View Full Version : Zone 8b/9a Edible Banana Race!
Kostas
02-14-2011, 11:42 AM
Hello!
Inspired from a misinterpretation of something suggested in the European section,i thought i would open this fun thread for everyone in zones 8b/9a to make it a somewhat fair competition climate wise! Nothing to win or loose but some good info will probably be gained from all of us!
Ok,so who's got the first full new leaf on his/her edible bananas? Who's got the first inflorescence of the year? The first mature bananas of the year maybe? Lets all list our first things for the year,edible banana related!
Things are still kinda slow here and have yet to see new growth on my only outdoor banana(Ice Cream/Blue Java) but it has finished compartmentalizing its damaged parts and seems ready to start adding new growth anytime! :woohoonaner:
Now lets hear from YOU! :bananas_b
Hi guys,
I'm in! My CaliGold is ready to join the race. Just yesterday I removed the old dry parts around the pstem and it's looking very good. Considering the small size around 30 - 40 cm stem height it survived the winter (so far) very well. But it has a big corm.
My Rajapuri lost all of its stem and both plants grow (grew?) side by side with mulch around the base and the stems wrapped with cloth. We had 12 times overnight frost up to -4°C this winter.
So that's my status before the race. No growth yet, but the soil is slowly heating up. I have a close by private weather station showing soil temperature and it's between 9 and 10 degrees at 50 cm depth and still a bit lower at 10 cm depth. As soon as the temps rise above 10 degrees growth should start slowly.
I'll post a pic tomorrow.
rick2001
02-14-2011, 01:23 PM
My edible nanas in the groound are still for the moment... only basjoo and Musella Lasiocarpa are slowly growing.
I think my first edible that's ready to start growing again is Orinoco.
It's only a matter of days....
Dalmatiansoap
02-14-2011, 04:43 PM
OK, im in too :)
Only edibles, hey?
Does potted ones counts? Not the ones growing inside but the ones from outside?
:woohoonaner:
Jack Daw
02-14-2011, 05:53 PM
OK, im in too :)
Only edibles, hey?
Does potted ones counts? Not the ones growing inside but the ones from outside?
:woohoonaner:
Ante!!! Not fair, you are zone 9b/10a!!! :ha: :08:
Ante!!! Not fair, you are zone 9b/10a!!! :ha: :08:
I might be also 9b, but I don't know for sure. Maps say I'm border 8 to 9, but from climatic data I should be at least 9a, but could be 9b.
But Ante should be more 9b! But anyway: Just rename it to "Mediterranean Banana Contest" and everything is fine :bananas_b
scottu
02-14-2011, 08:06 PM
OKay I'll play but, I have an advantage for now, I kept my first year musa basjoo alive and alert all winter and "they"are growing great. I put them both in the one biggest pot I could find cause they were so new and when having to come inside for the winter, the space I had wasn't good for very :03::bananas_b:ha::0517::0519::drum::birthdaynana::2722::waving: :goteam::nanadrink::lurk::08::2738::woohoonaner::bananas_b:banan as_b many big pots sos I can only hope they have become twins, not advisarys . I hope they can continue at this pace!
Kostas
02-15-2011, 03:22 AM
Its great to see so much interest already! :woohoonaner:
Lets keep it zone 8b/9a so that everyone has about equal chances and stick to the edibles as there are many cool weather species bananas which will surely start growing sooner and M. basjoo is already growing for many of you! Edibles tend to be more tender and heat needing.
Potted edible bananas that passed the whole winter(including the freezes) outside are ok as well!
Bernd,
I dont think you are 9b when you have multiple -4C freezes in a normal year like this one was. I only got a single -3C this year and 2 nights of 0C only but i can get to -6C every 4 years....In Skiathos,you do must be 9b or better but in Salonica,thats difficult! For determining our zone,we use the record cold temperatures for our area.
Lets keep the Banana Race international and not confined to Med! There are plenty of members living in similar climates around the world!
Ante,i dont know your climate at all so its your call! ;)
Here is my Ice Cream a couple of days ago! Still looks the same unfortunately....
