Log in

View Full Version : Banana Choices for Zones 7b/8a


austinl01
03-07-2009, 08:39 PM
If you could recommend just one banana of the dessert variety that may give growers in zones 7b or 8a a decent chance to fruit and the fruit to ripen, what variety would you suggest? Take into account cold hardiness, ease of storage during the winter, and even taste. I'm going to order some different kinds of bananas this year to test them out. Thanks in advance for the responses!

Randy4ut
03-07-2009, 08:43 PM
Thanks for the post, Austin... I will be watching this post closely to see what is recommended...

chong
03-07-2009, 09:55 PM
My best bet is the Dwarf Orinoco. I think that in our area, if I can just keep it from too much rain, it will thrive. Since your area has more sunshine and less rain than the Seattle area, I would surmise that they can thrive there with less protection than here.

Lagniappe
03-08-2009, 02:45 AM
I suggest that you check out the stand that I told you about last year. There were several bunches hanging,two of which were plump and ripening, that I belive were Dwarf Orinoco.
These were in Little Rock. I left a note for the homeowner but never got a reply.

austinl01
03-08-2009, 11:17 AM
I suggest that you check out the stand that I told you about last year. There were several bunches hanging,two of which were plump and ripening, that I belive were Dwarf Orinoco.
These were in Little Rock. I left a note for the homeowner but never got a reply.

Pete, was that on Pine St and 3rd St? Was it in Little Rock or North Little Rock? I'm sorry - I can't remember!

Lagniappe
03-08-2009, 02:13 PM
It was North Pine, between E/F and E/D avenues in North Little Rock. The house appears to be a duplex and it's across from a narrow parking lot.
If you're able to get some pups, I would be interested in trading for one.

Lagniappe
03-08-2009, 02:19 PM
OMG!!!! I just went there with Google maps and am looking right at the plants!!! Technology is awesome!!!
If one of you could explain it to me, I would link it up.

Lagniappe
03-08-2009, 02:22 PM
<iframe width="425" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=11,92.34627181714887,,0,5&amp;cbll=34.786552,-92.25918&amp;panoid=&amp;v=1&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=us"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=embed&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;q=shop+trio+little+rock+ar&amp; sll=37.0625,-95.677068&amp;sspn=39.507908,67.5&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;ll=34.849389,-92.204819&amp;spn=0.299914,0.454147&amp;t=h&amp;layer=c&amp;cbll=34.786552,-92.25918&amp;panoid=Qcg5UgdgjZNXkAjss2sk0g&amp;cbp=11,92.34627181714887, ,0,5" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>

Lagniappe
03-08-2009, 02:22 PM
I figured it out :P

Kylie2x
03-08-2009, 04:28 PM
LOL!!! Good Job Pete!
Yep.. If you can come up with an extra or 2 I would love to trade as well.If they fruit there they should fruit here...If they are DC's I lost the 2 I had...Would love to replace them

Kylie:waving:

austinl01
03-08-2009, 09:21 PM
Pete, that is so cool. Google maps can be a great tool to locate plants! Great work!!! I will stop by the house in late spring as the location isn't too far away from where I work. I will offer the owner maybe another banana for a trade or just offer to purchase a couple pups for both of us. I'll for sure keep my eye on the grove as it progresses this year. Having the exact location is awesome. You da man, Pete! :)

austinl01
03-09-2009, 10:17 PM
Pete, I found a house near Jacksonville on Hwy 67/167 last summer that had huge groves of bananas. I decided to search for it on Google Maps, and I found it! I didn't have a chance to talk to the owner last year, but it would be cool to get some more information this spring. He has more bananas now than what's showing on the map. Check it out!

<iframe width="700" height="394" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=11,127.78483268665276,,0,5&amp;cbll=34.900967,-92.088529&amp;v=1&amp;panoid=&amp;gl=&amp;hl=en"></iframe><br /><small><a id="cbembedlink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?cbp=11,127.78483268665276,,0,5&cbll=34.900967,-92.088529&ll=34.900967,-92.088529&layer=c" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>

austinl01
03-09-2009, 10:18 PM
Deleted double post. Sorry.

