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View Full Version : Good Banana Cultivars for Container Growing


andy17
05-12-2012, 12:31 PM
Hello everyone,
I am new to the bananas.org community, but I have found it to be really helpful. With summer almost in full swing here in the Deep South (zone 8a-8b), I am wanting to grow some banana plants now that the weather is so nice and tropical. However, I am a little short on space, so for at least this year, I will really have to stick with growing them in container. Are there any "tried and true" varieties than anyone can recommend for container growing? Right now I'm looking at the 1000 Fingers and Grand Nain, but I'm not sure how they would do in a container for the first year. The Blue Java is really cool as well, but I know those guys are giants. Any help would be really appreciated! Thanks

sunfish
05-12-2012, 05:01 PM
Hello everyone,
I am new to the bananas.org community, but I have found it to be really helpful. With summer almost in full swing here in the Deep South (zone 8a-8b), I am wanting to grow some banana plants now that the weather is so nice and tropical. However, I am a little short on space, so for at least this year, I will really have to stick with growing them in container. Are there any "tried and true" varieties than anyone can recommend for container growing? Right now I'm looking at the 1000 Fingers and Grand Nain, but I'm not sure how they would do in a container for the first year. The Blue Java is really cool as well, but I know those guys are giants. Any help would be really appreciated! Thanks

Maybe Rajapuri,double mahoie they have fruited for me at less than 5' of p-stem:drum:

momoese
05-12-2012, 05:36 PM
My friend has Cali Gold fruiting in a container.

andy17
05-12-2012, 07:41 PM
@sunfish You've been able to fruit Rajapuri and Double Maohi in a container? That's really cool. What size containers did you use? Also, how did you over winter them?
@momoese That's awesome! I've heard it's a really good variety. Do you know where he found it?

sunfish
05-12-2012, 08:04 PM
@sunfish You've been able to fruit Rajapuri and Double Maohi in a container? That's really cool. What size containers did you use? Also, how did you over winter them?
@momoese That's awesome! I've heard it's a really good variety. Do you know where he found it?

The were not in containers in the ground .Just saying they stayed pretty small so the should work in a container. No need to overwinter here.

momoese
05-12-2012, 08:27 PM
@momoese That's awesome! I've heard it's a really good variety. Do you know where he found it?

Jeff Earl

andy17
05-13-2012, 02:30 PM
@sunfish very cool your badge says you're in zone 9-10, are you able to get your bananas to fruit without bringing them in for the winter?
@momoese Thanks!

sunfish
05-13-2012, 02:34 PM
@sunfish very cool your badge says you're in zone 9-10, are you able to get your bananas to fruit without bringing them in for the winter?
@momoese Thanks!

I'm zone 10.Yes they fruit with no protection:woohoonaner:

venturabananas
05-14-2012, 01:29 AM
Logee's Dwarf Ladyfinger. It hasn't fruited for me yet and hates winter outdoors, but if you can bring it inside for winter, it is one that people have gotten to bloom in relatively small container (e.g., 15 gallon).

Seems like many of them can fruit in containers, but will do so at smaller than usual sizes and make a smaller than usual bunch. I've seen "California Misi Luki" (AKA Tall Namwah, Misi Luki Awak) with fruit in a 15 gallon pot. It was only about 6-7' tall and spindly.

Dalmatiansoap
05-14-2012, 02:08 PM
I have a pseudo IC in 150l pot for a 2.5 years now and still nothing

venturabananas
05-14-2012, 04:11 PM
I have a pseudo IC in 150l pot for a 2.5 years now and still nothing

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it is easy to get bananas to fruit in containers, but it can be done -- I've seen the evidence! Personally, I'm pretty bad at growing them in containers. Mine always perk up when I plant them in the ground.

andy17
05-20-2012, 04:21 PM
Thanks everyone for the responses! They are definitely helpful. I appreciate all of the feedback.

sandy0225
05-20-2012, 09:14 PM
bordelon bloom really well in containers here in "tropical" zone 5. But the only thing is they don't set fruit that mature. They are sterile and don't have pollen. I do have one that just finished up blooming though, one in full bloom and one that is just shooting a flag leaf. The flowers stay on like 6 months if you prop them up so that the stems don't kink over.

andy17
05-22-2012, 11:28 AM
@ Sandy0225 Thanks! Bordelons are really beautiful--I didn't know they did well in containers. I might have to look into to growing some.

palmtree
05-22-2012, 02:55 PM
I have seen some beautiful bordelon specimens in pots, but I didnt know they would flower in pots too! I just got one yesterday so it should be coming in a week or so. I'm still debating on if I should plant it in a small space in the ground (in a spot that gets sun from 7am to about 1pm) or in a pot (and in whatever sun exposure is necessary).

I'm expecting the plant to be about 6-12 inches tall when I get it, I hope to get it to be maybe 5 feet tall by the end of the summer. Is that realistic with bordelon?

And as for container grown bananas, I have had good luck with velutina in containers although they are very suceptible to spider mites indoors if kept growing. Cavendish do well in containers too but Im not sure if they will fruit (they are hard enough to get to fruit outside of containers!)

oakshadows
05-22-2012, 03:37 PM
I have a pseudo IC in 150l pot for a 2.5 years now and still nothing

Maybe your pot is to big.............

Dalmatiansoap
05-22-2012, 03:41 PM
Maybe your pot is to big.............

