

Genetics and nutrition.

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caliboy1994

Is it possible to get decent size fingers in Southern California? Northern California? Given that there is proper care of course.

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Nicolas Naranja

Man this is old, I've learned a lot since then. I get an increase in finger length by good nutrition, bunch pruning, and maintaining a mat with few suckers. And I even think that those bunch bags get me a little bit something extra.

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Some people go bananas, I went plantains.

Bermy nana

Can you expand on "bunch pruning"? When, what part and how much?
Thanks

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Nicolas Naranja

It's kind of an art based on experience but basically as soon as the bracts lift off the last hand that I want, I will cut the rest of the bunch off. I try to cut as early as I can. I have generally found that the last 2 hands are significantly shorter than the other hands so I will typically cut the last 2 off.
I have read plenty of literature that says you don't have to debud or bunch prune, but my anecdotal experience says other wise.


I shoot for
5 Hands on Hua Moa
5 Hands on Macho Plantains
8 Hands on Nam Wah
8 Hands on Gran Nain
8 Hands on FHIA-17

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Some people go bananas, I went plantains.

venturabananas

I was hoping someone who'd harvested lots of bananas from their yard in CA would chime in (hint, hint, Jon, Tony, Mitchel, etc.), but since they haven't, I'll tell you what I've seen, from visiting all their yards: Can you grow bananas that are as large as the biggest Cavendish in the grocery store? Not from what I've seen. Can you get close? Yes, for example, Tony shared Goldfinger fruits with me that were nearly that size. The "Not Ice Cream" that Tony and Andy have grown approach that size and are bigger than the average Manzano you'd buy at the grocery store. Ae Ae, FHIA-18, and Orinoco, too. Would they get bigger somewhere with real banana conditions, i.e., tropical? I would think so. Do they taste every bit as good or better? Yes. Just peel a few more of them, since they are smaller!

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Bermy nana

Thanks Nicolas. I found that sometimes when I cut the bud off the peduncle dies back toward the fruit. It has then caused some of the fruit to ripen prematurely. Anybody else have this experience? Is there a way to prevent it?

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venturabananas

Jon recommends you leave a foot of peduncle below the bunch to keep this from happening.

http://webebananas.com/culture.html


When bunch pruning, I've also seen the recommendation of leaving a single finger on the last female hand on the bottom, and prune the rest of that hand and however many hands above that you want to prune. The idea is that leaving the solo finger at the bottom keeps nutrients flowing down the rachis, keeping it alive.

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