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t244/Kostas_G/Bananas/IMG_0166.jpg
I wish everyone warm growing weather and may we see some leafs out soon!!!! :woohoonaner:
This is my contestent, California Gold. Picture is taken today. I removed only the outer layers on the pstem and the cigar leaf to show how good it survived this winter so far. At the moment I remove the cloth during the day, but there were no freezes in the last time. Still no growth. pstem is 30 cm.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=40307 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=40307&ppuser=5708)
@ Kostas: You may be right, that I'm in 9a here in Thessaloniki and for sure at least in 9b in Skiathos. Skiathos had no freezes this winter. Absolute low was between 1 and 2 °C. Weather History Skiathos 2011 (http://classic.wunderground.com/weatherstation/WXDailyHistory.asp?ID=IMAGNESI3&day=15&year=2011&month=2&graphspan=year) So this year was even more a 10a/b winter there. I think my Ice Cream should have done well. I haven't seen it since the end of October.
Dalmatiansoap
02-15-2011, 03:45 PM
Ante!!! Not fair, you are zone 9b/10a!!! :ha: :08:
No way Jack, we had -2C this winter. I ll stick to pure 9 :).
We all have simmilar climates Kostas, no big differences.
Kostas
02-15-2011, 04:42 PM
Bernd,
Your California Gold is looking good! Looks ready to grow anytime now!
Its great to hear there were no frosts in Skiathos this past winter! I know many of our islands never get freezing temperatures but just didnt know about Skiathos as its located to far North in the Aegian sea. I knew it would be 9b and up though as there are big Araucaria trees growing to perfection! Have you ever seen freezing temperatures being recorded in Skiathos? I checked the weather station but it only goes as far back as last year...
I think your Ice Cream in Skiathos should be in perfect shape if its planted in a well draining soil and irrigated infrequent!
Ante,
No problem,looking forward to seeing pictures of your contestants!!!
Looking forward to seeing pictures of everyone's contestants,it should be fun to see what we all start this year with!
Bernd,
Your California Gold is looking good! Looks ready to grow anytime now!
Its great to hear there were no frosts in Skiathos this past winter! I know many of our islands never get freezing temperatures but just didnt know about Skiathos as its located to far North in the Aegian sea. I knew it would be 9b and up though as there are big Araucaria trees growing to perfection! Have you ever seen freezing temperatures being recorded in Skiathos? I checked the weather station but it only goes as far back as last year...
I think your Ice Cream in Skiathos should be in perfect shape if its planted in a well draining soil and irrigated infrequent!
Thanks Kosta, I'm also very happy about the CaliGold and I'm waiting for the day growth kicks in.
Skiathos get's freezing temperatures, but usually very little and not every year. -2°C is the lowest I have found out, but very rare days with even highs below 0° C have been recorded. Two years ago in February I saw snow myself in Skiathos, but only at elevations above 100 - 150 m.
I would say it's in 9b for sure.
My IC should be well enough drained and it's irrigated only when it's really dry (I have a system with a soil humidity sensor).
Dalmatiansoap
02-16-2011, 06:43 AM
Im not going to race with potted plants, they allready push new leaves (at least Ice cream and Hajray does) so it wouldnt be fair. So my contestants are Ice Cream, Orinoco, Saba, Rajapuri and Dhusray for this round.
Im not going to race with potted plants, they allready push new leaves (at least Ice cream and Hajray does) so it wouldnt be fair. So my contestants are Ice Cream, Orinoco, Saba, Rajapuri and Dhusray for this round.
I agree and I just mentioned my plants here planted in the ground. My potted nanners in my greenhouse do still grow in the pots. I will plant out some of them.
I have Malbhog, Dhusray, Praying Hands, Dwarf Orinoco, Hajaray, Goldfinger, Dwarf Namwah, Manzano and a Basjoo "Sapporo" (which according to the "Curse Of The Basjoos"* is suffering). I'm not sure which one to plant. Any ideas? I don't have space for all of them. I think Dw. Orinoco should be, but the rest...?
