Ae Ae Contest!

[MediaHound]

Our very own "The Opinionated Gardner of Coral Gables", Jordan Steele jnstropic , and I have decided to come up with a contest for a free Ae Ae plant!
It should be a lot of fun and we're encouraging everyone to join it!
Here's how it goes.
Guess the ripening date of this bunch of Ae Ae fruits.
As seen Jan 14, 2007 -

To see the progression of the bunch, for more photos in the series, you must visit this link (scroll to the bottom of the page):

http://togofcoralgables.com/AeAebananas.aspx

The person who guesses the right date, or if the exact date was not chosen, the person who came the closest will win.
Only one entry per date, and one entry per member.
If there is a tie (if nobody picked the right date but two people picked the two surrounding dates), the person who guessed the day BEFORE the actual date will win, for example, if the bunch ripenes on the 20th and there were guesses for the 19th and another for the 21st, the person who guessed the 19th will win!)
Prize:
If the winner lives in South Florida, he/she will win a pup from this very plant! Winner must pick up the plant locally (and get a subsequent tour of a most amazing garden).
This plant must remain in the South Florida climate, so;
If the winner lives outside the South Florida area, he/she will win a very beautiful orchid, the Cattleya Blc. Mt. Hood 'Mary' AM/AOS
(see the photo on the top right of this page: http://togofcoralgables.com/Wallpaper.aspx )
Bonus!
We would like to have an Ae Ae banana tasting when the bunch is picked (or thereabout) so whomever would like to attend, let either jnstropic or myself know!

To enter:
Reply on this thread and post the date you think the bunch will ripen and get picked.

I will update this post and add your username next to the date you pick.

February 2007
15 -
16 -
17 -
18 -
19 -
20 -
21 -
22 -
23 -
24 -
25 -
26 -
27 -
28 -
March 2007
1 -
2 -
3 -
4 -
5 -
6 -
7 -
8 -
9 -
10 -
11 -
12 -
13 -
14 -
15 - eggo
16 -
17 -
18 -
19 - Gabe15
20 -
21 -
22 - imdocrob
23 -
24 -
25 - TylerH
26 -
27 - Pablo Vega
28 - Westwood
29 -
30 -
31 -
April 2007
1 - Lilith
2 - mrbungalow
3 -
4 -
5 -
6 - D' Andra
7 - keiki
8 - bencelest
9 -
10 - taylor_loves_bananas
11 -
12 - AnnaJW
13 -
14 - STEELVIPER
15 -
16 -
17 -
18 - JoeS475
19 -
20 - mudcat25
21 - Mark Hall
22 -
23 - BGreen
24 -
25 -
26 -
27 - chong
28 - pitangadiego
29 - Steve L
30 - aroidgrower
May 2007
1 - Pithy_Cherub
2 -
3 - PaulOdin
4 - Basjoofriend
5 - NANAMAN
6 - Mustang
7 -
8 - GordonHawk
9 -
10 -
11 - PhilMusa
12 -
13 - Greenie
14 -
15 - sean
16 -
17 -
18 - Joe Real
19 -
20 - tlturbo
21 -
22 -
23 - Tropicallvr
24 -
25 - Sodak
26 -
27 -
28 - Kenzie_POM
29 -
30 -
31 -
June 2007
1 -
2 - island cassie
3 - bigdog
4 -
5 -
6 - modenacart
7 -
8 -
9 -
10 - Kylie2x
11 - Carolina
12 -
13 -
14 -
15 - momoese
16 -
17 -
18 -
19 - Bonheur
20 -
21 - Zac in NC
22 -
23 -
24 - microfarmer
25 - jeffreyp
26 -
27 -
28 -
29 - varig8
30 - the flying dutchman

Happy guessing! And happy growing (or freezing)!
http://togofcoralgables.com/AeAebananas.aspx


EDIT :: UPDATE
NO MORE ENTRIES, THE CONTEST IS CLOSED FOR NEW ENTRIES.
See post #83 on page 5. Good luck to all who got in on the contest!

[Gabe15]

March 19th.

[tlturbo]

Just what is going to determine "ripening"?

