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View Full Version : I got my AeAe!


Best day
05-21-2018, 06:54 PM
After searching high and low I found an AeAe for sale in Northern California. I was able to pick it up this past weekend while up there for a family gathering. The seller grows these in a green house and says he has no problems with them and that they aren't problematic. But in the green house they get slightly diffused light, it is humid and the coldest he lets it get during the winter is 50 degrees. So under those conditions I wouldn't expect problems.

This picture is where I will plant the AeAe.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63076&cat=2907

Some other shots.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63074&cat=2907

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63075&cat=2907

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63073&cat=2907

I'm worried this spot might be a little too crowded for the AeAe but it is the only spot I have that will give it morning sun but afternoon shade during the summer. This spot will also give it all day sun during the winter to keep it as warm as possible. But I am worried about it getting out competed by other plants roots.

It is a beautiful plant. I'll update in a couple days after the new leaf opens.

Bill

PS I don't know why the photos aren't coming up. They are in my photo album you can look at them there.

Best day
05-22-2018, 10:59 AM
These photos should work.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63076&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63076)

Best day
05-22-2018, 11:04 AM
I'm really struggling with this website. It appears that you can't edit posts so the last photo is where I plan on planting the AeAe once it gets bigger.

Here are some other photos of the plant.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63074&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63074)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63075&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63075)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63073&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63073)

bananimal
05-22-2018, 07:02 PM
Your temps are moderate now right? What is the coolest times?

Best day
05-22-2018, 10:23 PM
Yes, temps now are highs of 65-75 with lows of upper 50's. For the next couple of months it is overcast almost every day, all day. From July to October highs are usually in the upper 70's to 80's. When heat waves hit we will go over 100.

My winter lows are usually 40's to upper 30's. A couple nights a year it will approach 32 or maybe get that low.

Bill

beam2050
05-23-2018, 01:06 AM
some people have the best weather...……….can I move in with you?...………….just kidding, I am just voicing what I would think a few other people are thinking. ha ha. your plant will be beautiful as it gets bigger.

bananimal
05-23-2018, 07:27 AM
Sounds like conditions when I lived In Charlotte, NC.

I had to dig pups out at end of season and pot them up for growing in doors in winter. Went in ground after last chance of frost. It worked - got a bunch of fruit every year. Now all you need is a high potassium fertilizer and you are in business!!!

Yes, temps now are highs of 65-75 with lows of upper 50's. For the next couple of months it is overcast almost every day, all day. From July to October highs are usually in the upper 70's to 80's. When heat waves hit we will go over 100.

My winter lows are usually 40's to upper 30's. A couple nights a year it will approach 32 or maybe get that low.

Bill

Best day
05-23-2018, 11:13 AM
Yes our weather here is very nice. We can't complain. I do wish that we got a little more summer heat. Most of what I grow is subtropical so the long cool spring of May Grey and June Gloom slows them down.

Bananimal I see that you grow or grew AeAe. Do you have any advice?

Bill

cincinnana
05-24-2018, 06:04 PM
I'm really struggling with this website. It appears that you can't edit posts so the last photo is where I plan on planting the AeAe once it gets bigger.

Here are some other photos of the plant.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63074&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63074)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63075&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63075)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63073&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63073)

Looking good!!

Best day
06-03-2018, 06:32 PM
The new leaf has opened. This AeAe definitely is a slow grower. It appears to only be able to hold two leaves at a time now. I repotted it into a three gallon pot. I was in about a 1.5 gallon pot. Hopefully with a larger root mass it will hold more leaves soon.

There seems to be a lot of red on the ridrib of the older leaf and the pseudostem. Is this normal? I scared this might be a variegated "Florida" and not a true AeAe. Does anyone know how to tell the difference?

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63131&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63131)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63132&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63132)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63133&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63133)

Bill

Tytaylor77
06-04-2018, 12:02 AM
I keep mine in full sun! But they do struggle when small! I put up a sheet to block some of the summer sun! Once it got up over 4’ it had no issues! Took off fast! Last year it hit 9-10’ and had a flower in the upper pstem when it froze!

I treat them like any other Musa! They are more water sensitive than anything. When small be careful watering and have very well draining soil! They are beautiful!

Best day
06-04-2018, 12:48 AM
Thanks Ty. I appreciate the advice.

Bill

PR-Giants
06-06-2018, 08:02 AM
Congrats :woohoonaner:

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=57159 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=57159)

The new leaf has opened. This AeAe definitely is a slow grower. It appears to only be able to hold two leaves at a time now. I repotted it into a three gallon pot. I was in about a 1.5 gallon pot. Hopefully with a larger root mass it will hold more leaves soon.

There seems to be a lot of red on the ridrib of the older leaf and the pseudostem. Is this normal? I scared this might be a variegated "Florida" and not a true AeAe. Does anyone know how to tell the difference?

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63131&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63131)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63132&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63132)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63133&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63133)

Bill

Best day
06-06-2018, 12:03 PM
Thanks for the photo PR Giant. I will use that next time I cut a leaf off.