* I have had no luck with Basjoos so far. I lost one last year and this one is already struggeling, so I call it "curse" :-)
Kostas
02-17-2011, 07:10 AM
Bernd,
Thanks for the information about Skiathos winter weather! Being so far North,its not a big surprise it can get below 0C but below 0C the whole day,that is quite surprising for an island! Even Pyrgos doesnt stay below freezing after sunrise!!!! But it does can get lower than -2C just before the sunrise...
Good to hear such things wont be an issue for your IC! Then really nothing should be an issue for it!!!! You may get 2 nice bunches from it this year!!! :woohoonaner:
I would plant either the Praying Hands,Goldfinger or Manzano if i had limited space and these varieties to choose from but thats just my preference. I think Dwarf Orinoco is too widely planted to give it some of your limited space. A full size Orinoco would be more spectacular!
Ante,
Did you protect your potted naners? I ask because i would imagine unprotected bananas would be more cold damaged that ground planted ones and less eager to start growing early. On the other hand,their pots probably warmed up already,helping with new growth while the ground may still be coldish.
Any trace of growth on your ground planted ones? Nothing on mine yet.
I have Tall Namwah and Kandrian in pots and i still keep them in my basement under lights as i dont think they would grow as much outside right now. Not warm enough...I hope to ground plant them when my Ice Cream starts growing at a good pace!
Dalmatiansoap
02-17-2011, 07:19 AM
They are just under the deck during the coldest days. And , yes, U R right about pots, they warm up sooner than ground. Sunny days, black pots, no need to explain anything else ;).
Still no movements on planted ones, but on the other hand Basjoo, Sikkimensis and Velutinas are showing nice new growth.
Velutina
02-19-2011, 10:56 AM
I'll play if you allow my 9A desert climate in North America. I have an ice cream, cardaba, raja puri, and Iholene. All were killed to the ground over the winter. I don't expect any growth for at least a month. Last year they got to about 8' before the dry desert-heat killed them. I moved them all to a better location with better soil, so am hoping for better results this year.
Kostas
02-19-2011, 12:55 PM
You are in Velutina!!! :woohoonaner:
Post current photos if you would like to show the difference when they start growing! Its always nice to see the change in looks new growth brings!
Can I get in this "race" ? I'm in zone 6 so it's kind of like fighting with one arm tied behind the back..... still, why not try and have some fun?:ha: Nothing in the ground but I'll limit it to those dormant in my root cellar!
Kostas
02-19-2011, 06:13 PM
Sure Bob!!! :woohoonaner: Growing bananas in a climate as yours surely needs quite some dedication! We are honored you want to join our race!!! :)
Worm_Farmer
02-20-2011, 08:29 AM
I got some full leafs already. I will try to get some pictures this afternoon.
Here we Go:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=40414&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=40414&ppuser=4277)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=40412&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=40412&ppuser=4277)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=40413&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=40413&ppuser=4277)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=40415&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=40415&ppuser=4277)
Dalmatiansoap
02-22-2011, 02:19 PM
Congrats Mike,
I dont have a much to brag but here they are:
IC
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=40434&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=40434&ppuser=4565)
Dhusray
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=40433&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=40433&ppuser=4565)
Saba
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=40432&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=40432&ppuser=4565)
Orinoco
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=40431&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=40431&ppuser=4565)
:nanadrink:
rick2001
02-22-2011, 02:39 PM
Ok, I'm in the race too.... today I notice almost 1 mm of green in a completely burn cigar leaf of my orinoco , dating back to last December frost.:ha:
Small update on my CaliGold:
It wasn't very warm and sunny in the last days, but the CaliGold seems to be showing first signs of growth!
It's yet too little to show a pic, but looking very, very closely it could be start.
According to a nearby weatherstation with soil temperature, temps are around 10° C/50F (10 cm (4") and 50 cm (1.6 ft) deep) and that's when bananas start growing.
But some cold weather is expected to arrive on the weekend... I hope it won't get too cold and won't last long.
