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TommyMacLuckie
07-22-2009, 01:32 PM
Anyone have one? I know they still exist. I've been starting to look to get one. Have had zero luck so far. Could someone point me in the right direction if there is one?

Richard
07-22-2009, 02:04 PM
Go up to the top of most any page with the "Blue Bar", beginning with 'User CP', etc. Click on 'Search', then click on 'Advanced Search'. On the left where it says 'Search by Key Word', type in 'Gros Michel', then underneath that, set the criteria to 'Search Titles Only'. Click the 'Search' Button. You will find several threads on the subject and quite a bit of discussion on obtaining the plants.

Ohio'sBest
07-22-2009, 02:25 PM
I know I did a search a while back(last year) and Central Florida Farms had some.

chong
07-22-2009, 03:37 PM
I know I did a search a while back(last year) and Central Florida Farms had some.

What they (FF) have is the FHIA-23, which is similar to Gros Michel. However, it is NOT Gros Michel.

BullShark
07-22-2009, 04:56 PM
I would definitely pay for a real Gros Michel pup if only I could find someone willing to part with one! If I could just get ahold of one I have enough land to make plenty for anybody on the board who wants one.

Gabe15
07-22-2009, 07:30 PM
Shucks, I have tons...3 different forms too that are all different heights. 'Gros Michel' which is the tallest at about 15ft, 'Highgate' which is about 10ft, and 'Cocos' which is about 6-8ft. They all make identical (delcious) fruit. I'll see what I can do in terms of propagating these and making them available in the future. I know of some plants in the forest too I could try to collect sooner, I'll see what I can do.

Bananaman88
07-23-2009, 06:31 AM
Gabe, I think I speak for us all when I say, "Why haven't you mentioned this before???"! No, I understand- I know you are very busy and the hubbub it would cause by mentioning it could cause you untold anxiety. However, now you've opened the floodgates! No pressure from me, but if you do get around to pursuing this, please put me on the list for one...whichever you can get ahold of the easiest is OK with me. 'Cocos' sounds good, though, since it is a dwarf.

Let me know if I can help you in any way or if you are looking for anything for your collection. I know you have access to most of what you'd be interested in already.

TommyMacLuckie
07-23-2009, 08:46 AM
Include me please. I'd love to get a hold of what was the commercial banana before the Cavendish! I'm gonna have to check in to that place in Florida as well. And someone in New Orleans just let me know they have Majunches from Cuba, of which I have not been able to figure out what it is exactly.

Richard
07-23-2009, 08:51 AM
Gabe ... drop me an email with your address and I'll send you a check. Thanks!

lorax
07-23-2009, 09:08 AM
I have the original strains and the two "improved" strains that were crossed with Giant Plantain. What I don't have is an export licence (fingers crossed.)

When I get that, you're on my list, Tommy.

Eric
07-23-2009, 09:29 AM
Gabe, Beth.... If either would like to put me on their list, I'd be eternally grateful :) !!
If nothing else, I'm loaded with time & patience.

john_ny
07-23-2009, 09:55 AM
There seems to be a new-found interest in Gros Michel. I find this very interesting, as these were my first bananas, many years ago.

Background: I had a business, importing aquarium fish. I kept them in little concrete pools, in a greenhouse. Sometimes, when I was in a warm place, I would catch my own. Once, while sitting on a stream bank, in Panama, waiting to get some fish in my trap, I noticed many little palm seedlings, and thought it would be nice to grow some of them between the pools, in the greenhouse, so I brought some back. I then started planting other tropical plants, also. After a while, some customers asked me if the plants were for sale.

My wife is an RN, Operating Room Supervisor. The then Chief of Surgery, at her hospital, and his wife, had a vacation home in Saint Lucia, and invited us down there. I knew that this would be a good place to get tropical plant cuttings, and seeds. I knew nothing about bananas, but thought it would be interesting to bring some back. At that time the island was very closely tied to the U.K. Almost everything they used came from there, (a bottle of catsup, on a restaurant table, had a label that read, "H. J. Heinz & Co., London") and most everything produced on the island, was shipped to the U. K. When I inquired, of the locals, about the bananas, one said he could get me some, and I started to get my education. I was informed that these bananas were Gros Michel, not what we got, in the States. I was told that the British preferred a slightly smaller banana than Americans. I really couldn't notice any difference in taste or appearance. I brought a couple of corms, about the size of bowling balls, back with me.

They grew well, and I learned some more things.
1. They get big. I had brought a couple of them home, and had them in front of a glass patio door, in a finished basement. In short order, they were pushing the tiles out of the suspended ceiling.
2. They get sunburned. I took some to a charity fund raiser flea market, held in a shopping center parking lot. Full sun, with no protection. In a few hours the leaves turned white.

I wish I still had my connections down there. I'm sure there are still plenty of the plants there. There's a picture of me with a bunch of the fruit in the Wicki.

TommyMacLuckie
07-23-2009, 10:01 AM
My interest in the Gros Michel started last year when my girlfriend got me Dan Koeppel's book. Since they are not extinct, I started looking. I do know that Stokes offers a hybrid but I want to see if I can get the real plant.

That's odd that they say the GM is smaller than what the US gets. From what Dan Koeppel said, they were a bit bigger.

Gabe15
07-23-2009, 10:43 AM
Gabe, I think I speak for us all when I say, "Why haven't you mentioned this before???"! No, I understand- I know you are very busy and the hubbub it would cause by mentioning it could cause you untold anxiety. However, now you've opened the floodgates! No pressure from me, but if you do get around to pursuing this, please put me on the list for one...whichever you can get ahold of the easiest is OK with me. 'Cocos' sounds good, though, since it is a dwarf.

Let me know if I can help you in any way or if you are looking for anything for your collection. I know you have access to most of what you'd be interested in already.

Well, you know...theres a lot of things about bananas I haven't mentioned yet! I have a long list of plants I'd like to offer to the group...one day when I can pull it all together and fit it between all the other work/slacking.

Bananaman88
07-23-2009, 12:15 PM
Well, you know...theres a lot of things about bananas I haven't mentioned yet!

I'm sure this is very true, Gabe! We do know you're very busy and hey, everyone deserves to slack off now and then! :bed:

Bob
07-23-2009, 12:56 PM
Gabe, in the interest of the .org and botany as a whole, science needs and deserves to know how var."cocos" would fare in Northern New Jersey. As always I am ready and willing to sacrifice for the common good of all( and my stomach:ha:).

john_ny
07-23-2009, 01:05 PM
Tommy, Over the years, I've heard all kinds of things; that they're smaller, bigger, extinct, etc. and more. Like I said, I didn't notice any real difference.

lorax
07-23-2009, 03:11 PM
I can tell you that here in Ec at least, the 'original' strain produces bananas about the same length as standard Cavs or Gran Nains, but a great deal fatter. The 'improved' strains are much larger.

Jack Daw
07-23-2009, 04:04 PM
I can tell you that here in Ec at least, the 'original' strain produces bananas about the same length as standard Cavs or Gran Nains, but a great deal fatter. The 'improved' strains are much larger.
So in other words, if something's worth doing, it's worth doing the best way and in that case I will wait for Beth's export license and her massive improved GMs. :P :D

hatfam
07-23-2009, 05:26 PM
I would like a Coco if it is similair to a Gros Michel. I will have to grow it in a container.

Thanks
Tom

hatfam
07-23-2009, 05:27 PM
I would like a Coco if it is similair to a Gros Michel. I will have to grow it in a container.

