View Full Version : Dwarf Orinoco Blooming
CookieCows
07-15-2010, 08:50 PM
I dug this DO out of the ground last fall and overwintered in the house but kept in the pot hoping for a bloom this summer, which I got. The plant is small as I had chopped it back to bring inside and then it was choking so badly by spring that I started pulling outer leaves back and one of the pups is now as tall as the main plant. My thinking was that if I could get fruit I could carry it into the house at the end of summer to let it hopefully ripen.
I'm wondering if I should take the pups off ... or does it matter?
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=34204&size
http://www.bananas.org/[img]http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=34204&size=1
The Hollyberry Lady
07-15-2010, 09:11 PM
Wow Deb! Congrats!
I read that leaving the pups intact for awhile actually strengthens the mother plant. Bet your tall puppies have some good roots by now.
Thanks for the great shot. Good Luck! Be sure to show us more later...
: )
Abnshrek
07-15-2010, 09:28 PM
I'd leave it intact. :^)
sunfish
07-15-2010, 09:53 PM
Congrats
CookieCows
07-15-2010, 10:18 PM
:goteam:I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!!!
cherokee_greg
07-16-2010, 09:21 AM
:woohoonaner::woohoonaner::woohoonaner: Good for you Great !!!!!!!!!!!! Keep us posted
Bananaman88
07-16-2010, 11:57 AM
Congrats!!!
DaveE
07-16-2010, 12:03 PM
Congrats, very exciting! :woohoonaner:
Jack Daw
07-16-2010, 12:06 PM
Niceeeeeeeeeeeee. And good timing too! Might be ripe before the cold snaps it.
Very cool Deb!!!:woohoonaner: Interesting ... I had the same trouble with some of mine getting choked off that were cut off and not actively grown over the winter?
chong
07-18-2010, 12:46 PM
Very nice, Deb! Geez, the weather must be really great in your area. I know that you're in KY, but I was being considered for a similar job in Oakridge, TN, just south of KY, and I opted for the one in Richland, WA where I could drive home on weekends. Now, I wonder how my plants would have fared over there (in TN).
I have had a DO that I've had for 10 years and last year grew over 4 feet, then died last Winter. Wish I could have brought all my bananas inside, also. I lost many plants this past Winter. Even though it was relatively mild. These include the ones that survived over the past 8-10 years. I brought a few of the survivors to my temporary home in Richland, WA where I work during the week. They are scraggly looking still, except the Gros Michel that was kept right next to our living room sliding door in the greenhouse, but they are responding well to the 85°F-102°F weather there. I had hoped to replant them a couple of weeks ago, but dang it!, work keeps getting in the way, not to mention the yard maintenance at the house there.
CookieCows
07-21-2010, 09:54 PM
Niceeeeeeeeeeeee. And good timing too! Might be ripe before the cold snaps it.
I'm going to .. well I mean my husband is going to carefully carry it indoors before the cold hits and keep my fingers crossed!!
CookieCows
07-21-2010, 10:12 PM
Very nice, Deb! Geez, the weather must be really great in your area. I know that you're in KY, but I was being considered for a similar job in Oakridge, TN, just south of KY, and I opted for the one in Richland, WA where I could drive home on weekends. Now, I wonder how my plants would have fared over there (in TN).
I have had a DO that I've had for 10 years and last year grew over 4 feet, then died last Winter. Wish I could have brought all my bananas inside, also. I lost many plants this past Winter. Even though it was relatively mild. These include the ones that survived over the past 8-10 years. I brought a few of the survivors to my temporary home in Richland, WA where I work during the week. They are scraggly looking still, except the Gros Michel that was kept right next to our living room sliding door in the greenhouse, but they are responding well to the 85°F-102°F weather there. I had hoped to replant them a couple of weeks ago, but dang it!, work keeps getting in the way, not to mention the yard maintenance at the house there.
I remember when you lost your plants!! Such a terrible thing to have happen especially when you've had them for so long and I know you don't have common plants.
So glad to hear the employment issue is resolved although it must be very trying to only be home on weekends and maintain two homes. I looked Richland up on mapquest and it looks like you are really out in the boondocks! We used to live down river on the Oregon side in Troutdale when we were first married.
Oakridge, Tn is 3 hours south west of us. We live about 40 mi. from the Tn border.
:goteam:UPDATE: I HAVE NANAS under one of the flower petals!! Wasn't able to get a good look today as we have more grandchildren activities going on but I'll see if I can get a picture in the morning!
Kevin
07-21-2010, 10:58 PM
Cool! How old is the plant? How did you overwinter it (temp., water, light)? I put mine outside this spring, and it's doing really well. This is it's second year, and I had it growing the whole time inside, so maybe flowers this year? Good luck with yours!
CookieCows
07-21-2010, 11:27 PM
Cool! How old is the plant? How did you overwinter it (temp., water, light)? I put mine outside this spring, and it's doing really well. This is it's second year, and I had it growing the whole time inside, so maybe flowers this year? Good luck with yours!
