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NANAMAN
06-23-2009, 09:09 PM
Been out of town for a while and I just returned to see the Ae Ae's and pups are really starting to take off. Here's a few pictures.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=18675&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=18675)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=18674&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=18674)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=18672&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=18672)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=18671&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=18671)

Simply Bananas
06-23-2009, 09:10 PM
When is the sale?

alexizhere19
06-23-2009, 09:14 PM
yup when is the sale, but that is awesome great growin

alex

Lagniappe
06-23-2009, 09:33 PM
Nice!

CValentine
06-23-2009, 09:39 PM
Those are beautiful banana plants Brian!!
Love the Ae Ae, Lucky you!!! :) ~Cheryl

ArchAngeL01
06-23-2009, 10:46 PM
sell us some you can be rich from them pups lol

Greenie
06-23-2009, 10:56 PM
Brian,
I have seen your 'Ae Ae" in person and the pic you posted does not do her justice:eek:.Nice to hear she withstood temps in the mid 30's with no problem at all. The "Hawaiian strain" is the most vigorous I have ever seen!...13 pups huh? LOL

Bananaman88
06-24-2009, 06:20 AM
That's one healthy looking plant. Nice and fat!

Caloosamusa
06-24-2009, 06:28 AM
Great Job of growing them NANAMAN!

Is there going to be an auction? Good growing!! :2239:

NANAMAN
06-24-2009, 08:59 AM
Thanks All, for the kind words. I'm not sure when or how I will go about selling any, I don't want to deal with shipping them. A local nursery has expressed an interest in buying them, not sure what I'll do yet!

Caloosamusa
06-24-2009, 11:37 AM
Good afternoon NANAMAN,

PM sent. :2239:

alexizhere19
06-24-2009, 11:45 AM
hey brian,

best of luck with the pups what ever you do with them. It is an awesome plant and you are doing a great job growing it so well to get that many.

alex

tophersmith
06-24-2009, 01:37 PM
Great looking plant, yet another reason for me to move the family to Florida. What type of Bamboo is that behind it?

adrift
06-24-2009, 04:22 PM
Thanks All, for the kind words. I'm not sure when or how I will go about selling any, I don't want to deal with shipping them. A local nursery has expressed an interest in buying them, not sure what I'll do yet!

I understand not wanting to ship them. There are several of us in the central FL area who would be interested if you do decide to pot up and sell a few. One of us could make the drive down and bring back a few extras for the others.

CookieCows
06-24-2009, 05:13 PM
Oh my gosh.. those are fabulous!!!!!! Totally drooling here!

Deb

Bob
06-24-2009, 06:21 PM
Magnificent!

ArchAngeL01
06-24-2009, 08:47 PM
id love to get my hands on an aeae its an awesome nanner

Bch Grl
06-24-2009, 10:31 PM
Yes, Please consider some of us locals that could use the hardier strains of the Ae Ae...and come and pick them up.

:woohoonaner:

Margie

harveyc
06-28-2009, 08:26 PM
Congrats, Brian, glad to see how well they are doing. Looks like you've stirred up a hornet's nest with folks drooling over those pups! LOL I guess there's a little advantage to being in zone 9, not quite as many folks expecting anything from mine! ;)

Best wishes,

Harvey

CookieCows
06-28-2009, 11:18 PM
Congrats, Brian, glad to see how well they are doing. Looks like you've stirred up a hornet's nest with folks drooling over those pups! LOL I guess there's a little advantage to being in zone 9, not quite as many folks expecting anything from mine! ;)

Best wishes,

Harvey

Well Mr. Positive, I guess there's a glass half full in zone 7/Kentucky also then ... :drum::ha::ha:.

Brian you have a green thumb. What a wonderfully healthy nana that I keep hearing are not as easy to grow as the others.

Deb

harveyc
06-28-2009, 11:24 PM
Deb, you're right, zone 7 is great for bananas because it helps make my conditions look almost tropical! :ha:

Bch Grl
06-28-2009, 11:36 PM
Nanaman...

As I was drooling over your pics, I kept thinking how familiar Lake Park sounded. But I couldn't place it, so I checked the Map Me and low and behold..I'm in your neighborhood several times a year. I go diving out of Rivera Marina all the time and stay at the Super 8 hotel there on US1!

I was just down there 2 weeks ago and discovered that there is a huge Mango tree and Sweetsop trees on the back side of the hotel. I picked a few Mangos and had one tonight! MMMMMM, good! There are several Sweetsop trees with lots of fruit, not yet ripe. Check it out.....