Thanks
Tom

conejov
07-23-2009, 05:41 PM
I've said it once and I will say it again.

SHARING IS CARING!

john_ny
07-23-2009, 06:19 PM
Elizabeth - As I said, this was many years ago, (probably before you were born) so it might have very well been the "original" strain. I, also, didn't pay too much attention because, at the time, bananas were bananas to me. However, Mr. Roberts (who had built the doctor's house, and most of the hotels on the island) and was also a dedicated horticulturist, (he owned the book, "Exotica", which in 1970's dollars was several hundred dollars) relayed the info about, the GM being slightly smaller, to me.
As I think back the place was really great. I had asked some of the locals to bring me plants, from the jungle, for which I would pay, and one time, a guy down the road, who maintained Doc's landscaping, while he wasn't there, brought me a 40 foot vine. It was a vanilla orchid.

Gabe15
07-23-2009, 07:00 PM
In blind taste testing, I like to give people (fresh harvested) Gros Michel, Cavendish and Goldfinger side by side. Almost always, Gros Michel is a clear winner and much preferred. People tend to like Goldfinger the least of the 3, some even dislike it.

In terms of flavor, I would agree that Gros Michel and Cavendish are similar, but Gros Michel tends to have a much stronger, aromatic, classic-banana flavor and is noticeably more dense. Cavendish also tend to be relatively mealy in texture, Gros Michel is relatively smoother/creamier, something like a...unusually rigid but still good cream cheese??? I cant really think of a good descriptor, but its reminiscent of a creamy texture.

Having thought about all that, compared to other bananas that can be tart, or sour, or dry, or starchy, they are very similar to each other.

lorax
07-23-2009, 07:06 PM
Firm and creamy the same way that fresh Chanvre (goatsmilk cream cheese) should be, but with a more definite "banana" bouquet than Cavendish, without any "grainy" mouth feel the way that Cavendish has. It's also a little bit more crisp than Cavs are in terms of the feel of the bite.

I also do blind tests (with GMs, Cavs, and Sedas), and GMs always come out the clear winner.

mike
07-23-2009, 07:58 PM
Ok I am sold. I am getting that fever again.

Dalmatiansoap
07-24-2009, 08:53 AM
Well, this all means only one thing. Go for Mikey Ante!
Action now!
:woohoonaner:
OK, I ll wait for the list :(.
:waving:

Jack Daw
07-24-2009, 09:40 AM
Well, this all means only one thing. Go for Mikey Ante!
Action now!
:woohoonaner:
OK, I ll wait for the list :(.
:waving:
"Not all that glitters is golden (meaning precious)." Our saying. ;)

lorax
07-24-2009, 09:42 AM
And often golden things are bananas....

Jack Daw
07-24-2009, 09:52 AM
And often golden things are bananas....
That's why I wrote golden and not precious. ;) :D

harveyc
07-24-2009, 03:21 PM
Wow, have been busy working on a seed list and missed this discussion. I'm definitely interested!

John, whatever happened to yours? Did you just decide it was too hard to grow such a tall banana in your climate?

john_ny
07-24-2009, 03:55 PM
Harvey, That was in the 1970's; a very long time ago, and at that time, a banana was just a banana, another tropical plant. I know I sold some of them, and the ones that hit my ceiling were given to the doc. (whose vacation house we were staying at, when I got them) He put them in an indoor pool room he had at his house, here. He actually got fruit on them. Of course, at that time, if anyone wanted to buy any, I sold them, never thinking that I should try to keep a pup, or two, to perpetuate the line.

Jack Daw
07-24-2009, 04:37 PM
Harvey, That was in the 1970's; a very long time ago, and at that time, a banana was just a banana, another tropical plant. I know I sold some of them, and the ones that hit my ceiling were given to the doc. (whose vacation house we were staying at, when I got them) He put them in an indoor pool room he had at his house, here. He actually got fruit on them. Of course, at that time, if anyone wanted to buy any, I sold them, never thinking that I should try to keep a pup, or two, to perpetuate the line.
Ou yeah, the sins of our youths. :D

shkm
07-25-2009, 03:35 AM
I purchased one from a grower on Ebay a year ago. i planted it, watered, fertilized it and it is now only 3 feet tall. I think I got ripped off.

Bananaman88
07-25-2009, 11:42 AM
Firm and creamy the same way that fresh Chanvre (goatsmilk cream cheese) should be, but with a more definite "banana" bouquet than Cavendish, without any "grainy" mouth feel the way that Cavendish has. It's also a little bit more crisp than Cavs are in terms of the feel of the bite.

I also do blind tests (with GMs, Cavs, and Sedas), and GMs always come out the clear winner.

OK, OK- stop teasing us already and get your darned export license!!!

lorax
07-25-2009, 02:42 PM
Tell that to the Ecuadorean government, please.

Jack Daw
07-25-2009, 04:54 PM
Tell that to the Ecuadorean government, please.
Well, if I started to persuade them, there wouldn't be any goverment left very soon after that. :D
Just get your citizenship paperwork done and everything will be smooth then. Beth, our tropical dealer... ;)

Bananaman88
07-27-2009, 06:26 AM
Tell that to the Ecuadorean government, please.

Hmmm...that might just set the whole effort back! I'll just try to be patient.

Ohio'sBest
07-28-2009, 02:50 PM
From what I've read the GM fruit is/was the best for Commercial production. How does the fruit of the Gran Nain compare to GH?

lorax
07-28-2009, 03:05 PM
Horribly. GN is mealy, mooshy, and low on flavour. Plus it's smaller.

Ohio'sBest
07-28-2009, 03:41 PM
Can the GM(Big Mike) be engineered to withstand the new Panama Disease?

Dalmatiansoap
07-28-2009, 06:35 PM
Firm and creamy the same way that fresh Chanvre (goatsmilk cream cheese) should be, but with a more definite "banana" bouquet than Cavendish, without any "grainy" mouth feel the way that Cavendish has. It's also a little bit more crisp than Cavs are in terms of the feel of the bite.

I also do blind tests (with GMs, Cavs, and Sedas), and GMs always come out the clear winner.

Where would u put Ice Cream (Blue java) in this "taste fairy tail"? Orinioco? Raja Puri? Some others?..:waving:
:woohoonaner:

TommyMacLuckie
07-28-2009, 07:07 PM
Have you read Dan Koeppel's book? He talks about it, how it's lacking in taste. Basically, the Grand Nain is a poor choice taste wise for a commercial banana but, like fast food corporate America, it's good enough.

In his book he talks about how it's just not as good period compared to the GM.

Gabe15
07-28-2009, 08:11 PM
Can the GM(Big Mike) be engineered to withstand the new Panama Disease?
There has been decades of breeding to achieve just that, but the products of that (particularly 'Goldfinger') have not been widely accepted on the commercial end of things, though they have been extremely useful and well received by subsistence farmers. GMO experiments have been mainly with Cavendish varieties since they are already the consumer accepted variety.

Where would u put Ice Cream (Blue java) in this "taste fairy tail"? Orinioco? Raja Puri? Some others?..:waving:
:woohoonaner:
The thing that sticks out most in my mind about 'Ice Cream' is the texture. It is very fluffy and light. The flavor is good too, but I'd have to have some on hand to come up with some decent descriptors.