We put them in the ground in the spring time and dig pups up in the fall with a couple full grown plants that I cut down and keep them all in pots in the house. The one that bloomed this year that I kept in the pot is on it's 2nd year. I didn't do anything special with them inside this winter. In fact I cut down on the artificial lights as I had problems with it becoming too hot in the room. I did buy a better humidifier that turns on and off with a thermostat and bought a cheap table top thermostat that told me what the temp in the room was and the humidity level so I was able to better control that. Oh I have an oscillating fan in the room too. Other than that, I watered as needed and only fertilized maybe once a month during the winter as I couldn't have them growing sky high inside.
Thanks and good luck with yours too!!
saltydad
07-21-2010, 11:31 PM
This really is so exciting, Deb. I can't wait for a closeup of the bloom!
CookieCows
07-21-2010, 11:42 PM
This really is so exciting, Deb. I can't wait for a closeup of the bloom!
Thanks!! I can't wait to get out there in the morning and wish I could get to bed right now but have a couple grandchildren on their first night here that just can't seem to fall asleep.
Dean W.
07-22-2010, 05:41 AM
Looks great, Deb! Many Congrats!:0519:
Abnshrek
07-22-2010, 06:12 AM
:goteam:Congrat's Deb.. :birthdaynana:
Is there a weekly update or do we have to beg for it? lol :^)
CookieCows
07-22-2010, 07:35 AM
It's great exercise running in and out of the house but I probably should stop the quick touches and pokes!
[http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=34616 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=34204&ppuser=1476)
CookieCows
07-22-2010, 07:43 AM
:goteam:Congrat's Deb.. :birthdaynana:
Is there a weekly update or do we have to beg for it? lol :^)
hahaha ... southern guys!! .... still laughing!!
jeffreyp
07-22-2010, 09:41 AM
like from the movie jaws - i think you're going to need a bigger boat.....i think you need a bigger pot!
CookieCows
07-22-2010, 03:13 PM
like from the movie jaws - i think you're going to need a bigger boat.....i think you need a bigger pot!
I thought the same thing about the pot! It's one of my worries but I don't dare try to re-pot it now.
hammer
07-22-2010, 03:23 PM
Great job at least when it gets cold you can bring it in that pot. I planted all my bananas in the ground. i hope we have a warm fall and winter.
Taylor
07-22-2010, 09:36 PM
Congratulations, Deb. Bringing it inside won't be a problem if they don't ripen by fall.
CookieCows
07-23-2010, 06:16 AM
Congratulations, Deb. Bringing it inside won't be a problem if they don't ripen by fall.
You're the trail blazer Taylor!!
Oh, my stuttgart you sent me afew years ago is finally firmly established outside. It was touch and go the first winter when I kept it in my 'too hot-too moist' room giving everything way too much love.. just about killing everything! I have two clumps of it now and it survived outside last winter covered with hay!! I love anything that doesn't have to be brought in!
It's great exercise running in and out of the house but I probably should stop the quick touches and pokes!
Makes me feel better it's not just me going out in the middle of the night and 5 am to poke prod and stare grinning like a monkey:ha:
Chong , glad to hear things are looking up for you and you can still get home, no good salmon fishing or dungee's in Tenn. anyway!
chong
07-23-2010, 07:46 PM
Makes me feel better it's not just me going out in the middle of the night and 5 am to poke prod and stare grinning like a monkey:ha:
Chong , glad to hear things are looking up for you and you can still get home, no good salmon fishing or dungee's in Tenn. anyway!
Wow! Talk about expectant parents!
Thanks, Bob
Matter of fact, just this week we got a couple of over 2-pounders of dungeness from Costco near Richland and as usual I got half a crab plus the crab butter and my wife had the rest! No matter, I also had two doubles of Glenlevit on the rocks plus she served me leche flan with ice cream afterward.
CookieCows
07-23-2010, 11:50 PM
Chong I would say that you're spoiled but it sounds like you both receive such happiness from each other!!
Bob have you SMELLED it??? I have seen various comments in the past from members about the sweet smell but now I KNOW!! It's wonderful! I actually stopped with both arms full of heavy groceries today in 98 degree heat to get in the best spot for the breeze to waft up under my nose!
nullzero
08-03-2010, 02:09 PM
Cookiecows,
Nice looking banana mother + pups. I was curious what kind of fertilizer do you use and schedule? I have a dwarf orinoco in a large container as well (2 years old). I have not been able to get it to fruit yet, I was thinking maybe I was feeding it to much nitrogen.
Deb, yeah I have finally smelled it and on Mitchel and Harveys advice have been tasting the nectar of the female blossoms... well worth it!
Chong... I'm jealous of the Dungee's since I havent had any in so long..... Ditto the Glenlivet!:ha:
CookieCows
08-04-2010, 12:40 PM
Bob I thought I was going nuts trying to figure out where the scent was coming from if it wasn't coming from the banana! Then it went away so I thought, well maybe a breeze brought it in from somewhere. I just knocked off a bunch of male flowers this morning and smelled it faintly again while rustling the petals around.
