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RandyGHO
04-29-2012, 01:49 PM
You thoughts on a new banana plant for here in zone 8b.

I have room for one more banana plant to go with my newly planted Ice Cream and Manzano. It is my intent to winterize these plants in-ground.

After digging around here my list is narrowed down to three for taste and cool hardiness. Desert banana is more to my liking. Goldfinger is number one unless some suggest this is not a good way to go. The two places in the Southeast I have found to buy these are Stokes and Going Bananas.

Goldfinger
Mysore
Williams(added)
Dwarf Namwah(added)

Any opinions would be welcome.

Randy

caliboy1994
04-29-2012, 02:58 PM
Maybe Dwarf Namwah or Orinoco?

TommyMacLuckie
04-29-2012, 03:10 PM
Grand Nain will give you fits - too cold. Another one to consider is 1870. Saba is good. Williams Hybrid will work too.

RandyGHO
04-29-2012, 04:15 PM
Thanks for the replies. I have been doing more digging looking for those that y'all suggested.

Tommy I could not find information the 1870 you posted. The Williams is making it to the list for further study. Tommy are you growing the Williams hybrid now?

The Dwarf Namwah looks good as well.

Looks like I need to find more space.

Randy

caliboy1994
04-29-2012, 04:17 PM
I think he means 1780.

Musa '1780' - Bananas Wiki (http://www.bananas.org/wiki/Musa_%271780%27)

pitangadiego
04-29-2012, 05:40 PM
Goldfinger looks like the more cold tolerant on your list. Anything in the Cavendish family will not take the cold. Mysore isn't real happy, even in the 40s.

venturabananas
04-29-2012, 05:42 PM
Dwarf Namwah is the most cold hardy of those you mentioned, by a long shot. It makes nice fruit, too. And it is short and handles high winds well. Mysore is by far the most tasty of those you mentioned, to me. No point growing Williams when you can buy those at the grocery store. Goldfinger is nice, but doesn't handle the cold the way Dwarf Namwah does.

RandyGHO
04-29-2012, 09:50 PM
Dwarf Namwah offers something I have not thought of and that is a lady finger like banana so that would give me a nice variety. The Goldfinger is still interesting.

More good opinions and advice which is exactly what I was look for in replies.

I really appreciate the posts.

Randy

venturabananas
04-30-2012, 09:42 AM
Mysore fruits are also "ladyfinger" in size. Three of the 4 you have listed are definite winners. IMHO, Williams is not.

RandyGHO
04-30-2012, 01:20 PM
In my digging on Mysore a guy not far me on the coast has good luck with Mysores and also said it was the best taster.

Tough call now.

Thanks everyone.

Randy

venturabananas
04-30-2012, 01:42 PM
To my taste, Mysore is the best banana I've had, no question. It just doesn't handle the cold quite as well as the more bulletproof Namwah.

sunfish
04-30-2012, 02:58 PM
To my taste, Mysore is the best banana I've had, no question. It just doesn't handle the cold quite as well as the more bulletproof Namwah.

Nothing like waiting 3 to 4 years for one to bloom and then loose the fruit to cold weather

RandyGHO
04-30-2012, 05:45 PM
Katie at Going Bananas suggested the Goldfinger if I could protect enough during the winter. Her thoughts were that Goldfinger is easy to grow disregarding the cold tolorance. I tried to balance all the good advice. I'm going with the Goldfinger but figuring on the Dwarf Namwah to replace the icecream or the apple or the goldfinger if they fail for some reason.

I really appreciate y'all sharing your expertise. I look forward to my day when I can post of my experiences.

Randy

sunfish
04-30-2012, 05:51 PM
Katie at Going Bananas suggested the Goldfinger if I could protect enough during the winter. Her thoughts were that Goldfinger is easy to grow disregarding the cold tolorance. I tried to balance all the good advice. I'm going with the Goldfinger but figuring on the Dwarf Namwah to replace the icecream or the apple or the goldfinger if they fail for some reason.

I really appreciate y'all sharing your expertise. I look forward to my day when I can post of my experiences.

Randy

Goldfinger has been a strong grower for me. I like the fruit.

venturabananas
04-30-2012, 06:13 PM
Goldfinger has been a strong grower for me. I like the fruit.

Me, too. Especially when Tony gives me the fruit off his! He must have had good parenting -- he's a good sharer! :ha:

RandyGHO
04-30-2012, 07:06 PM
That is good to know on the taste and being a good producer.

I am gambling on my ability to protect the stem from cold and wet during the winter. I have a good recorded on my citrus but I only have to protect it when it drops below 27F albeit, they are much larger.

Dreaminofthetropics
05-21-2012, 10:42 AM
Did you decide which one you're doing? I push my luck here in North FL and didn't lose anything and have quite a few varieties and I'm hoping for some fruit this summer!

RandyGHO
05-21-2012, 12:45 PM
I went with Goldfinger but If I were starting my banana grove over it would have went with all dwarfs so in ground winter protection would be easier and the length of the growing year would fit better shorter fruiting height banana varieties.

As many have suggested I should have included a Dwarf Namwah. If I have a winter failure the Namwah will get the first available spot.

