Log in

View Full Version : HELP! Banana flowers falling off!


joekun
04-16-2014, 08:27 PM
Hello everyone, I've posted before about how this is my first banana flower on my Ice Cream banana tree. The first 3 bananas set well and are growing, but every one since then (over the last 3-4 weeks I believe) has shriveled up and fallen off as though the flower wasn't pollinated. I tried going out there with a q-tip and gently rubbing the ends of the flowers to attempt manual pollination, but that didn't help. Do I have to do it at a certain time of day? Or is this a different problem? Please help, I really want to have more than 3 bananas this year!

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae103/joelkun/IMG_2808_zps70137357.jpg (http://s962.photobucket.com/user/joelkun/media/IMG_2808_zps70137357.jpg.html)

http://i962.photobucket.com/albums/ae103/joelkun/IMG_2809_zps2bd94ae0.jpg (http://s962.photobucket.com/user/joelkun/media/IMG_2809_zps2bd94ae0.jpg.html)

Abnshrek
04-16-2014, 08:32 PM
The flowers will fall off, sometimes they don't but its no big deal.. If you only got 3 banana's you might want to think about fertilizing your plant or maybe you got the wrong kind in the transaction..

Hammocked Banana
04-16-2014, 08:43 PM
Those are male flowers falling off, and will never make bananas. Bananas do not need to be pollinated, otherwise you would have seeds in your bananas, and a lot less teeth if you tried to eat them. To get more fruit from the next stem start feeding your banana mat high potassium fertilizer.

joekun
04-16-2014, 10:52 PM
Ok, does that mean it won't produce any more than the 3, or is it still possible I will get more female flowers? I started feeding it with fruit fuel last month.

Abnshrek
04-16-2014, 11:30 PM
Ok, does that mean it won't produce any more than the 3, or is it still possible I will get more female flowers? I started feeding it with fruit fuel last month.

Most likely that is it, but there has been freaks of nature that have produced female flower in between male flowering, but that is not the norm. At least your ready for the next go round.. :^)

pitangadiego
04-18-2014, 12:15 AM
The flowers falling off are male. The limited quantity of female (banana producing) flowers indicates a stressed or under-fertilized plant.