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lorax · 09-24-2009, 10:34 AM

w00t! Another Ecuadorean! Welcome aboard, Mickie!

I started in Vilcabamba when I moved down (at age 25, my friends all said ''Beth, you're nuts!''), and it is absolute heck trying to keep the bananas alive during the dry season there - the wind just robs them of all moisture. Where in the valley are you? Up on the slopes of Mandango is the hardest place in the valley to grow, but if you're in the basin or in one of Miguel's houses in the greener valley towards Yanganá you've got a much better chance. If you're ever up towards Izhcayluma, say hi to Peter and Dieter for me.

Most of what was growing in Vilca when I left was Dwarf Cav, Platano Macho, and Orito, but if you take the bus in to Malacatos you should also be able to find plants of Rosado or Morado and possibly also Maqueño. DC is the standard grocery store banana you're used to from North America. Orito are the teeny little fingers you can usually get at tienda Marisol in the village proper, and definitely at the weekend market in the bus station square. Rosados, as the name implies, have red skins, and Maqueños are unmistakeable since they're gigantic. They will all grow in the valley provided that you water them and plant them in a fairly wind-sheltered location. The fastest to fruit at about 1 year from planting the pup are the Oritos. The slowest are the cooking plantains at nearly 2 years; those plants get really big, though. Start your plants from offshoots, called ''pups'' in English and ''plantas pequeñas de banano'' in Spanish. Edibles don't have seeds.

Most people in the valley are very friendly and will gladly sell you pups - ask Vicente at Hostal Pinar del Rio which is down by Casa Tinku on the Rio Vilcabamba; if he doesn't have Orito pups at the moment, he will be able to point you in the right direction (and send my best wishes!). Ditto Gerry at the book exchange. Alcides, who is one of the taxi drivers for the cooperative at the bus station, will likely also know who to ask if he doesn't sell you DC pups himself.

And Eric, I'm in Puyo now - the move went through. It's better for bananas all round - you would not believe the soil difference!

09-24-2009, 10:34 AM	#10 (permalink)
lorax Banned lorax's Photo Gallery Location: Ecuador, South America Find me on the map! Zone: USDA 13 / Köppen-Geiger BSh Name: Lorax Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,532 BananaBucks : 301,633 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 742 Times Was Thanked 3,040 Times in 1,188 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 464 Times	Re: Intro: Mickie (Banana Nut) w00t! Another Ecuadorean! Welcome aboard, Mickie! I started in Vilcabamba when I moved down (at age 25, my friends all said ''Beth, you're nuts!''), and it is absolute heck trying to keep the bananas alive during the dry season there - the wind just robs them of all moisture. Where in the valley are you? Up on the slopes of Mandango is the hardest place in the valley to grow, but if you're in the basin or in one of Miguel's houses in the greener valley towards Yanganá you've got a much better chance. If you're ever up towards Izhcayluma, say hi to Peter and Dieter for me. Most of what was growing in Vilca when I left was Dwarf Cav, Platano Macho, and Orito, but if you take the bus in to Malacatos you should also be able to find plants of Rosado or Morado and possibly also Maqueño. DC is the standard grocery store banana you're used to from North America. Orito are the teeny little fingers you can usually get at tienda Marisol in the village proper, and definitely at the weekend market in the bus station square. Rosados, as the name implies, have red skins, and Maqueños are unmistakeable since they're gigantic. They will all grow in the valley provided that you water them and plant them in a fairly wind-sheltered location. The fastest to fruit at about 1 year from planting the pup are the Oritos. The slowest are the cooking plantains at nearly 2 years; those plants get really big, though. Start your plants from offshoots, called ''pups'' in English and ''plantas pequeñas de banano'' in Spanish. Edibles don't have seeds. Most people in the valley are very friendly and will gladly sell you pups - ask Vicente at Hostal Pinar del Rio which is down by Casa Tinku on the Rio Vilcabamba; if he doesn't have Orito pups at the moment, he will be able to point you in the right direction (and send my best wishes!). Ditto Gerry at the book exchange. Alcides, who is one of the taxi drivers for the cooperative at the bus station, will likely also know who to ask if he doesn't sell you DC pups himself. And Eric, I'm in Puyo now - the move went through. It's better for bananas all round - you would not believe the soil difference!