View Full Version : Can I separate bananas?
Marinemom
03-17-2011, 09:57 AM
I just uncovered my bananas this morning and am tickled that all but one survived the cold, NC winter we had this go 'round...They all look really good with even a few green leaves out.
I have one mat, I think is what it is called that has about 7 or 8 bananas in it and I would like to thin it out if possible. The mother plant is somewhat shorter now than the pups, all being over 6-8 feet tall, not counting the leaves. Is there a way to dig up some of the "pups" now with them being so big or have I missed my chance to separate? And if I can separate, what is the correct way to do this and with what tool?
Thanks a bunch!:waving:
MarineMom in NC
Dean W.
03-17-2011, 10:45 AM
http://www.bananas.org/f2/time-separate-pups-spring-1814.html
raygrogan
03-17-2011, 05:31 PM
Hi banana tarheel - you can separate banana plants anytime they are growing / ready to grow. The tool I use is a "tree spade", sort of a long thinner shovel that is good for shoving in to make the cut. I sharpen the leading edge of the shovel. But a reg shovel will do fine. Timing wise the advantage of planting a smaller keiki is they get to go thru their full growth cycle under good conditions. But you can plant any size banana plant. The bigger ones will loose about 5 leaves in the recovery, and not get quite as big, but will eventually make a fine mat of bananas. Good luck. Ray
Marinemom
03-21-2011, 01:20 PM
Got the right shovel and actually did a fine job of separating the "teens" from the momma plant... Looks much improved out there except for one thing~
When I uncovered them I noticed that one banana had some mush at the top, I guess where it had poked thru the covering and trash bag, so I cut it off. Well now, it is still cut and no new growth, just a black looking "stump" on top.
What should I do about that? Leave it be and hope it will grow at some point or cut it off and hopefully a new leaf will emerge? It isn't rotten and is quite solid, just black where I cut it off. This is actually the Mother plant I am talking about and not the ones I just separated! It is about 7 feet tall and is quite healthy looking, except for the top where I cut!:(
Marine Mom in NC
Dean W.
03-21-2011, 03:39 PM
Really? You should see some green to where you cut it back to. You may want to cut a little more back. But the firmness is a good indicator of a healthy P-stem.
Kostas
03-21-2011, 05:43 PM
The latex coming out of cut pseudostem tissues and most other banana tissues as well,oxidize fast with exposure to air and turn black in color with the tissues dehydrating a bit as well and remaining very firm. This is natural and no problem. You can easily tell that apart from rot;)
Unless temperatures are really cool,you should be see some growth within a few days at most. Otherwise something is wrong.
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