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View Full Version : Investigating Growing My Own


teamjbar
06-21-2012, 11:24 PM
Hello! I just joined and I'm looking to get some information to get started growing some small fruiting varieties in containers here in the San Francisco Bay Area. We have a small front and back yard, but we do dip below freezing several times each winter so I'll have to hoist them indoors where we have limited space, so I'm thinking the smaller, the better.

My motivation is that our family loves bananas, but we want to eat locally more often and imported bananas are so grievously far from that goal that I started looking to explore growing them. I am so happy to find that all of you are growing and eating your own bananas in every climate imaginable! I feel very encouraged and excited to try this. Thanks for being here.

What are the yummiest-fruit-bearing small stature plants for my area? Any other general tips (or links to the info I might need on this site?)

Thanks!
Janet

Abnshrek
06-22-2012, 05:36 AM
Hello, Welcome, and Happy Growing :^)

Illia
06-22-2012, 10:04 PM
Welcome! Glad to see more into growing their own. I too was really motivated to growing my own mainly because I want to eat everything straight from the yard no matter how tropical it is, but also because of the incredible amount of pesticides that go into your storebought bananas, which brings to another reason - Who wants to eat nothing but Cavendish?

For you, I'd really recommend dwarf type varieties. There's some relatively hardy ones that grow no more than 8 feet including Dwarf Namwah, Dwarf Orinoco, Mysore, Velutina (seeded pink species) and a few others, some more rare than others. And if you really do like Cavendish types, there's the Grand Nain and also a real treat when it comes to production, the Double or "Mahoi." The Dwarf Cavendish is another, but is not too hardy, same with the Double.

But, that's where overwintering comes in handy.

teamjbar
06-22-2012, 10:35 PM
Thank you for giving me some more to look at...I'm starting blind here. Attracted by climate-hardiness and size I was looking at Dwarf Brazilian and California Gold. I have until spring to decide, right?

Illia
06-22-2012, 11:38 PM
Oh, forgot about D. Brazilian. Another great one.

You've got any time of the year honestly, but if you're looking to overwinter it, best wait til spring yes. Unless you can find some locally that are already a minimum 2 feet tall. The goal is to get some that will reach min 3 feet before it freezes.

caliboy1994
06-23-2012, 01:43 AM
Dwarf Namwah. Nuff said. :)

Yug
06-27-2012, 06:42 AM
Back in my 'hippie' days, I was a 'grow-your-own' type of guy, too. :08:

Welcome!

Jezebel
07-11-2012, 12:50 PM
Hello, Welcome, and Happy Growing :


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Bananaman88
07-11-2012, 02:45 PM
Welcome to the group!