LilRaverBoi
03-10-2009, 10:30 AM
Well, the only two I can find are Dwarf Orinoco and Dwarf Cavendish. If you're leaving them outdoors all winter, consider planting them in a sheltered area and maybe some mulching around the base starting in the fall. The Basjoo should definitely be hardy to your climate, but it's an ornamental type only.

Also, just cause a variety isn't tolerant to your climate doesn't mean you can't grow it there. You always have the option of digging them up/bringing them inside during the winter months. And if you don't have space for that, you can remove the tops and overwinter the corms dormant in a cool/dark basement or garage (provided it doesn't get too cold). Just a thought. I know there are plenty of banana people on the site who live in much colder zones that still are able to grow bananas. They will grow outdoors quite well in almost any zone during the summer months.

Kylie2x
03-10-2009, 03:55 PM
IMHO..LOL:waving:
If you are growing them just for the landscape letting them die back is great.. BUT If you are looking for fruit .. starting over each year is starting over each yr.. There are alot of ways to keep them protected and save the P-stem to achieve fruit .. NO EXPERT HERE!!! LOL I have only had 1 ornamental bloom...BUT I have started over a few times..LOL
This place is loaded with info and if you don't want to look it up "JUST ASK"...
I have high hopes this yr most every thing stored under the house came out looking good.. FRUIT May be in my future...LOL
Kylie:bananas_b

austinl01
03-13-2009, 04:29 PM
I just wish more bananas stored well bareroot without the chance of the pseudostem rotting. My raja puri was stored bareroot in the garage. It looks very promising since it still has a green leaf, but it's too early to tell of course. I have a very small dwarf orinoco that I hope survived the winter bareroot. The stem is still firm on it. I have had orinocos pseudostems rot before in the garage so they aren't totally foolproof.

I wonder if I could buy some small plants from the homeowner/renter Lagniappe's photo. You can bet I'll certainly try to do just that in early spring! Will I be successful???

austinl01
03-17-2009, 10:17 PM
Hey Pete! Today, I drove past the house you found on North Pine Street in North Little Rock and found the bananas that you saw last summer! The stalks are huge and are still standing after a winter low of 12 degrees. They are, of course, brown stalks, and the smaller ones have fallen over, but the larger ones are still standing tall. Evidently, the duplex owners leave them to overwinter without protection other than the old fallen banana leaves that perished after the first freeze. I will certainly keep my eyes on these babies as the growth in one summer is pretty remarkable if the plant started from the ground level last year. It looked like no one was home at the time, and I question if anyone is living there at the moment (but probably so). When the bananas start sprouting, I will be determined to ask for a pup for us. It's close to work and the interstate. Just an update, buddy.

austinl01
03-17-2009, 10:22 PM
Here is another house that grows bananas every year. I have yet to see them flower as I drive by occasionally to check on them. I believe these are regular orinocos.

<iframe width="425" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=12,9.22363121279496,,0,12.492291880781083&amp;cbll=34.815688,-92.259759&amp;panoid=&amp;v=1&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=us"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=embed&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;q=612+Kierre+Drive,+north+l ittle+rock,+ar&amp;sll=34.815688,-92.259579&amp;sspn=0.001663,0.00261&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;ll=34.826698,-92.255459&amp;spn=0.001663,0.00261&amp;t=h&amp;z=14&amp;iwloc=addr&amp;layer=c&amp;cbll= 34.815688,-92.259759&amp;panoid=jAEuuCEVW_sU029yb331YA&amp;cbp=12,9.22363121279496, ,0,12.492291880781083" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>

austinl01
03-17-2009, 10:35 PM
Another house with a tall nanner tree!