I do have a high Potassium fertilizer that I make. It is a 6-4-12 with minors. I plan on being stingy with the water. It is in a custom soilless mix that I make. It drains very well. My plan is to keep it shaded from late afternoon sun until it gets large. We have less humidity than Ty or PR Giant gets. I don't want the white areas to burn too much.

Bill

Best day
06-06-2018, 12:14 PM
Thanks for the cross section of the Petiole PR Giant. I went and looked at my AeAe and it appears to be real! I'm excited!

Bill

PR-Giants
06-06-2018, 07:19 PM
It's very easy to distinguish these two plants regardless of their maturity.
Most people can use their fingers to feel the petiole edge without needing to look at it.
The manini is curved in so you don't feel it and people normally describe the florida edge as having a soft or thin feel to it.

It is always better to identify your own plants, there are too many pseudoexperts out there. :ha:

Thanks for the cross section of the Petiole PR Giant. I went and looked at my AeAe and it appears to be real! I'm excited!

Bill

Best day
06-23-2018, 05:34 PM
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63205><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63205&size=1 border=0></a>

The new leaf is out! The plant appears to be able to hold three leaves at a time now. I'm assuming it is rooting out into it new larger pot. About three weeks for a new leaf. So on about July 14 I should have another new leaf.

Bill

bananimal
06-24-2018, 06:36 PM
Yes our weather here is very nice. We can't complain. I do wish that we got a little more summer heat. Most of what I grow is subtropical so the long cool spring of May Grey and June Gloom slows them down.

Bananimal I see that you grow or grew AeAe. Do you have any advice?

Bill

I forgot about the last pup I had and it croaked. Treat like any other naner. Very good taste. And don't expect it to make it thru winter without water.

meizzwang
06-25-2018, 03:23 PM
That variegation is highly environmentally induced. If you're aiming to produce fruit in California (or suboptimal conditions), it's ideal to get mostly green leaves, this way the plant can tolerate more sunlight and grow faster. if you raise the pH of the soil, you can get virtually all green leaves. Here's my aeae when I first got it and planted in the ground, full sun. It was growing in potting soil and perlite before planting
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7373/27652340094_39cea9fd91_c.jpg


I fed it some organic P,K (no nitrogen, can't remember what exactly it was, but the stuff looked powdery, chunky, and some pieces looked like chalk!), and this stuff was basic enough to raise the pH of the soil. The increase pH caused the plant to produce mostly green leaves(little plant to the very left of the photo):
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5474/30496760401_c18e2b816a_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4259/34352411883_e2face74ae_c.jpg



At the time, I wasn't happy with the green leaves, so I added acidic fertilizer and a 2" layer of organic top soil to lower the pH. It then produced variegation again, but of course, that burned very easily:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4378/36094199203_75de249eb7_c.jpg

Long story short, this is the secret to getting this plant to produce in cool climates and suboptimal conditions. It grows much faster with less variegation, and unless you can get it to fruiting size under somewhat cooler summer conditions (like up here), it won't ever fruit. Southern Cali, you should have no problem whatsoever, but I bet this trick will help accelerate things along much quicker.

I haven't read any reports of anyone else being able to successfully fruit Aeae outdoors here in Northern California (SF Peninsula or bay area), but there might be new reports in the future after people read this:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/887/41095817800_e677ec6cf0_c.jpg

Best day
06-26-2018, 12:37 AM
That's very interesting. Since mine is in a pot now I can move it around. I was thinking that the burning of the leaves was not good for it so I would give it some shade. But it is true that the more sun the plant gets the more energy it will have to grow. So I'm torn.

If my Ae Ae ever starts losing it's verigation I now know what to do. Thanks for the advice. I'm assuming that if I can keep this banana alive it will fruit. Only time will tell.

Bill

HMelendez
06-26-2018, 09:44 AM
That variegation is highly environmentally induced. If you're aiming to produce fruit in California (or suboptimal conditions), it's ideal to get mostly green leaves, this way the plant can tolerate more sunlight and grow faster. if you raise the pH of the soil, you can get virtually all green leaves. Here's my aeae when I first got it and planted in the ground, full sun. It was growing in potting soil and perlite before planting
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7373/27652340094_39cea9fd91_c.jpg


I fed it some organic P,K (no nitrogen, can't remember what exactly it was, but the stuff looked powdery, chunky, and some pieces looked like chalk!), and this stuff was basic enough to raise the pH of the soil. The increase pH caused the plant to produce mostly green leaves(little plant to the very left of the photo):
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5474/30496760401_c18e2b816a_c.jpg

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4259/34352411883_e2face74ae_c.jpg



At the time, I wasn't happy with the green leaves, so I added acidic fertilizer and a 2" layer of organic top soil to lower the pH. It then produced variegation again, but of course, that burned very easily:
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4378/36094199203_75de249eb7_c.jpg

Long story short, this is the secret to getting this plant to produce in cool climates and suboptimal conditions. It grows much faster with less variegation, and unless you can get it to fruiting size under somewhat cooler summer conditions (like up here), it won't ever fruit. Southern Cali, you should have no problem whatsoever, but I bet this trick will help accelerate things along much quicker.