As for Cavendish, one of the problems comes with shipping, its true some store bought bananas are really very bland and mealy, a result of having to be picked early and kept cool. But in my opinion, fresh Cavendish are still rather good, just not as good to most people compared to Gros Michel. But then again, I tend to like all different banana varieties for what they are, no need to make it a competition, so my opinion may not be the best for those seeking ultimate flavor and eating quality. Gros Michel shouldn't be regarded as the best banana either, its good, but there are some varieties people like even better. One such variety is an African diploid named 'Muraru Mshale', it is very reminiscent of 'Gros Michel' flavor-wise, but if you can imagine it, even firmer, sweeter and possibly more aromatic too.

TommyMacLuckie
07-29-2009, 09:17 AM
I think part of the point of comparing the Grand Nain to the Gros Michel in Dan's book is this: I have had good tasting Chiquita or Dole bananas, which are most likely Grand Nain from what I understand. That the Gros Michel was (is) better is the point and I get it. So that's a considerable difference in taste. At least, that's how I read it!

ewitte
07-29-2009, 09:21 AM
Lots of better bannas than whats in the store especially if you grow them yourself. That pretty much holds true for the majority of fruits/vegetables sold at the store. I'm not one into paying crazy amounts for something like Gros Michael when there are tons of easily available varieties that taste really good. Ice Cream for example is very easy to find. I think the main appeal is getting something from your childhood (if your old enough) that used to be sold in the stores but is no longer available.

Eric
07-29-2009, 11:02 AM
Lots of better bannas than whats in the store especially if you grow them yourself. That pretty much holds true for the majority of fruits/vegetables sold at the store. I'm not one into paying crazy amounts for something like Gros Michael when there are tons of easily available varieties that taste really good. Ice Cream for example is very easy to find. I think the main appeal is getting something from your childhood (if your old enough) that used to be sold in the stores but is no longer available.

With Gros Michel, I believe we're talking more "home grown" than "store". And while eating a banana, one ate as a child, may have a certain, nostalgic appeal, the idea of getting to eat a banana you missed out on, in life, creates a stir in itself :)!
In short, the more different nanners, the better, I say :nanerwizard: !!
Definitely gotta taste-test a Muraru Mshale. Sounds Awesome!!

Dalmatiansoap
07-29-2009, 11:25 AM
Ou, Eric!!!
nice to see U :)
:woohoonaner:

TommyMacLuckie
07-29-2009, 01:54 PM
I would love to get a Gros Michel just for that reason - never had one, born way too late, and would like to know just what the hell was going on. And in terms of it being difficult to get, well, it's just that much more of a mystery. Plus the idea of having my own 'original commercial banana' adds even more to the luster of the Gros Michel. And yeah, one more banana plant that is historically unique.

And, of course, to compare the taste of it to a Grand Nain and, what, Williams and...what's the other one. I forget. I always draw blanks on what the other 2 commercial kind are. Robusta? And how do you tell when you buy them what they are? That's something I've never learned.

But first and foremost - I just want to have my own plant.

Also it's to see what something that is not a cavendish is like, the small details of difference, from that kind of plant. Which I don't know anything about really. The group of kind of bananas the Gros Michel is in is Musa Sapientum. What I haven't looked for at all (yet) is what else is there from that group. I don't think it's ever been pointed out. At least that I've seen. Are the FHIA Gros Michel bananas in the same family? Or however that would be worded?

BullShark
07-29-2009, 11:15 PM
Is Martinico Gigante really the same thing as Gros Michel? Becuase I have seen it advertised that way but I don't think Gros Michel bananas are actually green when ripe.

Bob
07-30-2009, 05:26 AM
The FHIA 23 was created as a Gros Michel type but has none in its lineage. They are reputedly an excellent tasting banana. Don't buy what some nurseries are telling you, calling them GM. In fact that's a clue to stay away from that particular business by all reports.

Eric
07-30-2009, 06:00 AM
The FHIA 23 was created as a Gros Michel type but has none in its lineage. They are reputedly an excellent tasting banana. Don't buy what some nurseries are telling you, calling them GM. In fact that's a clue to stay away from that particular business by all reports.

One clue...!? If it's the business I'm thinking of, I can list a couple of hundred more clues :cool:. Best way to find a Gros Michel is with a Hawai'ian phone book or by moving to Thailand... Wonder what they wear in Thailand... Hope they got some great bowling alleys...

TommyMacLuckie
08-01-2009, 09:06 AM
I don't have a Hawai'ian phone book.

This is Louisiana, the (sinking) land of corruption! I should be able to get what I want dammit!

Bob
08-01-2009, 11:18 AM
I don't have a Hawai'ian phone book.

This is Louisiana, the (sinking) land of corruption! I should be able to get what I want dammit!

I second that!

Eric
08-01-2009, 11:42 AM
I second that!

I'll third & fourth it if it'll get him airfare to Gros Michel... er... Hawaii :) !
If somebody doesn't get there, I'll need the Fifth :ha:.

BTW, to whom it may concern, all 4 nanners doing super today :) !
BYE

Jack Daw
08-01-2009, 03:54 PM
...BTW, to whom it may concern, all 4 nanners doing super today :) !
No surprise, you've cooled down to 32°C or 90°F in the past 2 weeks. They love this temps. :D

Ohio'sBest
08-12-2009, 12:22 PM
Would the real Gros Michel please stand up......................:woohoonaner:

lorax
08-12-2009, 12:53 PM
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=18567&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=18567)

I'm here, I'm here!

Bananaman88
08-12-2009, 02:31 PM
Thanks, Beth! I'll PM my address!!

CValentine
08-12-2009, 02:40 PM
Look at those BEAUTIFUL Gros Michels...
Too bad she ate those last month or so ago...
Remind us again of the flavor...
I know it will probably never happen, BUT...
If you ever get to send any...
ME TOO!! ME TOO!! (((Please))) :D ~Cheryl

TommyMacLuckie
10-13-2009, 10:31 AM
So what are the chances of ever finding a Gros Michel at a nursery? Outside of FLA? I've seen Robusta, Dwarf Cavendish, Zebrina, Brodelon, Orinoco, Ornata (lavender), the two ensetes and...not sure of any others, at Home Depot and Lowes over the years.

Stokes has a nice selection and that's where I get them from mostly (1780, Thai Gold, Grain Nain, Sweetheart, a few others - I have a list somewhere because, as you can tell, I forget what all there is!).

Hard to know what one will come across at Home Depot or Lowes though, they never have a lot of variety. I'm really moving towards starting my own place in the New Orleans area that will have, hopefully, up to 50 or near that different kinds (as well as various kinds of palms that people are ignorant to the facts about that they can grow here in the region). Mainly to sell to people, the plants, but also have a select few just for the fruit to bring to markets, etc... and have fun and enjoy sharing "other" bananas.

I'd love a Gros Michel to be included. A real one AND the, what, FHIA Gros Michel. I've looked but have never found any for sale. Perhaps I need to do more research. Or I've just missed or forgotten something.

Should I even bother with the FHIA GM? I don't see why not - it exists and it's a part of banana history.

TommyMacLuckie
10-13-2009, 10:55 AM
Interesting article. For some reason I did not realise the French named it or brought it to the Caribbean! At least, according to this article from 1990:

Battling for Bananas, Alaska Science Forum (http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF9/977.html)

Has there ever been any sort of figuring out with what the purpose of Black Sigatoka and Panama disease is for? Meaning, if it weren't for bananas, what else did or does it attack/kill/do?

Hope that makes sense.