<iframe width="425" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=12,341.31351535900416,,0,7.32754214480143&amp;cbll=34.820487,-92.212495&amp;panoid=&amp;v=1&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=us"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=embed&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;q=coolhurst+drive,+sherwood ,+ar&amp;sll=34.815688,-92.259579&amp;sspn=0.001663,0.00261&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;ll=34.8317,-92.206964&amp;spn=0.003325,0.00522&amp;t=h&amp;z=14&amp;iwloc=addr&amp;layer=c&amp;cbll= 34.820487,-92.212495&amp;panoid=5E8MKQr4lJvb2cvI9d3f8w&amp;cbp=12,341.3135153590041 6,,0,7.32754214480143" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>

Can you tell I'm having fun with Google maps? :woohoonaner:

austinl01
03-17-2009, 10:47 PM
What are these peeking over the fence???

<iframe width="425" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=12,92.9405880468892,,0,6.84994861253854&amp;cbll=34.820802,-92.211554&amp;panoid=&amp;v=1&amp;hl=en&amp;gl=us"></iframe><br /><small><a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&amp;source=embed&amp;hl=en&amp;geocode=&amp;q=coolhurst+drive,+sherwood ,+ar&amp;sll=34.815688,-92.259579&amp;sspn=0.001663,0.00261&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;t=h&amp;layer=c&amp;cbll=34.8208 02,-92.211554&amp;panoid=Bwxi0IdpdytfeBdlN-oURw&amp;cbp=12,92.9405880468892,,0,6.84994861253854&amp;ll=34.8317,-92.206964&amp;spn=0.00665,0.010439&amp;z=14&amp;iwloc=addr" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>

Lagniappe
03-17-2009, 10:49 PM
Wow! Now I'm fired up too.

austinl01
03-17-2009, 11:00 PM
I knew you'd enjoy that, Pete! These are the houses that I've seen bananas happily growing last year. It looks like we need these folks as new members for bananas.org! I should give them a business card for this website. Jarred, do you have any?

Lagniappe
03-17-2009, 11:23 PM
<iframe width="425" height="240" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/sv?cbp=12,15.365833059556113,,0,5&amp;cbll=32.521272,-92.150034&amp;v=1&amp;panoid=&amp;gl=&amp;hl=en"></iframe><br /><small><a id="cbembedlink" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?cbp=12,15.365833059556113,,0,5&cbll=32.521272,-92.150034&ll=32.521272,-92.150034&layer=c" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">View Larger Map</a></small>

hammer
03-18-2009, 10:26 AM
i got two very nice orinco plants from green earth price was 899 each

LilRaverBoi
03-18-2009, 11:24 AM
I'm liking all the street-shots! I didn't even know google maps did that till recently. It's very helpful. I was going to a party in a new location one night, so I looked up the venue and the surrounding streets (in daylight on the pics) and it really helped out when I was there! Yay for google maps....but:woohoonaner: for bananas!!

austinl01
03-18-2009, 12:02 PM
i got two very nice orinco plants from green earth price was 899 each

Thanks! Did you get them there recently? I may stop by to see what they have.

hammer
03-18-2009, 06:24 PM
I got them back in January. You can look at them on greenearth.com. They have some really nice plants. The delivery is really good to, I got mine two days after ordering them. I put two in the ground today and built a make shift greenhouse for those cool nights. I hope they live. Keep your fingers crossed.

LilRaverBoi
03-18-2009, 06:35 PM
I got them back in January. You can look at them on greenearth.com. They have some really nice plants. The delivery is really good to, I got mine two days after ordering them.
Well guess I was just unlucky! I ordered on a Sat. (cause that is what they recommended cause I was attempting to avoid the weekend since it was kinda cold in my area and didn't want them sitting in a cold warehouse somewhere for a few days). Anywho, I ordered Sat. and didn't receive mine till the Mon. over a week later :( It really wasn't their fault....just USPS, but I was sooooo anxious all week already it kinda killed me to have to wait that long! I will say the plants themselves were very healthy and are doing great.

Taylor
03-18-2009, 08:25 PM
I knew you'd enjoy that, Pete! These are the houses that I've seen bananas happily growing last year. It looks like we need these folks as new members for bananas.org! I should give them a business card for this website. Jarred, do you have any?

I hope they don't see that we have been spying on them!
Certainly large clumps...some of those...for z8a.