View Full Version : Just picked first bananas
I just picked my first bunch of ripe bananas!:woohoonaner:
The first of the Orinocos that bloomed in June has one yellow banana in a bunch of 18 naners--so it really only took about 4 months. Not bad! I was expecting 6 months. Now I just have to wait for the second Orinoco and my Raja Puri to get ripe. :goteam:
I also have an Orinoco that just bloomed that I will experiment with some ways of getting it thru the winter--not a big bunch, so it won't matter much if they do not make it.
mjdsinsacto
10-29-2009, 01:18 PM
:nanadrink:
justjoan
10-29-2009, 01:24 PM
:woohoonaner: Congrats!!!!
Dalmatiansoap
10-29-2009, 01:35 PM
Congrats!!
:pics:
:woohoonaner:
kaczercat
10-29-2009, 02:26 PM
CONGRATS!! please post pics !! must have been so exciting lol :D
austinl01
10-29-2009, 02:35 PM
Pics, please. Pretty please?
Simply Bananas
10-29-2009, 02:52 PM
I just picked my first bunch of ripe bananas!:woohoonaner:
The first of the Orinocos that bloomed in June has one yellow banana in a bunch of 18 naners--so it really only took about 4 months. Not bad! I was expecting 6 months. Now I just have to wait for the second Orinoco and my Raja Puri to get ripe. :goteam:
I also have an Orinoco that just bloomed that I will experiment with some ways of getting it thru the winter--not a big bunch, so it won't matter much if they do not make it.
Oddly enough...my orinocos ripen after 4 months whether its on the plant or in my garage.
momoese
10-29-2009, 03:31 PM
I'd like to know what you think about the flavor and texture.
rscotth
10-29-2009, 04:22 PM
Congrats- glad to hear.............. Are these full size Orinoco's or dwarfs? How long did it take from planting to bloom?
I hope early next fall I will be bragging too.
bencelest
10-29-2009, 07:58 PM
Yah!! Congrats!
1aday
10-29-2009, 08:26 PM
Congratulations! :02:
LilRaverBoi
10-29-2009, 08:36 PM
WOOT WOOT! Awesome! Congrats!
...buuuuuuuuut.....:pics:
Oddly enough...my orinocos ripen after 4 months whether its on the plant or in my garage.
That is good to know---do they taste the same?
I ate the ripe one already--Will get a pic as soon as the next one turns!
Richard
10-29-2009, 10:08 PM
Congratulations!
Congrats- glad to hear.............. Are these full size Orinoco's or dwarfs? How long did it take from planting to bloom?
I hope early next fall I will be bragging too.
I have had these bananas (reg Orinocos) around for many years --maybe even 20, but never knew you had to get them thru the winter to get a bloom until last yr. A friend told me to wrap them, so I did and two of them bloomed early last summer. I did get a bloom once before when we had a winter without a bad cold spell, but the bloom was in the fall.
I will be wrapping a couple more stems this fall.
conejov
10-30-2009, 12:32 PM
Congratulations!@!!
moonboy87
10-30-2009, 01:26 PM
many congrats!
CValentine
10-30-2009, 02:14 PM
SOOOO thrilled for you!!! :) ~Cheryl
cherokee_greg
10-30-2009, 02:16 PM
good deal !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
figafita
10-30-2009, 02:24 PM
Congrats!!
Dalmatiansoap
10-30-2009, 02:24 PM
I have had these bananas (reg Orinocos) around for many years --maybe even 20, but never knew you had to get them thru the winter to get a bloom until last yr. A friend told me to wrap them, so I did and two of them bloomed early last summer. I did get a bloom once before when we had a winter without a bad cold spell, but the bloom was in the fall.
I will be wrapping a couple more stems this fall.
This is a very good tip! THX for sharing.
:woohoonaner:
Bama Banana
10-31-2009, 02:13 AM
I have had these bananas (reg Orinocos) around for many years --maybe even 20, but never knew you had to get them thru the winter to get a bloom until last yr. A friend told me to wrap them, so I did and two of them bloomed early last summer. I did get a bloom once before when we had a winter without a bad cold spell, but the bloom was in the fall.
I will be wrapping a couple more stems this fall.
sbl, I would try just cutting your Orinocos off at about 4 or 5 feet - That's what I do each year up here in Enterprise AL. They slow down and grow VERY slowly around January, but they always keep pushing out new growth. I have never seen an Orinoco pseudostem die from cutting the pseudostem.
I've got about 13 different clumps of them in my back yard. Each year I just cut them off and don't wrap anything. It has never failed...not one pseudostem has died. Each of the last two years I have had 8 blooms and bananas, bananas, bananas. The largest bunch each year has had over 30 bananas. Last year we got down to 19F at the coldest. The year before we got down to 20F. I am pretty sure you don't even get that cold in Pensacola! My time to ripen is also at about 4 months. They are best when fully ripened, and they make good banana nut bread. Orinocos are very TOUGH!
Congrats for sure. I think the point of wrapping may be a really good clue for a lot of us. Figs up here that are wrapped way out produce those that aren't. Hmmmmmm?
sbl, I would try just cutting your Orinocos off at about 4 or 5 feet - That's what I do each year up here in Enterprise AL. They slow down and grow VERY slowly around January, but they always keep pushing out new growth. I have never seen an Orinoco pseudostem die from cutting the pseudostem.
I've got about 13 different clumps of them in my back yard. Each year I just cut them off and don't wrap anything. It has never failed...not one pseudostem has died. Each of the last two years I have had 8 blooms and bananas, bananas, bananas. The largest bunch each year has had over 30 bananas. Last year we got down to 19F at the coldest. The year before we got down to 20F. I am pretty sure you don't even get that cold in Pensacola! My time to ripen is also at about 4 months. They are best when fully ripened, and they make good banana nut bread. Orinocos are very TOUGH!
So you cut them off in the fall? I have for years cut the stems off in the spring to get them to grow, but I have never tried cutting them off in the fall.
Our low last winter was 23 F. All of the wrapped stems came out at the top without being cut back. I left 2 unwrapped, one of them was under a tree canopy and came out first without being cut back--it is the one I just harvested. The other one was more exposed and died to the ground even after being cut off in the spring. The pup from that stem however is the biggest stem in my yard now.
momoese
10-31-2009, 10:16 AM
So what's the verdict, how did they taste and how was the texture?
So what's the verdict, how did they taste and how was the texture?
The first one I ate was just good yellow--it was pretty firm but tasted OK to me--my wife liked it, but she likes green bananas and won't eat one with spots. The next one I eat will be more ripe--I think it will be better than store bought.
Here is a picture of the bunch now:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=26159&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=26159&ppuser=5736)
I just ate a second one--it was medium ripe and better, but for my taste I think I want it even more ripe.
Congratulations, totally :) !! And thanx for the info on the "4 months" thing! Got 2 big Orinoco corms (from Bob in New Jersey), myself. Can't wait to see how they do!
Happy eating, U lucky guy!!
bikoro child
11-04-2009, 03:43 AM
Congrats really a good Job...Orinoco seems to be the good fruiting banana for Zone 8...I have to try it absolutely!!A Pup was given to me as an orinoco but I'm not sure it is one cause it has no wax ...For the moment it looks like a Basjoo except that it grows very slowly...
PennyG
11-04-2009, 08:06 AM
Congrats to you, well done.
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