Nicolas Naranja
10-13-2009, 12:05 PM
From what I understand sigatoka came from the sigatoka valley in southeast asia near where bananas originated and likely co-evolved. The former extension agent in Palm Beach County has a pretty large banana collection and he has some Gros Michel in his collection although I don't know how hard it would be to get a sucker from him.

Ohio'sBest
11-28-2009, 05:29 PM
What are the chances of ordering/purchasing a couple hundred of these?

ron_mcb
11-28-2009, 05:57 PM
if you ask people from the Philippines and a lot of other countries that grow and export Cavendish bananas to countries like u.s.a. most people will tell you that cavendish are bland.commercial companies export and grow Cavendish type bananas because its disease resistant and they have a good yeild, greater shelf life and they ship well..they werent really looking for a banana with a similar taste to gros Micheal. ..its mostly about profit and bottom line.

as for the taste of gros Micheal v/s cavendish.. i would like to compare for myself.

Abnshrek
11-28-2009, 08:43 PM
Hell I want one too :^)

lorax
11-29-2009, 08:43 AM
As one who has had the opportunity to compare, and who will never grow another Cavendish in her lifetime if it is at all avoidable, GM comes in as the hands-down winner in any taste test. The flavour of a GM banana is more complex, the texture crisper, and there's no mealiness or insipid aftertaste with them, as there are with Cavendish-type cultivars.

Ohio'sBest
01-01-2010, 01:35 PM
I second that. Just tell me how many of the large ones I can have, and where do I send the money order...............:woohoonaner:

Gabe15
01-01-2010, 02:32 PM
Has there ever been any sort of figuring out with what the purpose of Black Sigatoka and Panama disease is for? Meaning, if it weren't for bananas, what else did or does it attack/kill/do?


Black Sigatoka is the leaf fungus Mycosphaerella fijiensis, however there are many thousands of plant pathogenic Mycosphaerella, it is one of the largest groups of plant pathogens. Many many other plants are susceptible to some form of Mycosphaerella.

Panama Disease is the soil fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense. The f.sp. (forma speciales=special form) cubense infects banana and heliconia. However, there are many other Fusarium oxysporum forms which infect other plants.

The basic forms of both of these pathogens are not unique to bananas. Their purpose is just to live and reproduce, and depending on the form they use specific types of plants to help them do that.

Abnshrek
01-01-2010, 06:44 PM
So how does the FHIA23 stand up to GM accolades? I know some places rubber stamp it as such..

TommyMacLuckie
01-03-2010, 07:34 PM
Possibilities of any of us ever getting our own Gros Michel before we die?

It just has to be possible. I, too, want to be able to grow my own Gros Michels. If they are that much better than any Cav then...why not start growing them again?!?!!???????!!!!!

I have plenty of places in SE Louisiana they can grow, north and south of the lake.

Abnshrek
01-03-2010, 08:06 PM
I can see it as a leaf of the past I haven't eaten (but sure I'd like too :^).. but does the GM compare to an Ice Cream or other favorites of the folks on here growing banana's? I've read many entries where folks think cavendishes stink compared to the several varieties..

Bananaman88
01-23-2010, 11:26 AM
Gabe,

Any update on this?


Shucks, I have tons...3 different forms too that are all different heights. 'Gros Michel' which is the tallest at about 15ft, 'Highgate' which is about 10ft, and 'Cocos' which is about 6-8ft. They all make identical (delcious) fruit. I'll see what I can do in terms of propagating these and making them available in the future. I know of some plants in the forest too I could try to collect sooner, I'll see what I can do.

Shepherd54321
02-06-2010, 05:49 PM
Any feedback on the restrictions for exporting tissue cultures from foreign countries would be greatly appreciated. I found this article in promusa....

'Once the mainstay of the export trade until Fusarium wilt made its cultivation in large-scale plantations impossible, Gros Michel has found a niche in Congolese man-made forests near the border with Angola.'

A Gros Michel success story (http://www.promusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=133)

We would like to find a current location growing a 'true' Gros Michel for tissue cultures.

Thanks....S

Bananaman88
02-06-2010, 09:27 PM
Good luck with this, Stehpen! Let's hope it pans out.

Bob
04-01-2010, 07:42 PM
ok here's an update... after commiting my entire spare time gardening life to it the past year I did get 4 plants that supposedly were tissue culture Gros Michels from a member here last year. I will shortly be sending 2 of them to members in California who I believe will have the best chance of propagating them for the good of all here. Now that its warm enough in New Jersey I'm comfortable to try sending them. Some of you may remember the (heck) I went through to get a few variety"Bluefields" from Hawaii... of the 3 I was able to get ...one died ... one is in limbo but not doing well and one is doing fairly well but not actively growing in my front porch. I will try to document its progress this year... If it does ok I will send the pups next year wherever I think they'll do best..... New Jersey probably isn't the banana capitol but ... we have none of the diseases and.... I can keep them alive and healthy for the most part. I'd love to see a revival of this variety I barely remember from childhood...

and get my hands on one of the dwarf cultivars that are out there but impossible to acquire!!!( big hint you know who!)

more to follow....

Abnshrek
04-01-2010, 07:49 PM
Well good luck with that bob!!! I know I have them coming out of the ground already here. Its not a gros Michel but an Ice Cream, Gran nain, and orinoco so far :^)

TommyMacLuckie
04-02-2010, 11:09 PM
Well obviously someone somehow has to get to the Luki Biosphere Reserve in south-west Democratic Republic of Congo to get a Gros Michel. Especially if they're just gonna kill the bananas off.

If they haven't already.

Gabe15
04-03-2010, 03:00 AM
There are lots of 'Gros Michel' around, not just in Africa. There are tons in Hawaii too. I am working on getting some propagated and distributed, but it is a slow process.

Jeff
04-03-2010, 08:31 PM
We have them in Costa Rica too. A friend of mine has a field of them planted for his personal consumption.
He gave me a few pups last Fall - I can't wait for them to fruit this year!

rick2001
08-20-2010, 03:05 AM
Any news about where to get a GM pup ?

Jack Daw
08-20-2010, 03:21 AM
Any news about where to get a GM pup ?
From Bob. :ha: Or abroad. It's just too difficult in Europe. But GM is not very suitable to your climate, Rick.

rick2001
08-20-2010, 05:44 AM
From Bob. :ha: Or abroad. It's just too difficult in Europe. But GM is not very suitable to your climate, Rick.


Maybe that my closeness to the sea can help....
last winter (that was a bad and long one) my area never went below zero so I'm pretty confident that during a normal winter my 'nanas can survive without damage....

GM would be nice to try .....

Bob
08-20-2010, 12:43 PM
As of now all my pups are spoken for. I find the GM a bit sensitive to cold so that's a concern if they're to be overwintered in the ground... not impossible though with some protection in marginal areas. I was able to find one available from Thailand Plant recenty online but the corm arrived half rotted and I'm not sure if it will survive yet. Shipping could be quicker to Europe though( mine was a month in the mail). You may be able to search some online nurseries in Hawaii and look under the synonym "Bluefields" which is where I got the one surviving one I have.

rick2001
08-20-2010, 12:58 PM
As of now all my pups are spoken for. I find the GM a bit sensitive to cold so that's a concern if they're to be overwintered in the ground... not impossible though with some protection in marginal areas. I was able to find one available from Thailand Plant recenty online but the corm arrived half rotted and I'm not sure if it will survive yet. Shipping could be quicker to Europe though( mine was a month in the mail). You may be able to search some online nurseries in Hawaii and look under the synonym "Bluefields" which is where I got the one surviving one I have.