Terry

[mrbungalow]

I would have to say April 2nd. That is RIPE and EATABLE bananas at april 2nd. If I should win I will nominate someone to go pick it up! :-)

[tlturbo]

OK, I'll take May 20th.

Terry

[chong]

April 27, 2007

Chong

[TylerH]

March 25
Tyler

[aroidgrower]

April 30th or more !!

[Pithy_Cherub]

I'll bite ... on May 1st!


It can be for my (unspecified I ain't telling how old) birthday!

[bigdog]

June 3. A friend of mine has that Cattleya! I want it!

[STEELVIPER]

April 14th.

[D'Andra]

I gotta say April 6.

Has the pup been seperated?
Could it be shipped if we pay for it?

[MediaHound]

OK list updated!
If you would like your color changed, lmk!
For those still about to enter, if you would like a certain color, please say so in your entry.

Originally Posted by aroidgrower

April 30th or more !!

I added more dates, you get one shot to guess again if you like if it's within a few hours from now. For those just getting to the thread, the list of dates had ended at April 30, but I added more dates to the list now so this explains Brian's "or more" reasoning...


Anyway, good luck and most of all, let's all have fun while we watch the progress!

[MediaHound]

Originally Posted by D' Andra

I gotta say April 6.

Has the pup been seperated?
Could it be shipped if we pay for it?

Added your entry.

We expected this question to arise. The answer is nope, it cannot be shipped outside South Florida. It's not a logistics issue, but rather it's because this plant is well accustomed to the climate and would do well in another yard in the area (most of S. Fl has the Coral Gables climate). Maybe Jordan will pass by the thread and add some more to the answer for you. But it's one of his requirements!!

[jnstropic]

Terry, the Ae Ae is ripe when there are at least three fruit that can be used as a normal table banana and there will be enough green fruit to make chips and toastedos.

D'Andra asked: Has the pup been separated? Could it be shipped if we pay for it?

No pups can't be separated until May. The Ae Ae needs warm weather to be moved. This past fall a rain squall blew down two plants (the largest ones and they didn't have any pups). I replanted one and in a month I had two new leaves and shortly after that it put out a flower. I cut the flower in hope of getting the three very small pups to prosper. I had 6 pups in all but as the sun dimmed and the nights grew cool they all died. You can see this plant on my site. The biggest one was left to sprout pups but it just rotted.

I have shipped only one Ae Ae. The stem was 10 feet tall and Longwood Garden in Kennet Pen. sent a large truck to pick it up. The following year they mentioned it in there web site. But this year they no longer mention it. Seems that they lost it again.

I have grown this banana for 40 years. And I gave them away for 25 years and know of only three that truly prospered. But when I found out that a plant that I had given to some one, turned around and sold it, I decided to sell them to commercial banana growers, and none of them seem to be successful. I am giving this plant to someone in south Florida with hope that it might thrive.

The alternate prize is an awarded orchid that is more valuable then an Ae Ae pup.

[Taylor]

April 10?!

[Pithy_Cherub]

Originally Posted by jnstropic

The alternate prize is an awarded orchid that is more valuable then an Ae Ae pup.

The orchid is absolutely beautiful!

And the watermark on all your photos? I swear he looks just like my ex! A retired Master Diver - Army (Corp of Eng.) ... w/webbed feet!

This is gonna be a fun contest. You guys sure pull out all the stops to keep us from cabin fever this winter, don't ya? It's a great idea, TY!


.

[momoese]

Very nice of you to offer such a contest!

I'll guess June 15

[JoeS475]

April 18!

New Jersey is just like South Florida I swear!!! Lol, although an Ae Ae would be amazing, I'm ill suited to care for it... that orchid looks really beautiful!

~Joe

[chong]

Originally Posted by MediaHound

very beautiful orchid, the Cattleya Blc. Mt. Hood 'Mary' AM/AOS
(see the photo on the top right of this page: )

The name sounds familiar. In the early 70's, I had a collection of Cattleyas with the "Mt. Hood" name. Did these orchids come from the Pacific NW? Specifically, from Bealls Orchids, or Baker & Chantry?