bananimal

Bamb Conn
The 2 pup method keeps vigor in the mama banana. Comml growers have lots of nutrients to dump on the mats. Since they are concerned only with production - - as many pounds of product per acre as possible - they will leave as many pups as practical.

By doing the 2 pup max thing the backyard grower will insure the max yield per main pseudostem. Comml guys don't care if the production mats will deplete the soil as they have already started new plantings in fresh soil to take over -no interruption in production.

Kenboy/Maggidew

New fingers/flowers falling off is likely male flowers croaking - they don't make fruit. (Insert punchline here). Female flowers emerge first on the raceme followed by male. Good mat management says cut the stalk after the last fruit hand has set. Those male fllowers, especilally here in Fla, attract way too many bugs and critters by their sweet smell. I mean -- ants of all kinds, bees and wasps, roaches the size of toy poodles, racoons, squirrels, bobcats (I got 'em) and gila monsters (just kidding). Bottom line, wait until 1 foot or so of stalk after last good hand of fruit before cutting off.

As for first frost - cut off the stalk with what ever fruit you have and hang in in the laundry room, a warm place. They will ripen and you will get what you get!

Microfarmer, a.k.a. Senor Excessivo

Plumping is the filling out of newly formed fruit - till it stops getting fatter and longer. Now it is full sized. This varies widely with different banana types. Next comes ripening. Next comes the squirrels unless you get there first!!!

I need a beer now!

Dan