Dalmatiansoap
02-22-2011, 02:43 PM
:pics:
Ok, I'm in the race too.... today I notice almost 1 mm of green in a completely burn cigar leaf of my orinoco , dating back to last December frost.:ha:
:nanadrink:
Kostas
02-23-2011, 05:56 PM
:woohoonaner: Wonderful pictures!!!Thanks for sharing Mike and Ante!!!!! :woohoonaner:
Mike,you have got some nice growth there already!!!Thats the difference half to a full zone up makes!;)
Ante,i see you still have undamaged foliage! Thats great! I guess Jack was right:D But who cares,the more participants and pictures the better!!!!;)We need our fix!:woohoonaner:
Good to hear that Rick and Brent! Looking forward to seeing pictures!!!
Still nothing on mine and i got a little more dieback after the heavy rains we had the past days....Hoping the predicted cold weather for the next days never comes or at least that its the last cold weather of winter/spring for this year...
Kostas
03-21-2011, 05:37 AM
Anybody else got a full new leaf on his bananas yet?
I havent but 2 days ago i noticed 3mm per day growth on my Ice Cream!!!:woohoonaner: Still,dead tissue coming out only for now but i guess it will eventually show green! I hope that 1-2weeks from now,i will have my first green leaf on my IC so hurry up and post yours!!!:D
Sorry, but no progress from my side, because the frost, two weeks ago also killed my California Gold. But I'm pretty sure that the corm's still intact and will regrow, because it was just three nights below freezing and the corm is quite deep in the soil and still looks good.
But now it's time to wait - hopefully not for long! Anybody's got experience with regrowth from the corm and could tell me how long it can take?
Jack Daw
03-21-2011, 06:18 AM
Sorry, but no progress from my side, because the frost, two weeks ago also killed my California Gold. But I'm pretty sure that the corm's still intact and will regrow, because it was just three nights below freezing and the corm is quite deep in the soil and still looks good.
But now it's time to wait - hopefully not for long! Anybody's got experience with regrowth from the corm and could tell me how long it can take?
Prevent rotting by cutting off any and all damaged tissue. :)
Prevent rotting by cutting off any and all damaged tissue. :)
That was the first I did. I cut the brown tissue down to the corm and I'm checking on a regular basis for any signs of rot, but none so far.
The corm is covered with mulch. I think I will add some fungicide - just in case. The good thing is the soil temperature, it's above 10°C/50 F and it should be getting warmer the next days.
Kostas
03-22-2011, 04:30 AM
I am very sorry to hear that Bernd. I also bet the corm should be ok,even the meristem may still be ok and show new growth with warm weather! Last snow was about the same as the first we got in December and my IC was only slightly more burned after it. Maybe if you hadnt cut away the dead parts before the snow(of course we didnt expect snow that late and with the great weather we had been having!!!!),it would have done better for you! I didnt cut away anything but i had no rot on my IC so far and all dead tissues have dried up.
I wish your California Gold starts growing again very soon!!!
Wish me luck: I hope this works! (http://www.bananas.org/showthread.php?p=157743#post157743)
Kostas
03-27-2011, 02:47 AM
Good luck Bernd!!! I hope you get a pup or more from each section!!!
You know thats risky though and the resulting pups won't be as vigorous to gain height as a pup emerging from the whole corm would have been. It's good for fast multiplication though!:)
Kostas
03-30-2011, 11:50 AM
The first half a cm or more of green,live tissue has just revealed itself today on the emerging leaf of my IC after the emergence of about 5cm of dead tissue over the last month!:woohoonaner:
This half a cm was today's growth,real slow but its a start!:woohoonaner: I hope it gets faster soon!!!
Dalmatiansoap
03-30-2011, 02:15 PM
Eppur si muove!!!
:nanadrink:
rick2001
03-31-2011, 01:44 AM
My Orinoco's cigar leaf is almost ready to open up!!!
I'll take a pic today.
