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View Full Version : Hello from Ladera Ranch


sandrasmith140
07-05-2009, 09:34 PM
I am trying to grow my first bananas! I have seen them around our local botanical gardens and on my trips to the South Pacific and have wanted to plant one for years. My plumeria and citrus seem to like our hilltop Southern California location about 14miles from the ocean.

The place I planted the musa "ice cream" is only getting sun until 12 p.m., so it looks like that was not a good first choice. I am thinking about digging it back out before it roots and then putting it one of my very large pots and placing it in the full sun. I am trying to keep it out of view, since I know the leaves will get tattered with the winds.

The pot is quite large and right now has quick draining palm/citrus mix in it. I know this variety gets quite large, so maybe the pot is not such a good idea? Any feedback would be appreciated. Th only other spot I could put it is right behind the pool, but then it would really block my view once it gets full grown. I wish a had a bigger yard to fit it all in. (5600 square foot lots just are not that big once you have a pool in there).

MediaHound
07-05-2009, 10:08 PM
Welcome aboard

island cassie
07-05-2009, 10:58 PM
Hi Sandra - ice creams get very large and the pot would have to be enormous - I don't know your area, but I would suggest that if it looks happy, to leave it where you have planted it. Mine only gets direct sun on the plant for about 3 hours a day, but as the leaves are over the roof of the house, they have the sun all day. Hard to judge but I have a height of pstem of about 18 ft, and to the top of the leaves - at least 25ft - can't see properly.

Richard
07-05-2009, 11:14 PM
Hi there,

Ice Cream does grow tall but here in southern California only about 1/2 the height that Cassie sees in the tropics. I would follow her advise and leave it in the ground to "reach for the sky"!

I drove past your neighborhood last week on my way to highway 74. It's a beautiful time of year in the foothills.

LilRaverBoi
07-06-2009, 10:47 PM
Welcome to this great site! I hope you enjoy it here and learn a lot! The community here is very knowledgeable and helpful! As for your ice cream dilemma, it will probably be okay where it's at...otherwise if you can find a place in full sun, I'm sure it'd go nuts there.....well, it'd go bananas, rather. LOL.