I'll be back in August for some Bug diving!
Keep me in mind if you decide to sell some of the AE AE"s...or maybe trade for some bugs(lobster)!!!!

Margie

NANAMAN
06-30-2009, 02:15 AM
I'm sorry I haven't responded to the posts on this thread but, I'm on vacation with my daughter for the next few weeks, so I haven't been around the house much. Thanks for all the nice comments and interest!

harveyc
06-30-2009, 02:19 AM
Have lots of fun spending time with your daughter, Brian! Life is way too short.

ewitte
06-30-2009, 09:29 AM
Why is AE so expensive compared to other varieties? You would think with that big of a difference people would get them just to sell pups or tissue cultures.

jmoore
06-30-2009, 09:48 AM
You can't tissue culture them, they can only be propagated by pups, hence they are rare and expensive.

ewitte
06-30-2009, 10:02 AM
Sure about that? Just a question still looking for more information.
PlantFiles: Detailed information on Ae-Ae, Banana, Pisang, Plantain Musa paradisiaca (http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1252/)

"By dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (including offsets)"

ewitte
06-30-2009, 10:14 AM
Found something

"It has not yet been propagated successfully using tissue culture. Only one in 4 pups retain the white variegation of the mother corm."

harveyc
06-30-2009, 10:16 AM
Check the wiki for more info.

I don't believe the 1 in 4 is accurate; I've never heard such a low number but think some people have indicated about half. The nursery where I bought one of mine said they had only had variegated pups from theirs.

ewitte
06-30-2009, 02:40 PM
That quote was from wiki ;) What do they taste like?

harveyc
06-30-2009, 02:59 PM
I meant to look to the wiki as to why they haven't been tissue cultured. You can look at an edit by klemmthamm who posted information from various sources that I had posted to another thread a couple of years ago.

Mine haven't fruited yet but I'm hoping my big one may flower soon (it needs to or else the bunch will never mature before frost). I've eaten a dried Ae Ae before and it was very good. It is not much of a dessert banana, though. I'm growing it mostly for the awesome looks and for the challenge. Maybe I'll be able to sell pups one day and make a little money but I'm not holding my breath!

Bananaman88
07-01-2009, 06:33 AM
The Ae-Ae's we used to grow at MBG almost always produced variegated pups. I don't recall a single one ever coming up totally green or totally white. That certainly doesn't mean it doesn't happen, however.

ewitte
07-01-2009, 09:02 AM
What is MBG? Do they sell plants?

harveyc
07-01-2009, 09:49 AM
it's the botanical gardens Brent used to work at in St. Louis and I don't think they would be selling plants. I think they're probably used as employee perks! ;)

ewitte
07-01-2009, 11:08 AM
it's the botanical gardens Brent used to work at in St. Louis and I don't think they would be selling plants. I think they're probably used as employee perks! ;)

Ah he lives close so I was hoping it was somewhere nearby that sold plants. If they have AE I expected them to have a good selection.

Bananaman88
07-01-2009, 11:58 AM
Yes, MBG is Missouri Botanical Garden. They used to have a plant sale once/year when I worked there, but they were primarily plants that were brought in from what I recall.

Mark Hall
07-03-2009, 05:27 AM
Brian, Hope you dont mind me tagging this on your thread.

One of my Ae aes looks like it is starting to produce a plain green leaf. The first one has a small patch of white on it. But the last one is all green. The other pups in the pot are all varigated. Why would this happen and will it revert back to variegated at some stage ?


Should I try to remove it now before it gets bigger?

Jack Daw
07-03-2009, 06:14 AM
Brian, Hope you dont mind me tagging this on your thread.

One of my Ae aes looks like it is starting to produce a plain green leaf. The first one has a small patch of white on it. But the last one is all green. The other pups in the pot are all varigated. Why would this happen and will it revert back to variegated at some stage ?


Should I try to remove it now before it gets bigger?
I've seen the variegated plants go all the way to green (not personally of course, just read it), but I've never heard of an Ae Ae that would turn green and revert back to its variegation.
I think it's green for good.

harveyc
07-03-2009, 08:53 AM
I wouldn't remove it yet, especially based on just one or two leafs. While I was not convinced, Tog made a case based on considerable observations that variegation was directly related to nutrition. I'd be inclined to watch it for a while and would probably withhold fertilizing it for a while.