Velutina
03-31-2011, 07:45 PM
It reached 92F today!! I saw the first green from the bananas this week! :D I think we went straight from winter to summer. I've been taking photos and will post pics when I have good comparisons to show :D
Kostas
04-03-2011, 04:41 AM
Thats great to hear Rick!!!:woohoonaner: The only problem i find is that i still see no photos...:D
Thats great Adam! With such high temperatures,it shouldnt take much more than a week to get a full new leaf! :woohoonaner:
My IC got to 1,5cm of green new leaf so far as we had a very cool,rainy week that didnt favored growth at all....The forecast is for a wonderful warm week now so i have high hopes it will finally speed up!
mushtaq86
04-05-2011, 03:18 PM
No chance of getting anything to fruit outside in the UK, guess you all will have to keep me updated with your pics:lurk::ha:
My Rajapuri, which was killed to the the corm in December, is coming back. I had a small pup in autmn, which seemed to be also killed, but is now coming back!
It's still small and below the mulch. But I'll post a pic, as soon as it has grown a bit!
Dalmatiansoap
04-09-2011, 03:02 PM
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/dalmatiansoap/IMAG2084.jpg
:nanadrink:
Kostas
04-09-2011, 03:50 PM
Doing well Ante!!! You will soon have a new full leaf to enjoy there:woohoonaner:
Bernd,
I am sorry to hear your Raja Puri was killed to the ground but it's great that the pup made it!!! Please post pictures as it develops!
mushtaq86,
We will all try to do our share! ;) We just need our bananas cooperation as for many of us they still look kinda crappy and grow really slowly that first green leaf!
The green part of my IC's new leaf reached 10cm or more today,growing the 6 of those cm today alone thanks to the really hot day we had(min 16C,max 23C). The forecast is for coolish weather(max 16C) now though and I am afraid I will have to do with half a cm dailly growth again...Hoping for more warm weather for my IC to get on with good growth as it's been leafless too long for me already!
AmberNichole
04-09-2011, 03:53 PM
I am 9a/9b depending on which map you look at, i am like litterly right on the line of most maps. Mine are growing good, even though it was in the 20s for most of the winter (or so it seemed anyways) even the basjoos lost all their leaves and had to be cut down.
Couple pictures from April 2nd, All of the bananas are coming back in full force
Some Misi Luki pups
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=41577&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=41577)
Some Orinocos after a wind storm
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=41579&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=41579)
Jack Daw
04-09-2011, 04:17 PM
AN, beautiful pictures. You live in paradise. :)
floridagrower
04-09-2011, 08:55 PM
Amber,
Basjoos never need to be "cut back" anywhere in Florida. I'm 400 miles north of you and my basjoos never lose there trunks. Most winters they grow between frosts and don't lose their petioles. If you did it for cosmetic reasons then that is different.
These past two winters are record winters for Florida but you are 10A almost long term. Do dips to 9A happen? Sure. But that doesn't make you 9A. I know there are fruiting Ice Creams and Manzanos in Cape Coral right now, even after two record winters.
hydroid
04-09-2011, 09:17 PM
I think my basjoos grew all winter here in Gulf Shores, Alabama. I already have 2 of them fruiting and it was a hard winter here. The Basjoos were the first plants to turn green this spring.
Velutina
04-10-2011, 01:15 AM
Here is what my ice cream bananas look like. I'm in zone 9a and we had a 9a winter.
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt201/triterium/April2011342.jpg
There are 4 different banana corms in the area in the center. The only one growing so far is the ice cream. Growth on the ice cream started about a week ago. I'm hoping the others start soon.
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt201/triterium/April2011343.jpg
AmberNichole
04-10-2011, 12:58 PM
Well zone 10a starts at Naples and that is about 40 miles south of me. USNA - USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: South-East US (http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-se1.html)
This website says i am 9b, which i'm on the borderline.
USDA Hardiness Zone Finder
Your Zip: 33990
Zone: 9B
City: CAPE CORAL
State: FL
Either way the basjoos could have come around without being cut back, but they were all brown and dead looking, so it was cosmetic lol I actually did it with almost all of the bananas except the really big ones, i cut all their leaves off through. There is no way mine could have fruited this winter, but if I made an effort to protect them it could have been different.