Hi Bob, I contacted the thai seller you'r speaking about and asked about the quick shipping by EMS, that's his reply:

Dear Rick,

Thank you for interesting our products.


The shipping cost of EMS (Express Mail Service) is $50 for a Gros
Miche Banana plant.

It will take time approximately 2 weeks to manage with several
processes as the laws and regulations of European Customs, before go
to obtain Phytosanitary Certificate for you. After the procedures
completed, The parcel will be packed and mailed out by EMS
immediately. EMS usually take 7 days to reach your hands.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Thank you.

Best regards,
Surachart

To me 40$ for the plant + 50$ for the shipping + custom taxes seems a little too expensive , am I wrong ?

I'll try to look on internet for hawaian nursey...
Thanks
Bye

momoese
08-20-2010, 01:14 PM
My GM pup from Bob is looking good so far. I've had to keep some mush cleaned off but I think it might make it. Fingers crossed!

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m161/momoese/GMpup.jpg

sunfish
08-20-2010, 02:32 PM
http://www.bananas.org/f2/pups-11984-2.html#post138893

momoese
08-20-2010, 03:19 PM
Tony this one is the real Bluefield pup. The first "GM" pup that Bob sent me I left in a pot until I can see what happens with yours!

Bob
08-20-2010, 04:17 PM
Rick I think that's a ridiculous amount to pay for something that while it might be the real thing could very well still arrive dead. Mine's showing no sign of life yet but if it wakes up I'll post soon.
Here's Mitchel's still on the mother and almost as tall:
http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss149/bob_075/DSCN0476.jpg

and after it was removed:
http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss149/bob_075/DSCN0478.jpg


I hated lopping off the top.... (though I wrapped some striped bass in the leaves for dinner) but it needed to be done for shipping. Glad to see it's growing and in an area it will surely do well... unlike zone 6 NJ!

sunfish
08-20-2010, 05:12 PM
Tony this one is the real Bluefield pup. The first "GM" pup that Bob sent me I left in a pot until I can see what happens with yours!

What ever it is I have ,has a 7' p-stem now.Going by Gabe's pic's I don't think it's GM.

Bob
08-20-2010, 05:16 PM
What ever it is I have ,has a 7' p-stem now.Going by Gabe's pic's I don't think it's GM.

Rats! I was thinking the same based on what Gabe said but was holdng out hoping yours would miraculously flower first and prove beyond all doubt that somehow they were a real GM...... I still have it in the ground at about 6' with pups almost as large but if it's not a GM ..... the real estate is too valuable here for an unknown...... Rats!

sunfish
08-20-2010, 05:27 PM
Rats! I was thinking the same based on what Gabe said but was holdng out hoping yours would miraculously flower first and prove beyond all doubt that somehow they were a real GM...... I still have it in the ground at about 6' with pups almost as large but if it's not a GM ..... the real estate is too valuable here for an unknown...... Rats!


Looks like we won't know for sure until next year.

chong
08-20-2010, 07:37 PM
Rick I think that's a ridiculous amount to pay for something that while it might be the real thing could very well still arrive dead. Mine's showing no sign of life yet but if it wakes up I'll post soon.
Here's Mitchel's still on the mother and almost as tall:
http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss149/bob_075/DSCN0476.jpg

and after it was removed:
http://i570.photobucket.com/albums/ss149/bob_075/DSCN0478.jpg


I hated lopping off the top.... (though I wrapped some striped bass in the leaves for dinner) but it needed to be done for shipping. Glad to see it's growing and in an area it will surely do well... unlike zone 6 NJ!

Hey Bob!
Is that GM mother plant the one from Justin? I got two of them from him but they do not have the wine markings as yours. Mine are all green. I think I sent you a photo of my GM plant early this year. They pretty much stayed the same color, but are larger. No pups though.

Chong

momoese
08-20-2010, 09:50 PM
Hey Bob!
Is that GM mother plant the one from Justin? I got two of them from him but they do not have the wine markings as yours. Mine are all green. I think I sent you a photo of my GM plant early this year. They pretty much stayed the same color, but are larger. No pups though.

Chong

It's looking like the Justin plants are not GM. I have one that's also all green.

Bob
08-21-2010, 04:17 AM
Chong , the pic I just posted is the Bluefields I got from Hawaii and had told you about. My "GM" from justin looks the same as it did before.

chong
08-21-2010, 07:33 PM
Chong , the pic I just posted is the Bluefields I got from Hawaii and had told you about. My "GM" from justin looks the same as it did before.

Thanks, Bob,
I do remember now. And the headache you had to go through with the supplier. So, they look different from the ones from Justin, huh? If only I can prevail on my friend on the Big Island to drive to your supplier's place. He lives 30 miles from that nursery, so I don't know if he's going to be willing to drive out there to pick up a couple of plants for me.

Thanks again.

Chong

rick2001
09-27-2010, 02:36 AM
At last I bought the Gros Michel from Thailand , 40€ shipping and phyto certificate included... the seller said that he will mark the package as gift anyway, just to be add a chance.
Now, finger crossed for its survival through shipping and customs.....

I hope to spread this cultivar in Europe, since it seems impossible to find one... ( I hope not to discover that there is a reason for it..... LOL )

rick2001
10-28-2010, 02:40 AM
My GM is on its way to Rome...... Can't wait to see the package....


http://track.thailandpost.co.th/trackinternet/Image/logopost.jpg


Results: RE041851149TH.

Date / Time. Agencies. Explanation
Thursday, October 21, 2553.
15:58:09 AM Agriculture. Been signed.
Thursday, October 21, 2553.
16:08:11 AM Agriculture. Put the bag down.
Thursday, October 21, 2553.
16:33:11 AM Agriculture. Close bag.


:woohoonaner:

rick2001
11-10-2010, 07:45 AM
Finally the package has arrived !!!!:woohoonaner:

It took 3 weeks to get from Thailand to Italy:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_kLS3p5cNB3k/TNqR9kKJoCI/AAAAAAAAAMw/Ohe1QEwIumU/s640/P1431_10-11-10.JPG

The corm seems not too bad:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_kLS3p5cNB3k/TNqR_cLWDdI/AAAAAAAAAM0/vHKtANBhkM0/s640/P1432_10-11-10.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_kLS3p5cNB3k/TNqSBMubdSI/AAAAAAAAAM4/MF_JVyanWMk/s512/P1433_10-11-10.JPG

And those are the Phytosanitary papers:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_kLS3p5cNB3k/TNqSCQalUlI/AAAAAAAAAM8/qSjtTM7OwDo/s512/P1435_10-11-10.JPG
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_kLS3p5cNB3k/TNqSDxQMTQI/AAAAAAAAANA/FBjPn-nbhrI/s640/P1435%5B01%5D_10-11-10.JPG


What now ? Do I have to put it only in a pot and water or do I need to take any addictional precaution ?

Caloosamusa
11-10-2010, 07:48 AM
Congratulations Rick! :jalapenonaner:

BB73
11-10-2010, 07:57 AM
Finally the package has arrived !!!!:woohoonaner:



What now ? Do I have to put it only in a pot and water or do I need to take any addictional precaution ?

Hi Rick,

congrats for obtaining that nice corm and this makes me also more relaxed for my future Veinte Cohol pup.

