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View Full Version : Twisted up bunch of bananas


Magilla Gorilla
09-03-2010, 09:42 PM
I found another plant fruiting today. It is also an unknown. It is supposed to be a Gran Nain. The bunch got twisted up so I cut it free. Hopefully it will develop into edible fuit. The first picture is of last years fruit (that's an entire another question).
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l192/YeloZ06/Fruitingunknown.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l192/YeloZ06/Unknownflowertwist.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l192/YeloZ06/Unknownflowertwist2.jpg
http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l192/YeloZ06/Unknowntwisterbanana2.jpg
Has anyone ever had this happen? What were the results?

ron_mcb
09-04-2010, 04:57 PM
looks like there was a blowout.. several reasons for this. a lot of times when i had blow outs it was on the taller newly transplanted/separated pups with little or no root systems of its own or after the plant was exposed to cold for prolonged periods.

either way i think in a lot of cases its caused by the root system being damaged or disturbed by something. the top growth is halted because of this or the top dies altogether and then new leaves are obstructed. so they burst from the sides.

sunfish
09-04-2010, 06:47 PM
Info:Choking - Bananas Wiki (http://www.bananas.org/wiki/Info:Choking)

planetrj
09-04-2010, 07:09 PM
I was just going to say Ron's answer, that it looks like prolonged cold.
We had our record frost down here in 2007, and I had 2 stalks do this with leaves, and luckily weren't in the fruit development stage yet. I had to end up cutting back the pseudostem to expose the next emerging leaves, as it looked like the tree was shrinking lol... You did a good job to rescue it, that the fruit actually stayed on, because I'd bet many times it just fails.

Good luck with the ripening! :)

Magilla Gorilla
09-04-2010, 09:01 PM
looks like there was a blowout.. several reasons for this. a lot of times when i had blow outs it was on the taller newly transplanted/separated pups with little or no root systems of its own or after the plant was exposed to cold for prolonged periods.

either way i think in a lot of cases its caused by the root system being damaged or disturbed by something. the top growth is halted because of this or the top dies altogether and then new leaves are obstructed. so they burst from the sides.

Thanks. It has been cold here this summer. It feels like fall!

Info:Choking - Bananas Wiki (http://www.bananas.org/wiki/Info:Choking)
Thanks Tony. Great reference! I'm not sure how long the flower has been hanging.

I was just going to say Ron's answer, that it looks like prolonged cold.
We had our record frost down here in 2007, and I had 2 stalks do this with leaves, and luckily weren't in the fruit development stage yet. I had to end up cutting back the pseudostem to expose the next emerging leaves, as it looked like the tree was shrinking lol... You did a good job to rescue it, that the fruit actually stayed on, because I'd bet many times it just fails.

Good luck with the ripening! :)

We did get that cold in 07. It got down to 35 here. It is way to cold for me and my plants here!

Are you cutting the fruit off to ripen. It seems like I get the flower and fruit but we really dont warm here in Santa Barbara so nothing ripens. My fruit stays on the plants and hangs and does nothing. It looks great but it would be nice to eat a banana. What are you and Tony doing with your hanging fruit as you live in southern California? Thanks so much!!!

sunfish
09-04-2010, 09:30 PM
Thanks. It has been cold here this summer. It feels like fall!


Thanks Tony. Great reference! I'm not sure how long the flower has been hanging.



We did get that cold in 07. It got down to 35 here. It is way to cold for me and my plants here!

Are you cutting the fruit off to ripen. It seems like I get the flower and fruit but we really dont warm here in Santa Barbara so nothing ripens. My fruit stays on the plants and hangs and does nothing. It looks great but it would be nice to eat a banana. What are you and Tony doing with your hanging fruit as you live in southern California? Thanks so much!!!

Mine have ripened on the plant,but it takes from 5 to 8 months depending on the season.I have cut a few fingers off early and put them in a paper bag ,that worked fine .

Magilla Gorilla
09-04-2010, 11:29 PM
Mine have ripened on the plant,but it takes from 5 to 8 months depending on the season.I have cut a few fingers off early and put them in a paper bag ,that worked fine .

Thanks Tony. I have one bunch that has been on the plant for 9 or 10 months. I will try the paper bag.

planetrj
09-05-2010, 04:39 AM
I have cut a few fingers off early and put them in a paper bag ,that worked fine .

Also, adding in a slice or two of ripe apple will release the methane gas which will help begin the ripening process. That always works once i know the bananas have plumped up enough, or if that odd hand is stubborn once the weather gets too cold to do any more developing, like around late January/Early Feb.

ron_mcb
09-05-2010, 10:41 AM
as far as the summer feeling like fall in california this year..i have been noticing that i have been at least 10-15 degrees warmer here all summer than almost anyone in cali. but i guess u guys have a more consistent weather pattern year round?
i drop in the low teens for a week or two out the year then mostly stay in the upper 30's- 40's with some rain.

if it were not for the week or two with teen temps and rain/snow fall i could do better with bananas. i have the orinoco that flowered in mid june that is already near the end of the ripening process.

Magilla Gorilla
09-05-2010, 10:56 AM
as far as the summer feeling like fall in california this year..i have been noticing that i have been at least 10-15 degrees warmer here all summer than almost anyone in cali. but i guess u guys have a more consistent weather pattern year round?
i drop in the low teens for a week or two out the year then mostly stay in the upper 30's- 40's with some rain.

Everyone thinks it is great that Santa Barbara stays between 68 to 74 all year round. It is very temperate but because we are so close to the ocean it is very damp and cool. The Pacific ocean is freezing! It doesn't warm up enough to be hot. We don't have air conditioning which is common here. My tropicals and I would like it warmer! I can grow a lot of different plants here but more heat would allow them to grow better. This is one reason why I will be moving to The Big Island of Hawaii in 2012 :02:.

ron_mcb
09-05-2010, 11:34 AM
well you guys have appreciate that since the ocean is so cold there you dont have to worry about too many hurricanes.

Magilla Gorilla
09-05-2010, 11:52 AM
well you guys have appreciate that since the ocean is so cold there you dont have to worry about too many hurricanes.

None since I have lived here. The ocean is way cold here. It averages around 58 degrees. Yesterday we took a break from gardening and went to the beach and my girls went in the ocean. Kids have no cold receptors! I was shivering watching them.
Georgia is beautiful! I was there a few years ago. It just gets a little to cold for me in the winter. I'm originally from New York so cold was something we lived with. I have learned that you can always move. We are here once why not live where we want!