Jack Daw
07-03-2009, 08:55 AM
I wouldn't remove it yet, especially based on just one or two leafs. While I was not convinced, Tog made a case based on considerable observations that variegation was directly related to nutrition. I'd be inclined to watch it for a while and would probably withhold fertilizing it for a while.
Or completely. ;)

Mark Hall
07-03-2009, 10:07 AM
Thanks Harvey. I will try to remember not to feed it..trouble is all the others in the pot will go hungry..lol

Do the green Ae ae's have a name or are they just refered to as Green Ae ae?

Still I suppose it wont be inclined to burn in the sun being all green:ha:

harveyc
07-03-2009, 10:40 AM
I believe some online seller at one time had "Green Ae Ae" listed, but don't recall who. You can market it as a sun-tolerant Ae Ae, I suppose!

Bob
07-03-2009, 04:52 PM
I just came across this yesterday probably through a link here , I loose track. It is J.D Anderson. Since they are selling them the same price as common bananas I wonder if the grown out plants might produce an occaisional variegated. I wouldn't bother but, lots of folks play the lottery.

Chironex
07-04-2009, 02:27 AM
I always wanted to try to find a Green Ae Ae and try to induce variegation through different environmental and biological stressors. Never got around to it though. Maybe someday.

NANAMAN
07-20-2009, 11:14 PM
Dug out the Ae Ae pups today, there were 20 of them! I only killed 1 and was able to pot up 18. The corm was the healthiest, most rooted , that I've ever seen. Of course I kept the biggest pup for myself, here's some updated pics;
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=19691&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=19691)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=19692&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=19692)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=19694&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=19694)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=19695&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=19695)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=19696&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=19696)

alexizhere19
07-20-2009, 11:18 PM
Wow. Looks like you can start an AE AE farm. You obviously are doing everything right and i hope you will continue to have such great success with them.

alex

harveyc
07-21-2009, 12:31 AM
Those weak suckers need some TLC....need my address??? :ha:

ArchAngeL01
07-21-2009, 02:17 AM
i think everyone around here is going to be really really nice to you ,hey your doing great! can i have one ? :ha:

Dalmatiansoap
07-21-2009, 02:22 AM
Well, why not?
Can I have them all???:ha::ha::ha:
:woohoonaner:

harveyc
07-21-2009, 02:53 AM
Gosh, upon further reflection, it's not really worth bothering to try to figure out a tissue culture process for Ae Ae (some say it might be possible, including the boss of the lab where Gabe has worked, as I recall) if you can get 20 pups.

Brian, your soil seems darker than what we usually see from someone in Florida. Would you mind saying what you've done to amend your soil? Do you have any idea of your pH and nutrient levels, etc.? I want to mimic your soil conditions...can't do much about my temps and humidity. :)

Congrats,

Harvey

marenmar
07-21-2009, 03:01 AM
:woohoonaner: WOW that's COOL! Congratulations!!!!! and good luck:birthdaynana:

Bch Grl
07-21-2009, 08:55 AM
What great pics!!!!
Quite an education as to how bananas grow!
Looks like a lot of work to tease them all out like that!
Did you replant the Mama? Maybe she'll give you more!


Margie:waving:

Greenie
07-21-2009, 10:03 AM
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:;);););):bananas_b :bananas_b

conejov
07-21-2009, 10:32 AM
BLACK GOLD!

That soil looks great I want to be able to get my soil like that, So please share what you did to amend it.

CValentine
07-21-2009, 03:47 PM
Awesome AND Beautiful AeAe's!!! :) ~Cheryl

NANAMAN
07-21-2009, 06:01 PM
Quotes:
Gosh, upon further reflection, it's not really worth bothering to try to figure out a tissue culture process for Ae Ae (some say it might be possible, including the boss of the lab where Gabe has worked, as I recall) if you can get 20 pups.

Brian, your soil seems darker than what we usually see from someone in Florida. Would you mind saying what you've done to amend your soil? Do you have any idea of your pH and nutrient levels, etc.? I want to mimic your soil conditions...can't do much about my temps and humidity.

Congrats,

Harvey

BLACK GOLD!

