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bluesky
06-03-2009, 07:33 AM
I have a question, hopefully I didnt do a ...really stupid thing but with my dwarf Oranoco mom banana tree, she had 5 babies growing and getting way to tall in the same container. The mom tree has fruit growing on it from last year, the fruit is still quite green probably due to the cold and dark here in Pa, now they are outside in a container, I cut out 3 pups....really didnt have a choice, I think the container would have broke. Anyways my question, by doing this, will the nanas on the mom tree die? I have added lots of compost and every week and a half feed it well. But it is starting to lean alot plus we still have frost, i covered it well but frost still did get to some of the leaves. Also is there a way to speed up the ripening of the nanas? Thank you everyone.

harveyc
06-03-2009, 11:07 AM
No, your mother plant will not die. It's better to thin out pups before a banana plant flowers but if the pups form later it's probably best to leave them, if possible (to avoid stress). In your case, it sounds like it was necessary to remove them and then it's best just to cut them barely below the surface so as not to injure the roots. Stress during blooming can reduce the number or size of fingers but your fruits are already formed and stress at this point would probably just delay their maturity a little.

Good luck, sit back and enjoy!

Harvey

bluesky
06-03-2009, 11:25 AM
Thank you Harvey, I was really worried about that. Is there a way to speed up the ripening of the nanas now? They have been on the stalk since Oct of last year. Their not soft, just look very under ripe.

harveyc
06-03-2009, 12:38 PM
The most important thing now is sunlight, water, and nutrition. Sometimes a plastic bag (blue seems to be a preferred color) is placed over the bunch and this may help retain heat.

Patty in Wisc
06-03-2009, 01:26 PM
Nice to hear someone got fruit from a potted nana! How many nanas are on it?

bluesky
06-03-2009, 01:57 PM
It quit producing nanas at the end of Oct, the temps dropped fast last year. There are seven small but pudgy nanas and two more that are way small to become fruit. But since placing the tree outside, at the middle of where the pod was, another nanna emerged....i'm not really sure what to expect, this is my first! This ....and I swear this is the truth, last year I was angry moving all the time to different places and carrying this tree around and it never produced anything, I walked past it, verbally said since you dont do anything other than take up room and light from the other plants, I think this year you are going to die. That evening...I know you wont believe this..but it is the truth, a pod developed! I dont believe in this stuff but i dont believe in coiencadence either...it was just one of those weird things I guess. I dont even try to understand it anymore all i know is I dont want to see the leaves moving by themselves, my mom had a tomato tree whose leaves moved when the air was completely still....thats to weird for me.
Also have several pups from this tree and am hopeing that they will have fruit before fall comes, I'm giving them lots of compost, food the only missing ingredient is the sun, it's been dark here for many days with only short spurts os sunlight. Temps are only hanging into mid 60s daytime, 40s at night and its June now...afraid its going to be a cold summer.

Patty in Wisc
06-03-2009, 02:06 PM
Have you seen my weather banner??!! We may get frost tonight! I don't remember it ever being this cold in June. Very depressing:(

Crazy_canuck
06-03-2009, 02:37 PM
Even up here in Ontario Canada we have never had overnight temps this low. We are usually past the 50F night temps this time of year...We have frost warning tonight also. My Banana's already look cold burnt from this weather...strange season!

P.S Congrads on the fruit!!!

bluesky
06-03-2009, 02:57 PM
Yea this weather has me worried. At least tonight and tomorrow, night temps will be in the low 40s. Getting really tireing having to cover everything up every night! Did that last week, think it was Sun night and frost still got to my plants. :(

harveyc
06-03-2009, 03:24 PM
Where's Gore these days???

Patty in Wisc
06-03-2009, 04:23 PM
Where's Gore these days???

Sitting in front of his fireplace?!
I'll bet we go from this cold crap to very humid 90's suddenly. We still have the rainstorms & tornados coming first though.
June 7th last year (once when we were in 70's) we had record brking rainfall w/baseball size hail. Cornfields looked like lakes..basements flooded, roads closed. Who knows what this summer will be.