Just a quick info: Cut everything, that is dead from the corm, so it can't rot. Even roots or anything mashed should be removed. Than put the pup in very well drained soil, not wet but constantly humid. Keep it at warm spot. A heating mat would be good. No direct sunlight and then wait.
As far as I remember, don't put it to deep in the soil. Just cover the corms base.

Happy growing!

rick2001
11-10-2010, 08:02 AM
Hi Rick,

congrats for obtaining that nice corm and this makes me also more relaxed for my future Veinte Cohol pup.
Happy growing!

Mee too!!!!!:bananas_b


Just a quick info: Cut everything, that is dead from the corm, so it can't rot. Even roots or anything mashed should be removed. Than put the pup in very well drained soil, not wet but constantly humid. Keep it at warm spot. A heating mat would be good. No direct sunlight and then wait.
As far as I remember, don't put it to deep in the soil. Just cover the corms base.


Thanks for the infos, I'll do as you say..... and I'll keep the corm in my office where is constantly 26° celsius..... so when a pup will sprout out it will benefit from high temps and artificial grow lights.

Do You think I should put some roots' stimulating powder ?

Dalmatiansoap
11-10-2010, 10:50 AM
In my experience all corms did better in allmost bone dry soil and slight water just after first signs of new growth. Just be patience, it can take two months till it start.
Good luck!
:woohoonaner:

Linda_GER
11-11-2010, 08:06 AM
Congratulations!

Is there a better feeling in this world than receiving a package with a new `nana inside? :ha:

rick2001
11-11-2010, 08:12 AM
Congratulations!

Is there a better feeling in this world than receiving a package with a new `nana inside? :ha:

Of course.... NOT!!!!!!!!!!:woohoonaner:

Jack Daw
11-11-2010, 09:07 AM
In my experience all corms did better in allmost bone dry soil and slight water just after first signs of new growth. Just be patience, it can take two months till it start.
Good luck!
:woohoonaner:
In my experience too. There's no need to overwater it, since it practically has no roots to absorb the water with. It will only rot. If you notice some growth you may start watering it a little bit more than in the beginning.



Of course.... NOT!!!!!!!!!!:woohoonaner:
What about eating your first home-grown banana? :ha:

rick2001
11-11-2010, 09:15 AM
What about eating your first home-grown banana? :ha:


Do you believe in Santa Klaus too ???? :ha:


That's almost an Uthopy..... in my mind I see all my different cultivar fruiting .... but actually I see my Basjoo struggling aganst gale force south west winds and my mind returns back to Earth....

rick2001
12-03-2010, 03:23 AM
:woohoonaner::woohoonaner::woohoonaner::woohoonaner:

My G.M. Corm is alive and growing again......

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/rick2001/P0726_02-12-10.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/rick2001/P072601_02-12-10.jpg

My office's temp and humidity is great for plant's grow:ha:

Caloosamusa
12-03-2010, 07:49 AM
I'm happy to hear it is starting to grow, I hope it continues to do well! :jalapenonaner:

rick2001
12-24-2010, 05:24 AM
Hi There.
My G.M. is growing fine.....
in two weeks it sprouted two leaves.... look:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/rick2001/13122010004.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/rick2001/20122010005.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/rick2001/22122010006.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/rick2001/24122010008.jpg

Darkman
12-24-2010, 11:44 PM
Keep those pics coming. They are much appreciated.

rick2001
01-03-2011, 01:36 AM
Today I got back to office and I've found some kind of problem on my G.M. leaves... look:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/rick2001/03012011011.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/rick2001/03012011010.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/rick2001/03012011009.jpg

The brownish part is soft and dry... I water the plant every two days and use an NPK 10-5-30 one a week. I do the same for mypraying hands and it does not show any simptom like the G.M.

Does anyone has a clue about the causes ?

BB73
01-03-2011, 03:20 AM
Did you check for anything like spidermites? My leaves look similar when I have some of these creatures...

rick2001
01-03-2011, 03:25 AM
Did you check for anything like spidermites? My leaves look similar when I have some of these creatures...


Checked , they are clean.

Could it be an excess of something like water or fertilizer ?

jmoore
01-03-2011, 09:19 AM
Is it near any air conditioning? It look like it's got cold/hot. Just a thought.

Happy New Year!

rick2001
01-03-2011, 09:26 AM
Is it near any air conditioning? It look like it's got cold/hot. Just a thought.

Happy New Year!

yes but it's off.
Last friday I put the plant in front of the window in hope to let it catch a bit more light.... maybe it got cold so close to the window....

If your guess is correct , then the G.M is very very very sensitive to increase or decrease of temp.... I'ts the first and only musa in my collection to react so quickly and so bad to a slight drop of temp in 48 h.

I think , next winter I'll have to save some space in my bed let it stay warm.....:ha:

Kostas
01-03-2011, 10:16 AM
It's a non hardened,shade grown pup,I am sure it will perform much better after it hardens off outside this year ;)

It's somewhat unlikely but... I would also check the various banana virus and keep them in mind if it shows abnormal growth in the future.

It's turning into a big beauty though, and fast!!!!! :woohoonaner:

kaczercat
01-03-2011, 03:08 PM
lack of light maybe, if not must have to do with watering mine do this all the time , Happy new year i bet you cant wait to get em back outside in the spring only another few months! good luck

Bob
01-03-2011, 05:00 PM
They are temperature sensitive and love high heat but ... look for spider mites. Check under the leaves for small webs or ... do you see kind of a fine dust on the leaves? They're a big problem for bananas indoors in winter and a good regular rinse with water or some insecticidal soap would help if thats the case. Increasing the humidity can help quite a bit as well.

rick2001
01-18-2011, 02:21 AM
The G.M. is growing at a very fast rate to be indoor....

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_kLS3p5cNB3k/TTU-YHV_pUI/AAAAAAAAAO0/S1jG2y45hTU/s640/18012011013.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_kLS3p5cNB3k/TTU-Xw5ex2I/AAAAAAAAAOw/-zS-hIuWSws/s640/18012011012.jpg

Kostas
01-18-2011, 05:47 AM
Looking good Rick!!!! :woohoonaner:

rick2001
01-18-2011, 06:35 AM
Looking good Rick!!!! :woohoonaner:

Yes, the growth rate is amazing but I've still problems with the leaves..... the last one that you see on the pic, fresh and in god health ,is showing signs of distress as the previous ones as I watch it and I don't know why....
Maybe it's something related to artificial light inside the office .... I hope it will be solved in spring when it will go outside..

Kostas
01-18-2011, 09:44 AM
I dont know why you are having this problem unfortunately but i would think its either overwatering, mineral deficiency of some kind,salt stress or mites. Seeing its location,i dont think its from cold damage or dry air. The 2 bananas(Namwah and Kandrian) i am growing under artificial lights only for the winter,in a heated and really dry room of my basement(i am spilling water on the floor from time to time to increase humidity and make watering much less frequent),are totally perfect looking to date. Their main lighting is a 60W compact fluorescent bulb about 30cm away from the top of their pseudostem.

Unless the lighting in your office is low,i dont think its the cause. Of course providing more light cant hurt.

Whatever it is,it doesnt appear life threatening for now. When spring comes,i think it will be solved fast just with going outside and maybe a repotting as well as its growing fast!

rv
01-20-2011, 09:51 AM
Does the water for your building go through a water softener?
The salt from water softeners will do that to plants.

Ray

rick2001
01-20-2011, 09:54 AM
Does the water for your building go through a water softener?
The salt from water softeners will do that to plants.