That soil looks great I want to be able to get my soil like that, So please share what you did to amend it.
Today 11:03 AM


Dug hole aprx. 5' diameter, added peat, crab or shrimp shell meal, Azomite, and an organic fert. consisting of blood, bone, feather, and cotton seed meals. Tilled it, planted plant, and added 12 to 18 " of horse stable bedding mulch on top. I fertilize monthly with whatever I happen to have on hand,( 10-10-10, palm blend, citrus blend, K-mag, fish emulsion, liquid kelp, etc....). Soil Ph is 6.5 to 7 range , irrigation water ( well ) is Ph 7.2 with low to moderate salinity. I adjust soil Ph with elemental sulfer or an organic fert made for acid loving plants. I don't know what the nutrient levels are, because I've never tested for that, but the soil is all silica sand. Very little top soil 1-2", so the only nutrients are what I add ( I can pretty much tell if they need anything). I mulch 2-3 times per year with horse stable bedding, about 12-18" deep. It has really improved the soil and the worms really love that stuff! I'm going to order another 25 yards of it tomorrow! I also add beneficial bacteria, fungus, microbes, etc. yearly.That's about it!

I've been moving more to using organic ferts. and less chemical ferts., mainly due to the fact that everything I grow, I eat. The soil and the plants seem to be healthier also! The challenge seems to be, supplying heavy feeders ( bananas ), with enough food, ( organically ), to grow and produce large, tasty bunches of fruit. So far so good, but I'm not against supplementing with chemical ferts.. I would like to get to a place where they are used less and less, and eventually, not at all.

harveyc
07-22-2009, 12:02 AM
.....That's about it!

Slacker!!! :ha:

Caloosamusa
07-22-2009, 08:18 AM
They look Great!! :2239:

damaclese
07-22-2009, 08:41 AM
wow i cant wait untill my Ae Ae pups its geting farly big up to about 5ft we will see. wish i could plant it in the yeard and i just may but im not sure it would make it here in zone 9

capthof
07-22-2009, 05:54 PM
So whats a fella got to do to get one of these babies?
I promise to take care of it.

buzzwinder
07-22-2009, 07:55 PM
Great job Brian, they all look healthy and beautiful, Wish I had the climate and the time to try an AeAe, truly beautiful plants, Thanks for the photo's and the info!:bananas_b

damaclese
07-24-2009, 09:34 AM
all my pups are spokin for the nest 10 years sorry guys id have to have 50 pups to saply the request and its not even puped yet

conejov
07-24-2009, 09:34 PM
Quotes:
Gosh, upon further reflection, it's not really worth bothering to try to figure out a tissue culture process for Ae Ae (some say it might be possible, including the boss of the lab where Gabe has worked, as I recall) if you can get 20 pups.

Brian, your soil seems darker than what we usually see from someone in Florida. Would you mind saying what you've done to amend your soil? Do you have any idea of your pH and nutrient levels, etc.? I want to mimic your soil conditions...can't do much about my temps and humidity.

Congrats,

Harvey

BLACK GOLD!

That soil looks great I want to be able to get my soil like that, So please share what you did to amend it.
Today 11:03 AM


Dug hole aprx. 5' diameter, added peat, crab or shrimp shell meal, Azomite, and an organic fert. consisting of blood, bone, feather, and cotton seed meals. Tilled it, planted plant, and added 12 to 18 " of horse stable bedding mulch on top. I fertilize monthly with whatever I happen to have on hand,( 10-10-10, palm blend, citrus blend, K-mag, fish emulsion, liquid kelp, etc....). Soil Ph is 6.5 to 7 range , irrigation water ( well ) is Ph 7.2 with low to moderate salinity. I adjust soil Ph with elemental sulfer or an organic fert made for acid loving plants. I don't know what the nutrient levels are, because I've never tested for that, but the soil is all silica sand. Very little top soil 1-2", so the only nutrients are what I add ( I can pretty much tell if they need anything). I mulch 2-3 times per year with horse stable bedding, about 12-18" deep. It has really improved the soil and the worms really love that stuff! I'm going to order another 25 yards of it tomorrow! I also add beneficial bacteria, fungus, microbes, etc. yearly.That's about it!

I've been moving more to using organic ferts. and less chemical ferts., mainly due to the fact that everything I grow, I eat. The soil and the plants seem to be healthier also! The challenge seems to be, supplying heavy feeders ( bananas ), with enough food, ( organically ), to grow and produce large, tasty bunches of fruit. So far so good, but I'm not against supplementing with chemical ferts.. I would like to get to a place where they are used less and less, and eventually, not at all.


Your AEAE seem to be very happy with what you've done to the soil. Thank you for sharing.