I haven't read any reports of anyone else being able to successfully fruit Aeae outdoors here in Northern California (SF Peninsula or bay area), but there might be new reports in the future after people read this:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/887/41095817800_e677ec6cf0_c.jpg




Congrats Mike!




Very awesome accomplishment!.....Beautiful AEAE bunch keeps fill-in nicely!.....Please keep updating!.....




:2723::bananarow::2723:

Best day
07-09-2018, 10:30 AM
I came back from being out of town for a week and to my surprise my AeAe has a new leaf! When I left I had about 2" of a cigar roll sticking up. We had a heat wave while I was gone. Temperatures at my house reached 110. I guess the heat and the root system growing larger has increased the speed of the plants growth. I wasn't expecting the new leaf until about July 14. So with increased heat and a bigger root system I'm now predicting a new leaf on July 23. In only two weeks. And the plant is now supporting four leaves. When I bought it, it could only support two.

<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63252><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63252&size=1 border=0></a>

Bill

cincinnana
07-09-2018, 05:50 PM
Looking good.....:woohoonaner:

Best day
07-24-2018, 11:55 AM
Another new leaf! Is it just me or is this plant getting more gorgeous with every leaf? Honestly every new leaf seam prettier then the last. Also the petioles become more red the older they are. The plant is still only getting morning sun with dappled sun the rest of the day. It appears happy with only slight burning of the white parts of the leaves. These pictures are from 7-22-18.

<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63298><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63298&size=1 border=0></a>

<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=63297><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=63297&size=1 border=0></a>

Bill

FamilyJ
10-01-2018, 07:02 AM
Following for Followup

Best day
05-04-2019, 12:16 PM
My AeAe survived the winter fine. It is in a three gallon pot so I brought it inside when the temperature at night dropped into the 30's. It unfortunately had something dropped on it by my gardner's. I'm not sure how it is going to do. The top was smashed and it bent over. Some of the roots appear damaged. Needless to say I am not happy.

If it survives my plan is to plant it into the ground very soon and let it acclimate and grow in it's new spot. This winter when temps drop into the 30's I will cover it. I'm going to make sure I keep the roots dry all winter. I will put plastic around it when it rains if I have too. I will give it all the attention it need until I get a pup off it. After that I will treat it like my other bananas during winter and see how it does. These plants are too expensive to let die!

Bill

Best day
05-08-2019, 12:21 PM
Several people have PM'd me asking how bad the plant is and offering advice. Here is a better description of the damage. The top of the plant was smashed. The petiole's broke where they meet the pseudostem. The pseudostem also bent over and it appears that some of the roots on one side of the plant broke. I have straightened the plant and supported the leaves so they are in a more natural position.

I'm wondering if I should top the trunk so that the next new leaf doesn't become caught up in the smashed petioles? I'll add a photo to better show what I'm talking about.

Bill

Best day
05-08-2019, 12:45 PM
Here are some photos.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=64573&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=64573)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=64574&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=64574)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=64575&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=64575)

I think it will be fine. But I'm thinking about cutting off the top of the plant to make sure the new leaf can emerge without any problems.

Bill

Best day
09-06-2019, 12:05 PM
My Ae Ae has recovered from being smashed by my gardeners. It is growing happily in a spot that gets a couple of hours of morning sun. The rest of the day it gets dappled shade. Now that it is finally warming up around here it is growing faster and faster.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=65279&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=65279)

Bill

Best day
09-19-2019, 10:36 AM
I have a pup! Yesterday I grabbed what I thought was a weed growing in the pot of my AeAe. When it wouldn't pull out I took a closer look and saw a tiny pup forming! The photo below if from today. While still tiny it has doubled in size from yesterday.

<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=65344><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=65344&size=1 border=0></a>

Bill

Best day
03-12-2020, 06:09 PM
My AeAe made it through the winter fine. It did lose a couple leaves. I'm worried about what will happen when we have a colder winter. We only got down to about 37 degrees this winter. The AeAe is 33" tall PS now.

<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=65770><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=65770&size=1 border=0></a>

<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=65771><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=65771&size=1 border=0></a>

<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=65769><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=65769&size=1 border=0></a>

Bill

sddarkman619
06-10-2020, 10:36 PM
anyone got an AEAE pup for sale?

Greenie
06-10-2020, 11:26 PM
My AeAe made it through the winter fine. It did lose a couple leaves. I'm worried about what will happen when we have a colder winter. We only got down to about 37 degrees this winter. The AeAe is 33" tall PS now.

<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=65770><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=65770&size=1 border=0></a>

<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=65771><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=65771&size=1 border=0></a>

<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=65769><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=65769&size=1 border=0></a>

Bill

Nice

Best day
06-11-2020, 12:36 AM
No pups for sale yet. The one tiny pup I had growing withered away during winter.

Bill

Yug
06-11-2020, 07:56 PM
The variegation on yours looks like the Ae Ae. The florida variegated is different. Mine also had pink on the midribs and petioles. Yours looks fine.

Congrats! :08: