View Full Version : Can fruit mature without leaves on the P-stem?
Darkman
03-05-2012, 10:54 PM
I think I have a mat that may support a stalk that is fruiting now. The last frost took the leaves just as the fruit stalk was just coming out. It has now pushed out and is setting hands that look normal. Can the mat feed this fruiting stalk on a leafless P-stem?
This will be a great test to see if a stalk with no leaves and only a fruiting stalk can take nourishment from the mat.
Kostas
03-06-2012, 10:22 AM
It does can and will mature the bunch,i have seen that locally. I dont know if it can take nourishment from the younger stems but i would think that a mature corm has enough energy to mature a small bunch on its own,even without leafs or support from the mat. But,the interconnected nature of a banana mat suggests there is some nutrient and water flow between the corms and that resources are shared.
Nicolas Naranja
03-06-2012, 10:40 AM
My experience is that you need at least 1 leaf per hand to fill out fruit. If the fruit is mostly full and leafless the fruit will eventually ripen.
bananimal
03-06-2012, 04:45 PM
My experience is you need 5 to 10 leaves to fill in fingers. And for the minimum -- the 5 leaves need to be mostly complete - not burned up. Shredded is ok.
GoAngels
03-06-2012, 05:34 PM
I have had fruit continue to fully develop well after a p stem has lost all its leaves.
sunfish
03-06-2012, 06:28 PM
I have had fruit continue to fully develop well after a p stem has lost all its leaves.
Same here
Darkman
03-06-2012, 08:49 PM
Nicolas and Bananimal,
You didn't specify but I assume you mean leaves on other P-stems. Right?
Go Angels and Sunfish,
Thanks. That is encouraging. I'll keep updating.
island cassie
03-09-2012, 01:58 PM
I'm in a similar situation here with my Manzano! A tropical storm blew through here with no warning and bent the pstem over with a good sized bunch of fruit. All the leaves browned and shrivelled but I just left the whole thing alone to see what happened - didn't try to straighten it as it was way past that. Now a month later, the fruit are plumping up slowly and looking surprisingly good under the circs, and they still have at least 2 months to go (can't quite remember how long). There is one good sized pup which is possibly helping but the pstem is mashed where it bent over, and I am quite surprised how well it is doing.
Darkman
03-09-2012, 03:22 PM
Island Cassie,
That is especially encouraging to hear. Mine just might make it. Everything is still looking good.
bananimal
03-09-2012, 07:58 PM
Dkman------ I mean leaf count on the main stem. Been growing new plantings for so long (none or few pups) with the winter killing off the main -- this year is different.
Darkman
03-09-2012, 08:27 PM
Dkman------ I mean leaf count on the main stem. Been growing new plantings for so long (none or few pups) with the winter killing off the main -- this year is different.
My main stem will not produce anymore leaves since it has set fruit. Hopefully the pups with leaves will be able to nourish it. Some think it will. I hope so. Good luck with your pups.
island cassie
03-12-2012, 04:39 PM
:woohoonaner: Darkman - today I saw that the top hand was turning yellow - yesterday there was no change!! the fingers are thin and a bit angular which is what I would expect under the circs - but better than I expected so I will let you know what they taste like shortly! Good luck with your bunch!
mushtaq86
03-12-2012, 05:07 PM
:woohoonaner: Darkman - today I saw that the top hand was turning yellow - yesterday there was no change!! the fingers are thin and a bit angular which is what I would expect under the circs - but better than I expected so I will let you know what they taste like shortly! Good luck with your bunch!
Keep us updated carol:lurk:
island cassie
03-12-2012, 06:16 PM
Will do Mushtaq - good to talk to you again!
Darkman
03-12-2012, 07:22 PM
Sweeeet! Carol
AND hopefully the bananas will be too.
Got any Pictures?
island cassie
03-14-2012, 10:34 AM
OK Darkman - here they are! I ate some of the ripe ones for breakfast as they are very sweet.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48114&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=48114)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48112&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=48112)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48113&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=48113)
oakshadows
03-14-2012, 01:57 PM
Sure is a lot of bananas, and they look just you said they tasted. We might have to move farther south since we lover bananas. The weather is very nice here now and all of the plants are putting out leaves. Many are in pots and have to get put in the ground. Oh my aching back. Good luck and thanks.