Ray

No, I water the GM with bottled water....
maybe too much fertilizer ?

rick2001
02-01-2011, 01:38 AM
I solved the mistery! It was too much fertilizer...... It was enough to stop to fertilize and the new leaves show no more burns' signs.
I should have thought about it ... after all the G.M. is istill small in a small pot , it's still Janauary and it doesn't get the proper sunlight...

March .... WHERE ARE YOU ????

rick2001
03-10-2011, 08:08 AM
Update: I didn't solve the problem with the G.M leaves....... the cigar leaf open well without any sign but after a week I begin to have brown spots on the external side of the leaf.....

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/rick2001/10032011025.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a344/rick2001/10032011026.jpg

Any Guess ??

rick2001
06-17-2011, 03:31 AM
The Gros Michel is sprouting a lot of pups and a lot earlier than many other Musas....

TommyMacLuckie
06-20-2011, 03:31 PM
I am in Negril, Jamaica. I have been going all around the West End (staying at Citronella On The Cliffs) and I have found many Gros Michels. They call them Gross Michelle here. I have not seen any fruiting. I've seen the results of what looked like Black Sigatoka - or Panama disease, I'm not totally sure which - in the leaves of one clump I saw looked like someone had stripped all the foliage off and the middle was wilting and in the corm of one that had been dug up had black stuff throughout it.

As it is some of the coconut trees are showing signs of the coconut blight that is all over the Caribbean while others right next to the blighted tree(s) is/are fine.

Lots of plantains and have had the fruit of the honey banana and robusta, which they also called lacatan. Haven't had the frog banana yet and probably won't since we're leaving tomorrow.

The Jamaicans know their bananas though, which is really fun to know. The plantains are HUGE here.

Regardless, Jamaica is incredibly beautiful. I'm blown away by the overall beauty of all of the island and the people, for the most part, are very nice and sweet, although some are a good bit pushy sometimes. Of course, everyone smokes the ganj like it's just normal and people grow it all over.

A lot of neat plants here, some that I deal with in New Orleans only on a much larger scale - their true scale, as it is, here in the tropics.

scottu
06-20-2011, 07:01 PM
Anyone ever listen to "Iz" Israel Kamakawiwo,ole? I know it's a bit off track, but, we are talking about the heritage to/of the old royal Hawaiian Banana so, is not a link to the latest semblance of the human heritage linked ? It is wonderful music! Sorry I cannot just give it to you all but, I can tell you That music is " Hawaiian"!!

scottu
06-20-2011, 07:08 PM
I have no idea what just happened But I was posting on a completely different thread about the Ae Ae and I have not smoked in years!

harveyc
06-21-2011, 12:40 AM
With all of those emoticons, it looks like you've been partying on something!

GreenFin
01-27-2012, 01:02 PM
Like many, I'm on the hunt for Gros Michel plants for sale.

A business called Rivers End Nursery (http://riversendnursery.com/shop/dwarf-gros-michel/) is offereing Dwarf Gros Michel plants on their website. Anyone know anything about this company and their GM's?

Kostas
01-27-2012, 01:10 PM
The spots with the black edge are most probably Cordana leaf spot. No big deal in general once you get them outside.

chong
01-30-2012, 02:58 AM
Like many, I'm on the hunt for Gros Michel plants for sale.

A business called Rivers End Nursery (http://riversendnursery.com/shop/dwarf-gros-michel/) is offereing Dwarf Gros Michel plants on their website. Anyone know anything about this company and their GM's?

I have ordered from this business before. They are very nice to deal with, though some of their products may be priced higher than from other sources. The prices on banana plants are about average. I have not ordered banana plants from them. The best part about dealing with them is that they return phone calls, if you miss them when you call! The plants I ordered from them were of very good quality. Hope this helps.

Yug
02-01-2012, 06:22 PM
Just in case this thread is not totally dead yet:

This is a Gros Michel 'Cocos' pup - the dwarf one that Gabe said is 6-8 ft.
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=47698><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=47698&size=1 border=0></a>

Gabe also mentioned that the petioles tend to be open, and tinged with red
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=47771><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=47771&size=1 border=0></a>

Bananaman88
02-02-2012, 01:00 PM
Looks nice, Yug!

Richard
02-02-2012, 01:04 PM
We're all jealous. When does the lottery for pups start?

:woohoonaner:

Gabe15
02-02-2012, 01:18 PM
This is the grandmother of Yug's plant awhile back. I would normally not have any problem sending suckers to the mainland, except it is very risky because it is quite easy to unknowingly send BBTV infected plants.
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=47782&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=47782&ppuser=5)

Yug
02-02-2012, 10:35 PM
We're all jealous. When does the lottery for pups start?

:woohoonaner:

Well, first it needs some size, then once the little buggars pop up, first dibs is to the folks here in the islands :08: - for two reasons: close proximity helps to increase the local supply of these (in case mine gets bbtv) should I need to ask for a pup back, second reason is ease of sending since inter-island is far less complicated. After that, it depends on health of the plant, availability of pups, and expressed interest on the part of fellow 'nanner aficionados. :waving:

sunfish
02-02-2012, 10:54 PM
Well, first it needs some size, then once the little buggars pop up, first dibs is to the folks here in the islands :08: - for two reasons: close proximity helps to increase the local supply of these (in case mine gets bbtv) should I need to ask for a pup back, second reason is ease of sending since inter-island is far less complicated. After that, it depends on health of the plant, availability of pups, and expressed interest on the part of fellow 'nanner aficionados. :waving:

I'm pretty sure some members in California have this plant.

harveyc
02-03-2012, 12:02 AM
I just want one fruit to taste! ;)

Yug
02-03-2012, 12:28 AM
I'm pretty sure some members in California have this plant.

I think harveyc doesn't...

Maybe some Californian will hook him up? :08:

harveyc
02-03-2012, 12:39 AM
After this chilly winter, I don't know that I have what it takes to grow these, though I could protect a smaller variety like the Coco strain if I narrowed my focus down a LOT. I'm sort of hoping that some of my bananas don't wake up this spring. Looking pretty ugly right now, so things are looking up! ;)

venturabananas
02-03-2012, 11:56 AM
I'm pretty sure some members in California have this plant.

Jon (pitangadiego) has Cocos. I've sampled the fruit. Let's just say this plant needs something it doesn't get in Southern California. The fruit couldn't even be described as good. My guess is that we just don't have the heat and humidity this AAA cultivar needs. Yug doesn't have to worry about that! Maybe Jon can chime in, but I'm pretty certain that he told me it's never made good fruit for him. Maybe someone else in CA should get one from him (no BBTV worries) and give it a try. At least we'd have a spatially replicated experiment.

sunfish
02-03-2012, 12:02 PM
Jon (pitangadiego) has Cocos. I've sampled the fruit. Let's just say this plant needs something it doesn't get in Southern California. The fruit couldn't even be described as good. My guess is that we just don't have the heat and humidity this AAA cultivar needs. Yug doesn't have to worry about that! Maybe Jon can chime in, but I'm pretty certain that he told me it's never made good fruit for him. Maybe someone else in CA should get one from him (no BBTV worries) and give it a try. At least we'd have a spatially replicated experiment.

A member in Riverside has one.Should get hot enough there

venturabananas
02-03-2012, 12:10 PM
A member in Riverside has one.Should get hot enough there

But no humidity unless they have misters installed. It'll be interesting to see if their plant makes bigger and tastier fruit than Jon's.