Planter56
04-10-2011, 03:32 PM
For some reason reading this thread makes me want to break out the pompoms!!!! :goteam: I root for all of ya! I'm still waiting for above 50 degree nights up here to begin so I can get mine outside. My dwarf giant is looking mighty nasty, and my superdwarf really really needs repotting. While my ensts are just waitin to get growing. So I hope everyone has a great growing year after the winter we had.:goteam:
floridagrower
04-10-2011, 07:29 PM
On the flip side of things, it's not unusual for Cape Coral to have 10B winters. A conservative planting would have you at a high 9B but more often the averages are 10A especially for Cape Coral proper. Of course if your in the sticks or Sun Coast Estates than that isn't the case. Are you a transplant to South Florida?
Also, each year after now your bananas will need less cutting. For example my older Misi Luki had 5-6 leaves per trunk now, April 10th. If you care about the fruit you should not cut them back. And in the case of Basjoo, if you want a nice tall clump do not cut them.
Well zone 10a starts at Naples and that is about 40 miles south of me. USNA - USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: South-East US (http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/hzm-se1.html)
This website says i am 9b, which i'm on the borderline.
USDA Hardiness Zone Finder
Your Zip: 33990
Zone: 9B
City: CAPE CORAL
State: FL
Either way the basjoos could have come around without being cut back, but they were all brown and dead looking, so it was cosmetic lol I actually did it with almost all of the bananas except the really big ones, i cut all their leaves off through. There is no way mine could have fruited this winter, but if I made an effort to protect them it could have been different.
kaczercat
04-10-2011, 09:45 PM
only if I were 3 or 4 zones warmer, things would be growing a lot faster !!
AmberNichole
04-12-2011, 09:46 AM
Yeah I moved here about 5-6 years ago from zone 4 LOL Grew up in Alaska. I sure wish I could experience those 100 degree winters here! Guess I brought the cold down here when i moved. This was the winter before last and it was the same thing last winter....you know they just don't sell ice scrapers down here....
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=41729 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=32582)
Dalmatiansoap
04-13-2011, 04:50 AM
Congrats Mike,
I dont have a much to brag but here they are:
IC
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=40434&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=40434&ppuser=4565)
Dhusray
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=40433&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=40433&ppuser=4565)
Saba
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=40432&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=40432&ppuser=4565)
Orinoco
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=40431&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=40431&ppuser=4565)
:nanadrink:
Saba
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/dalmatiansoap/IMAG2115.jpg
Orinoco
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/dalmatiansoap/IMAG2113.jpg
Hajray
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/dalmatiansoap/IMAG2114.jpg
Nam Wah
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/dalmatiansoap/IMAG2116.jpg
:nanadrink:
Kostas
04-13-2011, 11:30 AM
Wonderful pictures Amber, Adam and Ante! :woohoonaner:
It shows very well how Floridians are well ahead of most other people in growth even if technically in the same zones with others! Latitude plays quite a role I would guess as well as the shorter time frosts last.
Ante,you almost got a full new leaf there as well!!! :woohoonaner: Was the last banana unprotected all winter?
My IC is growing reliably 3cm or more per day now but it sure needs a week or more to open it's first leaf...Can't wait!!!!!
Kostas
04-14-2011, 03:51 AM
Here is a photo I just took of my Ice Cream!
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t244/Kostas_G/Bananas/0216b007.jpg
Happy growing! :woohoonaner:
floridagrower
04-15-2011, 08:04 PM
Just spotted a flag leaf on my Misi Luki. It probably "popped" a couple of days ago and I just noticed. I'll get a picture.
Kostas
05-02-2011, 06:41 AM
Thats great news Jeff!!! Looking forward to photos!
Here are a couple recent ones of my Ice Cream,still putting out its first leaf unfortunately...
About 4 days ago...
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t244/Kostas_G/Bananas/aa174a9f.jpg
And yesterday!
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t244/Kostas_G/Bananas/2c84dda0.jpg
Its speeding up nicely with the warm weather we are finally having and i think it should open that leaf in about 2-3days now.Well,hopefully....