Bananaman88
03-14-2012, 02:36 PM
I'm testing this theory with my 'Raja Puri'. Lost all the leaves to frost, then the darn thing produced its bud and has been setting fruit all throughout our mild winter. We had only a couple nights of frost (just enough for me to lose all my banana leaves) and the rest of the winter has been way above normal with no more frosts. We'll see how it does.
island cassie
03-15-2012, 09:02 AM
Good luck with that - after a mild winter it might just work.
harveyc
03-15-2012, 11:25 AM
I've got one in the same situation, just flowering now. We'll see....
Darkman
03-16-2012, 07:44 AM
Bananaman88 and Harvey C,
Ok! We are nationwide, coast to coast and with Cassie, we are International with our little test.
sunfish
03-16-2012, 08:29 AM
http://www.bananas.org/f2/damage-will-banans-mature-11417.html#post125656
http://www.bananas.org/f2/damage-will-banans-mature-11417.html
Bananaman88
03-16-2012, 09:08 AM
I keep meaning to get a shot of my Raja Puri and post it but keep forgetting. Maybe this weekend!
kaczercat
03-16-2012, 01:57 PM
great to see you posting again Carol :) nice size bunch. do people prop bunches up after they snap because they look nicer or does it keep them growing a bit faster?
PR-Giants
03-16-2012, 03:40 PM
I had mature Pseudostem break off above the root corm, with the inflorescence still inside. After reading this post, I decided to remove
the leaves and cut above the inflorescence and put it back in the
ground without any roots. I'm interested if anything positive might happen,
if it does I will post the photos.
island cassie
03-16-2012, 04:58 PM
Hi Matt - because we are in a high wind situation here being a kitesurfing destination, I generally need to prop all trees with big bunches - and some of them weigh 80lbs! Because this was only a moderately sized bunch and with no warning of high winds, I was caught out! I have never had a pstem bend like this - but then I usually have the props ready because of the weight of the bunches and the high winds here.
Bananaman88
03-19-2012, 07:59 PM
Here's a picture of my 'Raja Puri' blooming without any leaves.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48153&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=48153&ppuser=824)
Bananaman88
03-19-2012, 08:01 PM
Here's a close up of the 'Raja Puri' flower.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48156&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=48156&ppuser=824)
Nicolas Naranja
03-19-2012, 10:06 PM
They will ripen, but they wont fill. I need to get some pictures because I have a bunch of frosted out plantains.
Bananaman88
03-20-2012, 09:12 AM
Nicolas- that has been my experience as well; will ripen but not finish filling out. I had an Ice Cream and a Dw. Brazilian that did exactly that last year. Close to the same situation, both flowered in mid-late summer, so the fruit never had enough time to develop fully. I wrapped both bunches to protect them from cold. The Ice Cream fruit eventually ripened when they were about 3" long and an 1-1 1/2" in diameter. They tasted fine but just weren't filled out properly. The Dw. Brazilian were even smaller in diameter and I didn't even waste time waiting to see what they would do. The few I cut into were still mostly peel.
PR-Giants
03-20-2012, 09:28 AM
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48163&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=48163&ppuser=12081)http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48162&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=48162&ppuser=12081)http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48161&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=48161&ppuser=12081)http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48159&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=48159&ppuser=12081)
First photo Mar-15 is about a week after it broke due to high wind gusts.
Next Mar-18 & 20
sunfish
03-20-2012, 09:55 AM
First photo is about a week after it broke due to high wind gusts.
I am trying to add a photo to this post, but don't know how.
Can anyone help, thanks
Click on your photo copy and past the Code for bulletin boards:to the post
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48160&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=48160)
asacomm
04-04-2012, 06:21 PM
Hello everyone,
I have nearly the same anxiety.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48378&size=1
Is there any possibility that the frruits can grow?
harveyc
05-20-2012, 10:35 PM
Here's my leafless bunch that flowered 2-3 months ago after 35 mornings with frost this past winter. I think they're getting a little larger, but haven't really kept track that closely.
http://www.chestnuts.us/images/MysteryLeaflessBunch20120520.jpg
PR-Giants
05-23-2012, 01:28 AM
My P-Stem produced about 18 fruit each a little over 8 oz. I would never had thought it was possible without roots or leaves, these plants are amazing. I have to believe it sent out new feeders, maybe I'll get some pups later.
harveyc
05-23-2012, 01:34 AM
I keep getting distracted but have meant to cut off the flower bud on my plant in the photo above. I also plan on bagging the fruit, partly to avoid sunburn.
