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Gala
11-15-2015, 12:38 PM
Hi all. :-) I got corms from PR-Gaints a couple of weeks ago. I am new to growing bananas. I just had two varieties growing like ornamental by their own. Now I have three (well... four :-)) more. Here are my corms from day one till now.

Day #1
http://i.imgur.com/2qST9aj.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/CFBEc0r.jpg?1

#2
http://i.imgur.com/fgc6XiD.jpg?1

#3
http://i.imgur.com/wR5b9ED.jpg?1

#4
http://i.imgur.com/GcFGrxw.jpg?1

#5
http://i.imgur.com/EVPewKF.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/JS796AG.jpg?1

#6
http://i.imgur.com/9Zg1Sp2.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/l9YefKq.jpg?1

Gala
11-15-2015, 12:52 PM
Day#8
http://i.imgur.com/dEIjZxy.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/s6ZGPCb.jpg?1

#13

http://i.imgur.com/ByTzGuh.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/RSzL7Dl.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/A5eVgNE.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/lIMwsZm.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/iALcDDx.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/8TEWkDg.jpg?1

lukem5
11-16-2015, 01:32 AM
Cool! What potting mix are you using? Looks very airy!

Corms always do well, just keep the bugs off them!

HMelendez
11-16-2015, 05:41 AM
Gala;


your corms are doing well, looking very good!....

PR-Giants
11-16-2015, 08:11 AM
Thanks for the photos.

The Manini doesn't look as good as I would have expected but it not too bad. It looks like the potting mix is not very airy and or the moisture level is too high, causing the discoloration of the corm. Usually more air means more roots and less discoloration, but as long as the corm was solid during the inspection (no soft spots), it should be OK. And peel down or cut off the outer leaf sheaths that are dead.

edzone9
11-16-2015, 08:28 AM
I cut mine down to the corm and they all took off ! All of mine are doing great , they slowed down cause the weather is dipping at nighttime ro 50-55f
Ed

PR-Giants
11-16-2015, 08:51 AM
Can you be more specific, you received a corm and then "cut mine down to the corm". What does that mean exactly?

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=51351 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=51351)



I cut mine down to the corm and they all took off ! All of mine are doing great , they slowed down cause the weather is dipping at nighttime ro 50-55f
Ed

Gala
11-16-2015, 11:30 AM
Thanks guys. The potting mix is MG for cactus/citrus mix + perlite + vermiculite + some of earthworm castings. I should add some sand but didn't have it when corms arrived. So I agree with Keith it is not loose enough. I didn't water them since they were planted so the soil is moist not too wet. I cut the dead parts this morning but I am not sure if this way is OK.

http://i.imgur.com/gtTuFX6.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/MLSFOZu.jpg?1

Should I keep them in shade or move to partial sun (morning sun)? And, should I add some sand to the soil or leave as it is?

PR-Giants
11-16-2015, 01:00 PM
Thanks guys. The potting mix is MG for cactus/citrus mix + perlite + vermiculite + some of earthworm castings. I should add some sand but didn't have it when corms arrived. So I agree with Keith it is not loose enough. I didn't water them since they were planted so the soil is moist not too wet. I cut the dead parts this morning but I am not sure if this way is OK.



Should I keep them in shade or move to partial sun (morning sun)? And, should I add some sand to the soil or leave as it is?

Your plant will probably be fine, but I just prefer not to take unnecessary risks.

Soil aeration is important for all cleaned corms but it is very important for the Manini. Most other corms can easily tolerate a less than optimum level without rotting, but not the Manini. I use a specific size range of clean coarse sand to achieve these levels and it should be noted that all sand is not the same. Earthworm castings are terrible, they adversely affect soil aeration and should never be used during the initial stage but would be tolerable after the plant has roots and leaves.

I prefer to peel away and then cut the dead leaf sheaths as opposed to doing it in place. The cuts that damaged the inner sheaths will now rot a little sooner but should not become a problem.

Gala
11-16-2015, 03:01 PM
Thanks PR-Giants. Learning by my own mistakes. ) About the worm castings. Good I didn't add a lot just a hand full to the mix for 3 pots. I didn't add the clean coarse sand because I didn't have it at that moment. I'll probably leave the corms alone for now (no more damage) and see how they do.

Snarkie
11-16-2015, 06:05 PM
Looking good!

