View Full Version : Tall Orinoco Flower stalk roting slowly
EuroBanana
09-18-2015, 07:55 AM
Good morning everybody,
Maybe somebody on the board can help me.
I have a big mat of tall orinoco.
A nice bunch on it is almost ready to harvest but there is no yellow finger on it yet.
The stem flowered at the end of april and now (at the end of september) there is no flower remaining on the stalk, only a kind of "empty tail".
One week ago I remarked that the flower stalk began to become brown and mushy. I am afraid this could propagate toward the bunch and make it rot.
I have read somewhere (I don't remember where but it was on a scientific paper dealing with bananas) that dipping the stalk briefly with a solution of bleach at 60 % may stop the roting process.
Have you heard of this method ? or have you got a better advice to solve this situation and save my orinoco bunch.
I will post pix this week-end and I am in a kind of 9-10 climate zone.
Thanks for help,
Phil
Kegas76
09-18-2015, 10:02 AM
If you are happy with the bunch and the only thing holding you back is color I would think you could just harvest and let them ripen off the plant. Toss a couple hands in a plastic baggie to contain any ethylene gas (maybe toss in an old apple core to speed it up).
I'm new to this though so maybe there is another option.
EuroBanana
09-18-2015, 03:32 PM
If you are happy with the bunch and the only thing holding you back is color I would think you could just harvest and let them ripen off the plant. Toss a couple hands in a plastic baggie to contain any ethylene gas (maybe toss in an old apple core to speed it up).
I'm new to this though so maybe there is another option.
Thanks Andy for your fast answer.
Your suggestion seems logical.
It stays that I am afraid the stalk goes on roting when the bunch will be harvested.
Phil
EuroBanana
09-21-2015, 07:44 AM
Good morning,
Here is what I was talking about :
Tall orinoco bunch four months old from flower stage :
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=58863&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=58863)
Bunch upper view
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=58865&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=58865&ppuser=12970)
Flower stalk in bad condition
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=58864&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=58864)
This pics may help to make a diagnostic.
What to do ?
Thanks
Red Sky
09-21-2015, 04:38 PM
I'm new to bananas but is seems that once the blossom has served it's purpose and the fruit have set there is no reason for the plant to put energy into that remaining stalk below the ripening fruit so it dies back.
venturabananas
09-22-2015, 12:55 AM
Nothing to worry about. Cut it off immediately below the lowest hand of fruit. The rachis is dying because there is nothing left to keep the sap flowing down it. The developing bananas will keep the sap flowing down to them.
EuroBanana
09-22-2015, 07:08 AM
I'm new to bananas but is seems that once the blossom has served it's purpose and the fruit have set there is no reason for the plant to put energy into that remaining stalk below the ripening fruit so it dies back.
Thanks Redsky for your help.
Rainy season round Scottsdale ? :2730:
EuroBanana
09-22-2015, 07:09 AM
Nothing to worry about. Cut it off immediately below the lowest hand of fruit. The rachis is dying because there is nothing left to keep the sap flowing down it. The developing bananas will keep the sap flowing down to them.
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your help.
I will cut this stalk this week-end.
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