Bch Grl
08-24-2009, 09:26 PM
Well...I went down to the South Fl/Jupiter/Lakepark area to go diving for Lobster...and wouldn't you know it! I came home with an Ae Ae, Dwarf Nam Wah, a Belle and 3 coconuts!!!!
Brian was kind enough to have me over to see his plants. Thanks to his Mom for showing me around, since he was out of town! What huge plants and many with fruit!
Brian, the Ae Ae already has 2 new leaves on it and another pushing out! Pics to follow! Thank you for picking me out such a nice Pup!
Unfortunately, we got blown out from diving on Saturday and no Lobster on Sunday, either!
Thanks again to Brian, and his Mom for showing me the "Plantation"!

Margie:waving:

Greenie
08-24-2009, 10:01 PM
I came home with an Ae Ae, Dwarf Nam Wah, a Belle and 3 coconuts!!!!



Awesome huh?.....Brian has it going on right now in his new yard layout!
Here is a new pup from the "special" strain.The older one is doing great at about 9 feet:bananas_b
here is a pic
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=21539&size=1

Bch Grl
08-25-2009, 09:10 PM
OK, here are pics of 1)the Ae Ae with 2 new leaves since I got it and
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=21581&ppuser=976><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=21581&size=1 border=0></a>
2)the dwarf Namwah with a new leave and a Dwarf Red in the back.

<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=21588&ppuser=976><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=21588&size=1 border=0></a>

:waving:Margie

NANAMAN
08-29-2009, 10:57 PM
Well...I went down to the South Fl/Jupiter/Lakepark area to go diving for Lobster...and wouldn't you know it! I came home with an Ae Ae, Dwarf Nam Wah, a Belle and 3 coconuts!!!!
Brian was kind enough to have me over to see his plants. Thanks to his Mom for showing me around, since he was out of town! What huge plants and many with fruit!
Brian, the Ae Ae already has 2 new leaves on it and another pushing out! Pics to follow! Thank you for picking me out such a nice Pup!
Unfortunately, we got blown out from diving on Saturday and no Lobster on Sunday, either!
Thanks again to Brian, and his Mom for showing me the "Plantation"!

Margie:waving:

Margie, I'm glad you were able to stop by and check out the yard! Hope the Ae Ae grows well for you up there in Jax. Please keep us updated with it's progress. Thanks again.

NANAMAN
08-29-2009, 10:59 PM
Just got home today and saw an interesting variation! Hope it stays this way.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=21872&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=21872)

Blake09
08-30-2009, 08:17 AM
nice :)

I wish I lived in a warmer zone. :(

NANAMAN
09-30-2009, 09:01 PM
After I removed the pups from the mother , I rolled the mother over to the compost pile and left her for dead. I looked out there the other day and noticed a few more pups sprouting. Guess there will be a couple more to pot up!

Before:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=19692&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=19692)

After:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=24163&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=24163)

Jananas Bananas
09-30-2009, 09:16 PM
That has been some Ae Ae Momma for you that's for sure!!!! :)

skybox
08-08-2011, 10:50 PM
After I removed the pups from the mother , I rolled the mother over to the compost pile and left her for dead. I looked out there the other day and noticed a few more pups sprouting. Guess there will be a couple more to pot up!

Before:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=19692&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=19692)

After:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=24163&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=24163)

Okay i don't understand why you would roll the mother plant over to the compost pile. Wouldn't it make more sense to leave her in the ground and keep harvesting pups off of her? Am i missing something here? Did you leave the mother corm in the ground and just cut the top vegetation off? Did the plant already produce fruit too?

harveyc
08-08-2011, 11:32 PM
I think it was because the mother had already fruited and was cut down to make room for new ones to fruit.

revensen
08-09-2011, 08:34 PM
Great thread and beautiful plants. Did you think about slicing up the corm of the mother? I've done this with manzano's after they fruited and gotten many pups from this method. I think from two corms I ended up with 10 or more pups. Great job!

NANAMAN
08-14-2011, 12:51 PM
Okay i don't understand why you would roll the mother plant over to the compost pile. Wouldn't it make more sense to leave her in the ground and keep harvesting pups off of her? Am i missing something here? Did you leave the mother corm in the ground and just cut the top vegetation off? Did the plant already produce fruit too?

I dug the plant up prior to fruiting to harvest the pups. If you look at the picture closely, you can see that it would have been nearly impossible to remove all 20 pups without destroying several of them, had I not dug up the corm. Besides, it produced 3 more viable pups while sitting in the compost pile, for a total pup count of 23. That's far more than I imagined it would ever produce in one season.