Getting advice from PR Giants is like getting a horseshoe from Lady Luck. :ha:

siege2050
11-16-2015, 06:39 PM
Looks like they are doing good, the fact they are pushing up new growth is a very good sign, they should be fine now. Maybe keep them in partial shade for another week or two, just to make sure the root system is able to supply the emerging leaves with water. I think but am not sure that Manini needs filtered light anyway as an adult plant?

edzone9
11-16-2015, 08:30 PM
Keith it's a fetish that I gave ��Don't like to see the old leaves on my corns , I cut them down to the top of the corn and they grow nice and clean for me , all are doing super , I don't recommend this to the other members , it's just a habit of mine ��
Ed

Gala
11-16-2015, 11:15 PM
Thank you guys. I hope they will be OK.

siege2050
11-17-2015, 03:41 AM
It's been my experience that once a plant starts pushing up growth, it has new roots, or any roots it already had have adjusted. If it's got functioning roots, it's less likely to rot. I cut back and dug up my Sikkimensis, and put them in pots a week ago. They started pushing growth yesterday so thats a very good sign and tells me they are okay. I go a little easy on the water at first, increasing it over time if it's winter and cool, but not letting them dry out.

PR-Giants
11-17-2015, 07:51 AM
The internet is such a great place, with so many blogs and message boards filled with helpful folks eager to give advice. Many times the person giving advice is incredibly eager to be helpful but may actually know less than the person seeking the advice. This is apparent when reading about the Aeae on the web.

This is a photo of the only Manini corm, which I shipped this year that died. It was inspected after 7 days and showed good root growth, much better than the Manini in this thread showed after 13 days. But it was clear from the discoloration that the soil aeration was not adequate. The inspection revealed a dark spot which was cleaned at that moment but the soil aeration issue wasn't addressed until several days later.

With a Manini, it is much easy to prevent this type of problem than it is to fix.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=56950 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=56950)

Kegas76
11-17-2015, 08:28 AM
... This is a photo of the only Manini corm, which I shipped this year that died. ...

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=56950 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=56950)

That corm didn't stand a chance with that black dog chomping on it. :ha:

edzone9
11-17-2015, 03:33 PM
Manini Got A Bad Wrap From A Few Folks Who Had Bad Luck With Them.
My 1st Time Growing Them & They are the same as any of my other Musa, Except that they have an outstanding presence:08:

PR-Giants
11-18-2015, 07:55 AM
Keith it's a fetish that I gave ��Don't like to see the old leaves on my corns , I cut them down to the top of the corn and they grow nice and clean for me , all are doing super , I don't recommend this to the other members , it's just a habit of mine ��
Ed


It was difficult to understand how you were taking a corm and cutting it down to a corm, but you were really just cutting off the top part and making the corm shorter.

I advise folks not to do that because,

1) It's difficult to know exactly where the growing point is and it might get damaged, i.e., dead plant.

http://s19.postimg.org/5rte31hg3/Green_Manini_d_Nov_13_2015.jpg (http://postimage.org/)


http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=51351 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=51351)



2) Those leaf sheaths you are removing actually protect the growing point of the plant by slowing the advancement of rot.

If your top rots before the corm starts actively growing/pushing you no longer have a buffer protecting the growing point, but with a taller top the rot can simply be cut off and now it's almost like starting with a fresh new top. This can be done multiple times which increases the opportunity for success.

You may not need those extra chances but it's definitely better to have them and not need them than to need them but not have them.

PR-Giants
11-18-2015, 08:10 AM
Manini Got A Bad Wrap From A Few Folks Who Had Bad Luck With Them.
My 1st Time Growing Them & They are the same as any of my other Musa, Except that they have an outstanding presence:08:

Short Memory ‹(•¿•)› Earlier This Year You Were One Of Those Folks Who Had Bad Luck With Them.

Your 1st Time Growing Them & And You Killed Them.

Your 2nd Time Growing Them & And You Seem More Successful, Congrats.



Anyway... They have been the most difficult banana I've ever grown, and by difficult I mean they don't tolerate the same level of abuse that some other bananas can. Studying this cultivar for these past few years has profoundly improved my growing techniques for all of my bananas and now I'm growing healthier plants with larger bunches in less time.

Red Sky
11-19-2015, 12:17 AM
Your plant will probably be fine, but I just prefer not to take unnecessary risks.

Soil aeration is important for all cleaned corms but it is very important for the Manini. Most other corms can easily tolerate a less than optimum level without rotting, but not the Manini. I use a specific size range of clean coarse sand to achieve these levels and it should be noted that all sand is not the same. Earthworm castings are terrible, they adversely affect soil aeration and should never be used during the initial stage but would be tolerable after the plant has roots and leaves.