I hope so:ha:
:woohoonaner:

oakshadows
05-22-2012, 04:41 PM
Will let you know how our Trult Tiny does. We have a large pup to remove and there are 4 more popping up. Will have to do this carefully since my first attempt was fatal to the pups. Wish me luck.

andy17
05-23-2012, 10:15 AM
I have a pseudo IC in 150l pot for a 2.5 years now and still nothing
@Dalmatiansoap That's really interesting. I just planted an IC in a 2 gallon starter pot (I've always wanted to grow one, but didn't have the room to plant it in the ground this year). I'm not sure it its the pseudo or the real deal. It has pink-orange on the leaf petioles but is blue-green everywhere else. Has it done ok for you in a pot? I know those can get really big. Also, how do you overwinter it?

Dalmatiansoap
05-23-2012, 10:44 AM
@Dalmatiansoap That's really interesting. I just planted an IC in a 2 gallon starter pot (I've always wanted to grow one, but didn't have the room to plant it in the ground this year). I'm not sure it its the pseudo or the real deal. It has pink-orange on the leaf petioles but is blue-green everywhere else. Has it done ok for you in a pot? I know those can get really big. Also, how do you overwinter it?

It overwintered well, pasive protection, meaning it was under the deck, min. temp. about 2C I belive, no problems at all. Slow growing baby, I would like for it to turn out in some dwarf variety:ha:
:nanadrink:

andy17
05-23-2012, 12:16 PM
I have seen some beautiful bordelon specimens in pots, but I didnt know they would flower in pots too! I just got one yesterday so it should be coming in a week or so. I'm still debating on if I should plant it in a small space in the ground (in a spot that gets sun from 7am to about 1pm) or in a pot (and in whatever sun exposure is necessary).

I'm expecting the plant to be about 6-12 inches tall when I get it, I hope to get it to be maybe 5 feet tall by the end of the summer. Is that realistic with bordelon?

And as for container grown bananas, I have had good luck with velutina in containers although they are very suceptible to spider mites indoors if kept growing. Cavendish do well in containers too but Im not sure if they will fruit (they are hard enough to get to fruit outside of containers!)
@ palm tree From my limited experience, Bordelons are fast growers. I rescued one from the clearance section of a local garden center and planted it in the ground and it really started to take off toward the end of the summer. Unfortunately we had a colder than usual winter and being stressed from its days in the clearance section, the cold was too much for it. They really take off in the right conditions, however. As to growing them in a container, I'm not sure how fast they would grow. Bananas always tend to grow slower and more compactly in a container (their size and growth rate seem to be relative to how much root space they have). Starting from 6-12 inches though, I would say by the end of the summer 3-5 feet would definitely be possible.
I would really like to try growing a cavendish, it's good to hear they do well in containers. I guess even if they don't fruit or take longer to do so, banana plants have such striking foliage, it always makes a good accent and conversation piece!

andy17
05-23-2012, 12:21 PM
It overwintered well, pasive protection, meaning it was under the deck, min. temp. about 2C I belive, no problems at all. Slow growing baby, I would like for it to turn out in some dwarf variety:ha:
:nanadrink:

@Dalmatiansoap that's great! Did you experience any leaf burn at those temps?

palmtree
05-23-2012, 12:55 PM
@ palm tree From my limited experience, Bordelons are fast growers. I rescued one from the clearance section of a local garden center and planted it in the ground and it really started to take off toward the end of the summer. Unfortunately we had a colder than usual winter and being stressed from its days in the clearance section, the cold was too much for it. They really take off in the right conditions, however. As to growing them in a container, I'm not sure how fast they would grow. Bananas always tend to grow slower and more compactly in a container (their size and growth rate seem to be relative to how much root space they have). Starting from 6-12 inches though, I would say by the end of the summer 3-5 feet would definitely be possible.
I would really like to try growing a cavendish, it's good to hear they do well in containers. I guess even if they don't fruit or take longer to do so, banana plants have such striking foliage, it always makes a good accent and conversation piece!

Thanks for the info! I'm excited to add it to my collection, the foliage is really nice on this banana plant and at least if I run out of room for it in the ground next year, growing it in a container will be an option!

jeffreyp
05-23-2012, 07:38 PM
truly tiny is a good one too

GreenFin
05-24-2012, 02:56 PM
truly tiny is a good one too

I absolutely love my TT. It was just a 2" tc with 2 leaves when it arrived 3.5 months ago, but it has loved my environment and is now super stocky with about 1.5' of p-stem. Of the 15 varieties I'm growing, TT and Dwarf Namwah have grown the most vigorously.

I've only been growing for about 3.5 months, but here's how I'd categorize their growth in my hot humid greenhouse environment to date (all tc's, and all are basically grown in a large container)--

Mega-vigorous: Dwarf Namwah, TT
super-vigorous: Dwarf Cavendish, Gros Michel
vigorous: Raja Puri, SDC, Little Prince,
semi-vigorous: 'Ice Cream' (probably some type of Namwah)
lazy: Dwarf Red, Double
severely stunted (my fault): Grand Nain*, Zan Moreno**
noobs just added: Williams Hybrid, Dwarf Brazilian, Dwarf Orinoco

*the Grand Nain was growing mega-vigorously until cooked
**I transplanted the Zan Moreno twice and cooked it all in its first week a couple of months ago, so it just kind of sat there not doing much until two weeks ago, when it suddenly started growing vigorously (pushed out 3 nice leaves in that time).

If I had to suggest just one of these as a first plant for container growing, I'd suggest Dwarf Cavendish. Beautiful, vigorous, short, and heavy-yielding.

Best of luck OP on your selection(s)! :bananas_b