Dalmatiansoap
05-02-2011, 02:29 PM
Bravo Kostas,
here are some of mine today
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/dalmatiansoap/IMAG2266.jpg
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/dalmatiansoap/IMAG2265.jpg
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/dalmatiansoap/IMAG2268.jpg
http://i730.photobucket.com/albums/ww305/dalmatiansoap/IMAG2269.jpg
:woohoonaner:
mushtaq86
05-02-2011, 03:08 PM
Looking good Ante:doggyandnaner:
Kostas
05-02-2011, 03:59 PM
Beautiful Ante!!!! :woohoonaner: You certainly got your first full leafs already!
How is your big Ice Cream doing?
Dalmatiansoap
05-02-2011, 04:16 PM
Thanks guys,
not so good lately Kostas, for some reason it just stopped and I still cant figure out why.
Kostas
05-02-2011, 04:41 PM
I am sorry to hear that Ante. Have you checked for soft mushy areas on low on its pseudostem? My Namwah had stopped growing and found it had a few rotting leaf bases on it,all soft,mushy and full of grubs/worms. After removing those and left the low parts to sun dry,rot stopped and my Namwah has resumed normal growth and has stopped the rot it had on other,higher parts as well! So it may have been that,coupled with temperatures not too good for growth.
Leave it dry a bit more than usual as well,if you are watering it. I think that whatever and if it is,it will fix itself when hot weather finally comes!
Dalmatiansoap
05-02-2011, 04:45 PM
I dont know, stem looks good and healthy, no sighs of mush, U can see a part of it on the second pic below.
Kostas
05-02-2011, 05:01 PM
I thought that big pseudostem belongs to your Ice Cream,that why i asked! Its quite big!
What about under those brown leaf bases? Thats where rot was hiding on my Namwah,under those but inside ''live'',mushy leafbases,not the dried ones. But i could feel that even from above the dried ones,when i gently squeezed,it would feel like fluid moving away from the area i pressed on as the compartments of the leaf base were mush and not supporting the structure of the leaf base,as normal...I bet the grabs/worms i found inside the mushy leaf bases,were helping spread the rot faster...
Kostas
05-13-2011, 05:37 PM
Just an update on my IC,I saw a second leaf coming out already although the first one hasnt completely unfolded yet unfortunately. It has unfolded more than enough to not obstruct the new leaf but its not totally out yet. I will post a picture as soon as the first leaf fully unfolds!!!
Kostas
05-15-2011, 03:35 PM
The first leaf has finally almost fully unfolded now so here are the pictures! :woohoonaner:
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t244/Kostas_G/Bananas/578aa4ab.jpg
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t244/Kostas_G/Bananas/45e292c2.jpg
http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t244/Kostas_G/Bananas/a455c14a.jpg
As you can see,it needs a few more cm to fully unfold but it's already putting out a new leaf so the first one is mostly finished! As you can also see,it's missing it's upper part which got broken by the strong winds and rain before the leaf even unfolded. That broken portion was 2/3rds of the remaining leaf and it also emerged this year,so that makes this leaf the first full leaf of the year for me! :woohoonaner:
Can't wait for the next one to grow and unfold!!!!
Dalmatiansoap
05-15-2011, 03:38 PM
Time to trim that tree Kostas.
Congrats on leaf!
Kostas
05-15-2011, 04:16 PM
Thank you very much Ante!
The few times I have seen bananas with shirts of dead leafs hanging,I liked them a lot as they give the impression of a woody tree that way,so I would like to try it and see how mine looks when it grows more leafs! :)
Never expected this... I only planted my plants outside about 3 weeks ago....( Does this count?.... I'm in zone 6 don't forget), I thought I saw it this morning before dawn but then thought it was my eyes playing tricks.....Now I'm really thinking that leaving an old corm on a new pup helps it mature faster....in any case.... first flower of the new season...Velutina ( dasycrappa...whatever ...you guys know what it is):
http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss149/bob_075/DSCN0873.jpg
http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss149/bob_075/DSCN0871.jpg
john_ny
06-10-2011, 06:36 PM
Neat, Bob. Congrats!
Velutina
06-10-2011, 07:26 PM
the bananas are off to a slow start and 100F+ temps are a few days away. Large banana is an icecream and smaller one is a brazillian.
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt201/triterium/June2011165.jpg
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