I prefer to peel away and then cut the dead leaf sheaths as opposed to doing it in place. The cuts that damaged the inner sheaths will now rot a little sooner but should not become a problem.So what is your growing mix for Manini corms or TC starts?

a.hulva@coxinet.net
11-19-2015, 01:51 PM
Gala your pictures are terrific! Thanks for sharing. Looks good to me. You are ahead of the game. :03:

PR-Giants
11-29-2015, 03:02 PM
It's been another 2 weeks, how are things progressing?

Gala
11-29-2015, 05:51 PM
Keith, not much of progress. Maybe it's because of the weather's cooling off, nights specially. But they are pushing leaves. I carefully checked the roots, they look good to me. Could be better I guess but it's my first time. :-)

PR-Giants
11-30-2015, 08:18 AM
Pushing leaves is great, and I'm thrilled for you...Congratulations. :goteam:

Looking forward to seeing Manini photos, but no rush. The first few leaves can be ugly and some folks prefer to wait.

Gala
12-19-2015, 05:33 PM
Pics are coming soon. Manini is hanging on... alive and pushing leaves slowly. The first leaf was weird. The second one is narrow short but cute. Waiting for the 3rd to open then I will take and post pictures. We got a couple of cold nights so I brought bananas inside. I wonder how to water them so I don't overwater or underwater?

Gala
12-23-2015, 02:00 PM
Here we go.
Manini
http://i.imgur.com/ZnVq7KK.jpg?1

Patupi
http://i.imgur.com/AUESssd.jpg?1

Dwarf Brazilian
http://i.imgur.com/D59ydOB.jpg?1

a.hulva@coxinet.net
12-23-2015, 02:29 PM
They look great!! Tell us your process. We all are look for new thinking.
Merry Christmas.
:goteam::woohoonaner:

PR-Giants
12-23-2015, 06:42 PM
Congrats... and Al's right, it's always great to get info from someone that has actually done it.

Gala
12-23-2015, 07:54 PM
Thanks guys. How I did it is in this thread. The only thing I can add I didn't water them. When I planted corms the first day I gave them plenty of water and then was just checking the weight of the pots and simply with sticking my finger in the soil. I didn't want the soil to be wet. If the soil on top gets too dry I would just mist but not water with the can or hose. No direct sun light and kept them in warm place when we got cool nights. There was a time I thought the Manini may not survive. Wanted to dig it up and check the roots, give it some water... But I was afraid I will kill it doing that. So I left it alone and decided to be patient. :-)

PR-Giants
12-27-2015, 07:37 PM
There was a time I thought the Manini may not survive. Wanted to dig it up and check the roots, give it some water... But I was afraid I will kill it doing that. So I left it alone and decided to be patient. :-)

Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is nothing.

I'm very glad you were successful and hope you'll help others with your knowledge.

cincinnana
12-27-2015, 07:58 PM
I'm very glad you were successful and hope you'll help others with your knowledge.

I agree with pR gnats
It is a true banana miracle....
Your first time experience will help all of us to fail...

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=55674 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=55608)
Please , Please share your secrets to grow .....sand.... sand....

PR-Giants
12-27-2015, 08:23 PM
Happy Holidays, hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for you.

I agree with pR gnats
It is a true banana miracle....
Your first time experience will help all of us to fail...

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=55674 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=55608)
Please , Please share your secrets to grow .....sand.... sand....

cincinnana
12-27-2015, 09:55 PM
Happy Holidays, hopefully tomorrow will be a better day for you.

Thank you ,That is a great compliment to a great competitor from the south....My plant are bigger and better in better soil....






:woohoonaner:

Gala
12-31-2015, 01:08 PM
Today's pics.

http://i.imgur.com/zlaGf3p.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/T38RpGE.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/n9HvcCw.jpg?1

Gala
12-31-2015, 01:13 PM
Patupi...Manini...Dw. Brazilian

http://i.imgur.com/V5MB34X.jpg?1 http://i.imgur.com/PF1r2Cv.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/a1VCrqp.jpg?1

PR-Giants
12-31-2015, 03:34 PM
Gala, your plants look great. :08:

And don't pay any attention to cincinnaner, he was probably just having a bad night. :nanadrink:

Gala
12-31-2015, 05:54 PM
Gala, your plants look great. :08:

And don't pay any attention to cincinnaner, he was probably just having a bad night. :nanadrink:

Thank you. :-) Happy New Year to you and all forum members!

mushtaq86
12-31-2015, 06:23 PM
Don't want to go off topic, but what happened to cincinnaner, what did he say and why did he get banned.