BackyardBananaCA

I have the following types of pups:

M. Lasiocarpa
Tall Orinoco
IceCream
Raja Puri
Dwarf Cavendish
Goldfinger
Dwarf Brazilian

Looking for cold hardy types I don't have like:

Jamaican Red (Macaboo)
Pitogo
Ensete Glaucum
FHIA 18

momoese

Where are you located?

JoeReal

I would have to guess that it is a backyard somewhere in California

Bananavilla

I believe that is James in San Ramon.
James, if you sit tight I will have FHIA-18 pups. Otherwise ask David over on the Bananavilla forumn.
http://groups.msn.com/BananaVillaIma.../messages.msnw
He Has them
Mike

BackyardBananaCA

Mike,

Your right, it's James in San Ramon, CA. I'd be interested in one of your FHIA-18 pups. I can't remember if it was you or David who recommended the -18's. Have you gotten any consistant blooms in Antioc with these? My rajas and ice creams have done extremely well in terms of growth this summer. Great pictures you posted on the bananavilla site. On your "somewhat cold-hardy," types, do you do anything to protect the psuedostems durring winter to assist in summer blooming?

James

Bananavilla

James, my FHIA-18 came from David and it is only maybe 5ft trunk right now. Planted this season. I noticed a pup or two coming up and all pups to com up now I will want to remove. This is a bit of an experiment in my area. I think David had them dying to the ground most winters but he is quite a but colder than I. His go to something like 8-9ft in a single season from the corm though! If I have read correctly they should bloom at about 9ft in good health.
There is a bit of info on FHIA-18 here:
http://www2.btcctb.org/projects/kcdp/banvar1.html

When winter hits my place I may drag a few young plants in containers into the garage when we are expecting a major cold period, but all plants in the ground are on there own. I have occasionally ran out and deleafed some of the taller types if it looks like the wind is threatening to snap them off.
This winter though, I do have a nice RajaPuri in a 20" container I will be bringing inside. I am trying to fruit it in a container as an experiment. Also Dwarf Cavendish and Maurituas for container fruit project will be brought in but they are still young.

James, maybe several of us can get together at harvest time and share some fruit/banana growing talk. Do you have any fruit out this season?
Mike

BackyardBananaCA

Mike,

Thanks for the info on the FHIA-18. I'll enquire about these with David on the Bananavilla site. This is my second season growing bananas. The closest I got with having one bloom was with my Raja Puri. I had a 5' psuedostem going into last years winter, but lost it to cold due to some sort of black center death disease. I don't know if you recall me posting pictures of the plant requesting info on whether it going to survive? I kept cutting it back wand found it was toast to the ground. Since then the adjacent pup took off and pupped profusely. I'm hoping the mother plant will make it through the winter. Do you think removing pups prior to winter will strengthen its cold hardiness?

[IMG]http://groups.msn.com/BananaVillaImageandDiscussionGroup/jamesbananaplants.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=1862[IMG]

Otherwise my other varieties took the winter well, and based on their height, I hope to see some of them bloom next season, like the Dwarf Orinoco I got from you and the Misi Luki, Dwarf Namwah and Belle I got from David. Another type I would like to try which you recommended was the Praying Hands.

Getting together sounds great, although I wouldn't have banana fruit to share, at least not this season . I will have passion fruit and tamrillos.

Bananavilla

James, it seems this board will not allow the HTML for pics hosted on MSN site.

I remember your Raja Black Death. I had one go down too. Only the one I have on the north side of the house in the entry way. Several others out back and smalle made it fine. Must have been cold soil or something. Plant looked perfect coming out of winter but the center leaf turned to black mush.

You are welcome to one of my Praying hands pups when I am ready to harvest.

Mike

JoeReal

I have that center turned to black on one of my Dwarf namwahs.

I think when cold rains during the winter falls down into the unfurled leaf, it gets collected and starts accumulating fungi, bacteria, and since the banana plant is inactive, it could not push them out and therefore will rot away.

I think we may need to cover the top of the trunk (after cutting the leaves) with jute sack and then a plastic liner and tie it. This way it will keep water out, and also any condensation inside the plastic will be absorbed by the jute sack.

i will do this during the coming winter.