Bananas.org - View Single Post - Performance of SH-3640 and Others this winter (Zone 9)

harveyc · 03-31-2009, 10:14 PM

I should do an evaluation of all of my bananas this week, but thought I'd start off with this one. Maybe I'll just add to this thread later.

I got this SH-3640 from pitangadiego (Jon) last June as a large pup and it took off growing very strongly and was about 5'-6' tall by the end of the summer with a stout psuedostem. I was hoping because of its size that this cultivar might do okay in my area (hardiness zone 9) since the mass can provide some protection against temperature swings.

However, I'm now not very optimistic about this cultivar in my climate. We had about 30 days of frost this year, similar to last year, but didn't get lower than 28F. In 2007 we only had 5-10 days of frost but got down to 20F, but temperatures that cold are rare (I blame this event on Al Gore!). I noticed the top appeared dead but the psuedostem had some green to it and was firm. Today I cut off the top and the entire center was mush. I kept cutting down lower and quit when I got about a foot from the ground and it was all mushy in the inner one inch. I'm pretty sure it will send up a lot of pups but I don't think I can ever get this cultivar to flower for me here.

Harvey

03-31-2009, 10:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
harveyc Been nuts, gone bananas harveyc's Photo Gallery Location: Isleton, Calif Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Harvey Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 5,117 BananaBucks : 260,912 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 6,024 Times Was Thanked 4,453 Times in 1,894 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,785 Times	Performance of SH-3640 and Others this winter (Zone 9) I should do an evaluation of all of my bananas this week, but thought I'd start off with this one. Maybe I'll just add to this thread later. I got this SH-3640 from pitangadiego (Jon) last June as a large pup and it took off growing very strongly and was about 5'-6' tall by the end of the summer with a stout psuedostem. I was hoping because of its size that this cultivar might do okay in my area (hardiness zone 9) since the mass can provide some protection against temperature swings. However, I'm now not very optimistic about this cultivar in my climate. We had about 30 days of frost this year, similar to last year, but didn't get lower than 28F. In 2007 we only had 5-10 days of frost but got down to 20F, but temperatures that cold are rare (I blame this event on Al Gore!). I noticed the top appeared dead but the psuedostem had some green to it and was firm. Today I cut off the top and the entire center was mush. I kept cutting down lower and quit when I got about a foot from the ground and it was all mushy in the inner one inch. I'm pretty sure it will send up a lot of pups but I don't think I can ever get this cultivar to flower for me here. Harvey __________________ Last edited by harveyc : 04-01-2009 at 12:59 PM.