PR-Giants
05-23-2012, 01:57 AM
I'm at 18 degrees north and I have never seen fruit get sunburned while on the plant, but will if left in the sun after harvest.
sunfish
05-23-2012, 08:27 AM
I was going to remove this plant but I'll leave it and see what happens
<a href="http://s950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/musanamwah/Today/?action=view&current=001-7.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/musanamwah/Today/001-7.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Bananaman88
05-23-2012, 09:08 AM
I ended up removing my Raja Puri about 3 weeks ago. The fruit were obviously not filling out whatsoever and I kept removing pups so there were no pups to even help feed the mother plant.
Darkman
05-23-2012, 03:27 PM
Unfortunately none of my three bunches on three separate mats did anything. They just whithered away. The mat is very healthy and has even produced another P-stem with leaves and a bloom but it only has twelve bananas. In my case the answer is a resounding NO The mat can not support fruit on a P-stem with out leaves.
harveyc
05-23-2012, 03:38 PM
Tony had commented to me that he thoughbt my bunch looked pretty good and I agree. I wonder why the difference in performance (other than Brent's removal of pups).
Kostas
05-23-2012, 05:09 PM
I have seen a whole bunch wither on a mature pseudostem full of leafs going into autumn as well so i think that there was some other reason that the bunch withered or the plant didnt have the chance to store enough energy during its previous growing period for some reason(frequent leafs damage,rot problems,not enough water or nutrients,etc).
Darkman
05-23-2012, 06:35 PM
Tony had commented to me that he thoughbt my bunch looked pretty good and I agree. I wonder why the difference in performance (other than Brent's removal of pups).
Harvey,
My mats looked pretty good and real good right now
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=48975&ppuser=7611><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48975&size=1 border=0></a>
BUT it was as if the mat knew that it was not going to spend any energy on the fruit. What surprises me is this latest bloom that just didn't perform. I had a skinny bloom
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=48976&ppuser=7611><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48976&size=1 border=0></a>
and the two hands with only twelve bananas. I was really disappointed. I was thinking five or six hands with ten or twelve bananas in each hand.
Sorry I can't get the pic to process
I now have a second mat that looks real good but has a skinny bloom.
Sorry I can't get the pic to process
sunfish
07-23-2012, 01:46 PM
Yes they can
<a href="http://s950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/musanamwah/?action=view&current=014-2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/musanamwah/014-2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Darkman
07-23-2012, 04:32 PM
Glad yours will mature!
Keep posting updates please.
harveyc
08-17-2012, 07:59 PM
Here's my leafless bunch that flowered 2-3 months ago after 35 mornings with frost this past winter. I think they're getting a little larger, but haven't really kept track that closely.
http://www.chestnuts.us/images/MysteryLeaflessBunch20120520.jpg
I think my unknown variety of banana (referred to in the past as Mystery Busy Bee banana as one of the photos I posted a few years ago had a lot of honeybees on the flower) bloomed around mid-February when the plant was completely leafless. I did not remove any pumps from next to this plant in hopes that it would help the bunch mature. I picked the bunch today as some of the fruit had started turning yellow. Tasted pretty good.
http://www.chestnuts.us/images/MysteryBusyBee20120817aS.jpg
http://www.chestnuts.us/images/MysteryBusyBee20120817bS.jpg
http://www.chestnuts.us/images/MysteryBusyBee20120817cS.jpg
http://www.chestnuts.us/images/MysteryBusyBee20120817dS.jpg
PR-Giants
08-18-2012, 12:47 PM
This is a plant that flowered and quickly fell or fell and quickly flowered.
You can see the bunch is still connected to the P-stem and the leaves are a little brown.
The plantains were all normal size, ripened in two days and tasted great.
The snails in the photos were dissapointed not to get the fruit.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=50021&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=50021)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=50020&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=50020)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=50022&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=50022)
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