I have learned a lot in the last month. I don't think I made bad choices with the Ice Cream, Apple( if it is that) and Goldfinger. It is just maximizing the chance for a plant that fruits and that taste really good.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48951&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=48951)

Randy

Dreaminofthetropics
05-21-2012, 01:14 PM
I see you're in 8b, but where exactly are you? I started really babying mine over the winter we even got down to 18 three consecutive nights I finally just quit and the only ones that died to the ground were Monkey Fingers and Pisang Raja and African Rhinohorn the rest all kept their Pseudostems so I'm hoping for fruit!

Abnshrek
05-21-2012, 02:49 PM
Everyone wants another Nanner.. but need that's a lil far fetched now.. :^)

RandyGHO
05-21-2012, 03:00 PM
Kat I am in South Ga in 8b but not by much.

Randy

Dreaminofthetropics
05-21-2012, 08:09 PM
Ah ok I'm in North FL not far from the GA line so we're probably pretty close weather wise. I always NEED another banana LOL and I have at least 40 in the ground right now and just potted up 60 into 3-7-15-30 gallon pots yesterday:goteam:

caliboy1994
05-21-2012, 08:21 PM
If you're looking towards Mysore, you might want to consider getting Pisang Ceylon instead of that. It's the exact same thing except it's resistant to banana streak virus, which can be an issue with Mysore. The Mysore that I have took a real beating during the winter, and now it's displaying BSV symptoms. The virus itself is actually integrated into the plant's genome, and it seems to display symptoms if the plant has been stressed like mine was. I might have to get rid of it and replace it with Pisang Ceylon if it doesn't get better.

hydroid
05-21-2012, 09:18 PM
I live on the Gulf Coast zone 9 and Goldfinger really struggles with the cold here for me, I hear the fruit is tasty and I know that folks here have gotten them to fruit but I hav'nt had any luck yet. I got a couple of Dwarf namwah from bananimal and they are showing good potential, and was recomended to me by the guy at "Going Bananas". I have a good feeling about the DN and think it might be my "go to" banana.

caliboy1994
05-21-2012, 11:34 PM
DN also stays short so it will be easier to protect from the cold if needed.

andy17
05-21-2012, 11:42 PM
I see you're in 8b, but where exactly are you? I started really babying mine over the winter we even got down to 18 three consecutive nights I finally just quit and the only ones that died to the ground were Monkey Fingers and Pisang Raja and African Rhinohorn the rest all kept their Pseudostems so I'm hoping for fruit!

@Dreaminofthetropics That's really interesting. I live in zone 8a; I believe the coldest temps we see around here are about 15-16 degrees F a few days a year, but generally temps don't drop below 21-23 degrees during the coldest parts of winter. You've had success growing several varieties without any special protection, which retained their pseudo stems after 18? That's great! Do you know which varieties you've been able to do this with?

Dreaminofthetropics
05-21-2012, 11:51 PM
@Dreaminofthetropics That's really interesting. I live in zone 8a; I believe the coldest temps we see around here are about 15-16 degrees F a few days a year, but generally temps don't drop below 21-23 degrees during the coldest parts of winter. You've had success growing several varieties without any special protection, which retained their pseudo stems after 18? That's great! Do you know which varieties you've been able to do this with?

The following kept pseudostems with minimal protection (only normal leaves/compost around base no extra and their own leaves pushed down around the stem)

Orinoco
Saba
Praying Hands
Raja Puri
Dwarf Brazilian
Pitogo
FHIA 21 (this now is competing to be the biggest we have)
Mysore
Bronze and Lavender Ornata
Dwarf Cavendish
Basjoo


I believe that is all if I think of more I will let you know. I have newly planted the following

Zebrina
Iban Musak
Siam Ruby
Brazilian Fruiting (collected by a friend from Brazil years ago)

Plan on planting

Ice Cream
SH 3640
Manzano
Golden Aromatic
Velutina
Ensete Maurelii


and probably more LOL I'm addicted!

andy17
05-22-2012, 11:21 AM
The following kept pseudostems with minimal protection (only normal leaves/compost around base no extra and their own leaves pushed down around the stem)

Orinoco
Saba
Praying Hands
Raja Puri
Dwarf Brazilian
Pitogo
FHIA 21 (this now is competing to be the biggest we have)
Mysore
Bronze and Lavender Ornata
Dwarf Cavendish
Basjoo


I believe that is all if I think of more I will let you know. I have newly planted the following

Zebrina
Iban Musak
Siam Ruby
Brazilian Fruiting (collected by a friend from Brazil years ago)

Plan on planting

Ice Cream
SH 3640
Manzano
Golden Aromatic
Velutina
Ensete Maurelii


and probably more LOL I'm addicted!

Thanks! This is super helpful! Hopefully next year, I'll have some space in the yard to plant some bananas in the ground rather in containers--it would be great to plant a variety that might have the pseudo stem make it through the winter and fruit the following year or two! Btw you've had dwarf cavendish make it through a zone 8b winter ok? That's cool. I've always heard they don't do well with the cold.