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sensovision
05-21-2009, 06:47 AM
Hi folks, glad that found this place as I've already found a lot of useful info at one place!
But I'm still confused about what spices to choose for growing in my area.
I'm looking for edible banana(I prefer to eat them raw not cooked) plant which could be grown from seeds, to grow it outside in my garden.

I'm living in Kerch, rhizomes can't be imported here only seeds(I know that edible bananas are grown not from seeds but have no other choice right now). Climate here relatively mild, only sea split us from Turkey although our weather is bit colder: Kerch, Ukraine - Sunrise, sunset, dawn and dusk times for the whole year - Gaisma (http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/kerch.html)
As you can see our temperature doesn't fall below zero Celsius most of time, although sometimes we may get -10 Celsius but I'm going to protect it.
(For reference I know that bananas are growing in city which is a bit southern: Yalta, Ukraine - Sunrise, sunset, dawn and dusk times for the whole year - Gaisma (http://www.gaisma.com/en/location/yalta.html) although I'm not sure if they are edible and what is their name).

Can anyone provide me with spices worth attention? Right now I was thinking about getting: Musa Acuminata Dwarf
And I'm already trying to grow from seeds Musa Velutina as edible and Musa sikkimensis as ornamental plant.

Any help and tips would be greatly appreciated!

Caloosamusa
05-21-2009, 07:17 AM
Welcome to the organization Sensovision!

I have recently purchased one seeded banana that is edible. It is Musa accuminata banksii. Another member obtained the seeds from Australia and grew them. I think it could help solve your problem. I will not have seeds from it for about two years, but hopefully sooner.

Best wishes and good growing!! :2239:

sensovision
05-21-2009, 08:35 AM
Thanks for welcome and advice, Caloosamusa! I'll check out Musa accuminata banksii, don't mind to have banana with seeds as long as it taste good :)

BTW if you succeeded in germination of your seeds, would you mind to provide me with source where you obtained it, of course if it was online shop? as it would be a bit expensive for me to fly US for buying banana seeds :ha:

Caloosamusa
05-21-2009, 10:00 AM
I did not buy the seeds. I bought the plants produced from the seeds. Check out the Banana Auction section. Musa accuminata banksii. There are 3 closed auctions but read all the information on them. it contains information you seek.

My banksii is very small, I've had it only a few weeks. So it will be about two years before I get seed, as I have to grow the plant to maturity first.

BTW?

I will be posting pictures of it episodically, and I am putting you at the top of the "Seed List"!

Good growing!!! :2239:

lorax
05-21-2009, 10:03 AM
(BTW = By The Way)

sensovision
05-22-2009, 04:06 AM
Thanks again Caloosamusa, I've checked auction and it sounds just like something I'm looking for, full mouth of seeds wouldn't stop me as long as it tastes good, I grow here some opuntia which also produce fruits and have more seeds in fruits than flesh ;)

Would you mind to share how you going to grow your plants, outside or inside(in winter) and what kind of climate your region have?

chong
05-22-2009, 04:39 AM
Thanks again Caloosamusa, I've checked auction and it sounds just like something I'm looking for, full mouth of seeds wouldn't stop me as long as it tastes good, I grow here some opuntia which also produce fruits and have more seeds in fruits than flesh ;)


If that is the case, then you can start with M. Basjoo. Asacomm, a member from Japan has posted pictures of the M. Basjoo fruits, and he reports that the pulp of the ripe fruit is sweet but has a lot of seeds.

Another thing, I am expecting a few seeds and corms of a Philippine variety called "Katali", whose fruit contains very few seeds and very sweet. And because the fingers are large, the seeds are not much of a nuisance, like with the M. Balbisiana.

The seeds are arriving in two or three weeks, but the corms are going to be a couple of months because of the bureaucratic problems that my shipper is having. I don't exactly know how many seeds I will be getting, but if they haven't shipped them yet, I can ask them to add a half-dozen or if possible a dozen more, if you are interested. Just to forewarn you, though, this variety is a Zone 9 or 10 plant. So, it probably will not take any frost. I need to really check this out because I've not come across this plant in the US.

Chironex
05-22-2009, 04:27 PM
BTW=bananas taste wonderful

sensovision
05-25-2009, 08:28 AM
Sorry for delay in response, was too busy in garden for last days planting tomatoes and other plants before rains starts.

If that is the case, then you can start with M. Basjoo. Asacomm, a member from Japan has posted pictures of the M. Basjoo fruits, and he reports that the pulp of the ripe fruit is sweet but has a lot of seeds.

I was considering Basjoo as it seems to be widely available, and after your advice I think that should order it.

Another thing, I am expecting a few seeds and corms of a Philippine variety called "Katali", whose fruit contains very few seeds and very sweet. And because the fingers are large, the seeds are not much of a nuisance, like with the M. Balbisiana.

The seeds are arriving in two or three weeks, but the corms are going to be a couple of months because of the bureaucratic problems that my shipper is having. I don't exactly know how many seeds I will be getting, but if they haven't shipped them yet, I can ask them to add a half-dozen or if possible a dozen more, if you are interested. Just to forewarn you, though, this variety is a Zone 9 or 10 plant. So, it probably will not take any frost. I need to really check this out because I've not come across this plant in the US.
Thank you very much, I'm interested, hopefully I'm not too late for this, will write you PM in a moment.
As for hardiness Zones, it's look like climate is changing very rapidly(at least here where I live) so it's hard to predict how it will look next year, and I think it's worth to try myself to grow something especially knowing that plants grown from the seeds generally better accommodating to local climate.
Usually when I grow something rare I leave only some plants outside during winter and rest keep on my balcony which doesn't freeze.

BTW=bananas taste wonderful
Good point, Chironex! ;)