First off, thank you crazybanana for the opportunity to grow the real deal blue java! I acquired a very healthy sword pup around aug. 2015 and almost exactly 2 years later, that same pup is now producing a flag leaf! Here in Northern California, things take much longer to flower and mature, and if you don't get them to bloom at the right time, they won't make it.
Last year, I had an FHIA-1 american goldfinger bloom mid October and it's now ripening! However, I also had one bloom either late October or November (can't remember) and that one didn't make it at all.
Unless this variety finishes in 60 days, these bananas will need to endure our cold winter, and should they survive that, they'll likely ripen in early summer of next year. From what I've learned, if you live in a cooler climate and light frosts, as long as your bananas have a few months to thicken up, they can survive the winters. Again, this assumes you have mild frosts and not too many of them. Of course, you're also at the mercy of the weather: if we have a cold autumn and very minimal growth from now until winter, it's quite possible the bananas won't develop enough to withstand the cold winter temps. The goal is to get the fingers out of that young, "asparagus" stage and get them thicker/fatter. It appears the thicker and fatter the banana, the more cold they can tolerate.
For sure, this variety leans really hard so it has to be staked or tied up. I have some rope that I can tie to some railing to keep it in place, should be okay. Pretty excited to see the bloom, pictures online suggest this variety is really beautiful when in full bloom.
Photos taken 8/2/17:
(takes a bow) yes, I understand this is an A+ pic with some serious deep, artistic effects, but had to post it just to show you how much this thing leans! The flowering p-stem is to the very right:
To give you perspective, this is the same flowering p-stem Feb. 2017. It didn't start producing a new leaf until end of May this year.