Well I only have 4 nanas that look as though they're progressing and some that stayed stunted to a couple inches with no growth at all. I'm worried that even these 4 won't make it as they don't look at all like the photos of yours and Patty's.. health wise. I'm hoping that because they are a smaller fruit than yours is why they might look different. I'll take a pic later today. I'm going to go buy a couple huge pots at the end of summer when they go on sale as I want to try a larger pot for next years' hopefuls. When I start to get a little bummed about it, I remind myself that this is farthest I've gotten yet!
CookieCows
08-04-2010, 12:52 PM
Cookiecows,
Nice looking banana mother + pups. I was curious what kind of fertilizer do you use and schedule? I have a dwarf orinoco in a large container as well (2 years old). I have not been able to get it to fruit yet, I was thinking maybe I was feeding it to much nitrogen.
I believe they have to be around 2 years old to bloom. This was just a fluke I think that mine bloomed when it did as I give all my plants minimal fertilizer during the winter months in the house and this one bloomed before I could even start ramping up the feeding when I took it outside. I use whatever we have bought which a lot of times is miracle grow with something like 24/6/16. Not sure of the numbers but you get the idea.
Richard, among others have put out some amazing information on fertilizer in some of the older threads. I used to be more organized and would copy and paste info that pertained to my needs from threads to make my own files on my private documents so I wouldn't loose what I needed.
Edit: after thinking about it, I was wrong... I DID boost the fertilizer I think twice, about 3 weeks apart during early spring when it was getting close to going outside.
musaboru
08-04-2010, 11:03 PM
Hi Deb,
WOW! I must say that is amazing...I never seen a banana so short actually flower. Congrats and thanks for sharing the pics with us. What a sight. :)
CookieCows
08-04-2010, 11:29 PM
Hi Deb,
WOW! I must say that is amazing...I never seen a banana so short actually flower. Congrats and thanks for sharing the pics with us. What a sight. :)
:ha: I know it looks funny! ... It'll be a miracle if my 4 little nanas actually ripen!
CookieCows
10-09-2010, 01:00 PM
Ok my 4 bananas are down to 3 and in the house now, 3 months later.
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u18/dkelperis/Garden%20Landscape/2010004-2.jpg
Here is a picture of another D.Orinoco that started blooming about a month or so ago and it was another stunted plant that we had to take large pups from in order to get it in a pot to bring inside. I don't think it's going to make it as you can see how fast the leaves have gone from healthy green outside to almost crispy. But I will stick with it until the bitter end!
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u18/dkelperis/Garden%20Landscape/2010001-2.jpg
The house is a wreck! Dining room table is pushed aside, Daughter plus toddler just moved in. This is my little bit of hell right now. Soon it will all be arranged and places found around the house for everything. Thank goodness for those 3 little nanas that are my bright spot! :ha:
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u18/dkelperis/Garden%20Landscape/2010006.jpg
I feel so much better seeing your post Deb...... I'm not the only ( insert your own adjective! ) here. My house looks much the same and usually even more cramped and full of plants in the winter when I have to turn sideways to walk in certain areas. I'l post some shots here later since the porch is filling up and will be even more so by the end of the day:ha:
CookieCows
12-04-2010, 03:19 PM
I would never have thought I'd be picking a banana off my own plant here in Kentucky! My three little nanas are finally turning yellow. I'm in a delima as to when to pick, peel and eat now with just 3 to experiment with! I do have 8 on another DO that haven't plumped out all the way yet. Keeping my fingers crossed on those but they'll probably be going back outside in spring before they're even ready.
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u18/dkelperis/Garden%20Landscape/001.jpg
chong
12-04-2010, 04:24 PM
Awesome, Deb! Color me green (with envy)! Wow! and you have 8 more on the wing!
CookieCows
12-04-2010, 11:59 PM
Awesome, Deb! Color me green (with envy)! Wow! and you have 8 more on the wing!
Oh it doesn't even seem real! I'm so excited! I just got a little IC so I can start branching out with a new kind as I'm just overloaded with only DO as far as edible bananas go. After Christmas spending is over I'm going to look for a dwarf pomegranate also to keep in a pot.
Hope all is well and you have a wonderful holiday season!
Deb
mushtaq86
12-05-2010, 11:45 AM
How tall is the p-stem.
CookieCows
12-05-2010, 12:39 PM
How tall is the p-stem.
About 3 feet :o
CookieCows
12-05-2010, 07:41 PM
Ok this is it, I couldn't wait any longer. I tasted my first homegrown banana. We all had a taste. It seemed slightly dry and wasn't super sweet so I'm going to hold off on the other two until they ripen more. Still.. I'm so jazzed about the whole thing and can't wait to experience a different variety now!
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u18/dkelperis/Garden%20Landscape/2010007.jpg
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u18/dkelperis/Garden%20Landscape/2010008.jpg
http://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u18/dkelperis/Garden%20Landscape/2010010.jpg
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