Gabe15
02-03-2012, 01:54 PM
The photos of 'Cocos' on Jon's website do not look like the real 'Cocos' to me. Granted, variations in environment can produce variations in morphology, but I'm not convinced it's the real 'Cocos' there in CA.

venturabananas
02-03-2012, 04:39 PM
The photos of 'Cocos' on Jon's website do not look like the real 'Cocos' to me. Granted, variations in environment can produce variations in morphology, but I'm not convinced it's the real 'Cocos' there in CA.

I'm sure that Jon would be the first one to admit that it could be misidentified because the person who sold it to him misidentified it. Whatever it is, it isn't a winner in his banana patch.

Gabe, can you describe the flavor of Cocos compared to other common varieties? How different is, really, compared to the standard Cavendish flavor?

Gabe15
02-03-2012, 08:03 PM
Gabe, can you describe the flavor of Cocos compared to other common varieties? How different is, really, compared to the standard Cavendish flavor?

It is just like the other Gros Michel cultivars. As far as bananas go, they are rather similar to Cavendish types, but tend to be more aromatic and with a firmer, creamier textured flesh. They don't normally get mealy as Cavendish sometimes do. Locally grown (fresh) bananas are pretty much always better than the imported ones, so even local Cavendish here in Hawaii can be quite good in my opinion compared with the imported Cavendish.

venturabananas
02-03-2012, 10:48 PM
It is just like the other Gros Michel cultivars. As far as bananas go, they are rather similar to Cavendish types, but tend to be more aromatic and with a firmer, creamier textured flesh. They don't normally get mealy as Cavendish sometimes do. Locally grown (fresh) bananas are pretty much always better than the imported ones, so even local Cavendish here in Hawaii can be quite good in my opinion compared with the imported Cavendish.

Thanks Gabe. Since I couldn't track down any Gros Michel fruits in Hawaii, I still haven't had one, but I had guessed that they can't be all that different from Cavendish (though everyone seems to agree somewhat better), given that the average American who was eating bananas in the 1960's when the switch was made from Gros Michel to Cavendish never even knew a switch had been made. I don't mean that one can't tell them apart by flavor, only that the average person probably wouldn't find them to be too different. At least that's how I'm going to rationalize it to myself and give up on this holy grail for many on the org, because I can't imagine that this heat-loving AAA cultivar would fare well in my cool environment. At least judging by my currently pathetic looking Cavendish varieties.

GreenFin
02-04-2012, 01:47 AM
Couldn't we pool the board's demand for the Gros Michel and ask a tc company to produce some for us? Surely they either have cultures of one in storage or would be able to get their hands on one, and if so, they'd be able to supply all of us with disease-free tc's.

Am I correct in thinking that the reason tc companies don't currently offer Gros Michel is that there's a lack of demand for it, as opposed to an inability for the companies to obtain starting material?

Yug
02-04-2012, 02:29 AM
Couldn't we pool the board's demand for the Gros Michel and ask a tc company to produce some for us? Surely they either have cultures of one in storage or would be able to get their hands on one, and if so, they'd be able to supply all of us with disease-free tc's.

Am I correct in thinking that the reason tc companies don't currently offer Gros Michel is that there's a lack of demand for it, as opposed to an inability for the companies to obtain starting material?

I think the demand is the key - if a demand is known, there is always someone willing to fill it for a profit. How many folks (like I used to be) are ignorant of any other type of banana besides the Grand Nain they see in the grocery stores? :lurk:

GreenFin
02-04-2012, 04:54 AM
I just emailed Agri-Starts to see if they could custom tc some GM's for us. Here's the email:

Hi Heather,

Many of us at Bananas.org - International Banana Society (http://www.bananas.org) want to grow Bluefields banana plants (Musa Gros Michel, Musa Dwarf Michel, Musa Cocos). Can you tc some trays of Gros Michel (or preferably Dwarf Gros Michel) for us? What would be the minimum number of trays that we'd need to order? How soon could we receive them? And how much would it cost?

Thanks for your time. I sure hope you can help us out :)

Best,

Hopefully we'll get some good news! :drum:

rv
02-04-2012, 10:54 AM
GreenFin,
If you are trying to gauge interest you can count me in.

Thank you,
Ray

venturabananas
02-04-2012, 12:09 PM
I just emailed Agri-Starts to see if they could custom tc some GM's for us. Here's the email:



Hopefully we'll get some good news! :drum:

Even if they told you they had this banana, I wouldn't trust their identification. They have misidentified other bananas they are propagating, e.g., Ice Cream. You'd probably need to provide them with with one you know to be the real deal.

momoese
02-04-2012, 12:35 PM
You'd probably need to provide them with with one you know to be the real deal.

That's still no guarantee they won't mislabel or mix up plants.

GreenFin
02-04-2012, 01:12 PM
Got a very positive reply from Agri-Starts:

Hi James,

How coincidental that your email came to me! We had explanted the Gros Michel a year ago, and just a few weeks ago planted out the first crop of it in the greenhouse. I believe we may have between 3-5 trays (216 to 360 plants), which should be ready by Wk 8 (Feb 20) to ship out.

We have a minimum of any 2 trays. All rae grown in 72 cell pack trays. I do not know the cost yet on these, since it’s brand new. I’ll check & get back to you on the price. For shipping, we have 2 box sizes: 2 tray & 4 tray boxes, and each cost $5.00 (smaller box is a ‘winter pack’, for milder climates we use a $3.00 box that is not as heavy). Depending on where you are, I can get an estimate from Fed Ex Express or UPS for you.

Let me know if you’d like to place an order. If so, please include:

Nursery name
Address—both billing & shipping
Phone/FAX
Copy of Resale license
Method of payment (Visa, MasterCard, company check)

Thank you,
Heather

Agri-Starts Inc.

So shall we pool our demand and have a member with a resale license order a couple of trays and distribute them out? Anyone volunteer to be the resaler?

Maybe start a new thread for the endeavor (something like "Who wants in on a Gros Michel order?")?

GreenFin
02-04-2012, 02:00 PM
Even if they told you they had this banana, I wouldn't trust their identification. They have misidentified other bananas they are propagating, e.g., Ice Cream. You'd probably need to provide them with with one you know to be the real deal.

That's still no guarantee they won't mislabel or mix up plants.

I doubt we'll find a perfect nursery that never makes mistakes. We have to play the odds.

Do you think there's some huge risk (25%? 50%?) that Agri-Starts will screw up the order, or do you think it's more of a tiny 1% or 0.1% chance?

momoese
02-04-2012, 03:11 PM
I doubt we'll find a perfect nursery that never makes mistakes. We have to play the odds.

Do you think there's some huge risk (25%? 50%?) that Agri-Starts will screw up the order, or do you think it's more of a tiny 1% or 0.1% chance?

That's why it's best to find a pup from a known source.

I've never ordered from them but have read many posts about their mislabeling of plants.

harveyc
02-04-2012, 03:38 PM
Sometime in 2005 I ordered three different banana varieties from Wellspring Nursery (on eBay), Dwarf Orinoco, Raja Puri, and Ice Cream. I don't think any of them were what they were sold to be. I read somewhere a year or two later where Wellspring said there had been some mix-up with Agri-Starts and that Wellspring had made it right with this other customer. I later wrote to Wellspring to discuss this since I thought they might help me figure out what they had sent me. They didn't really seem to know what I was talking about (so I question the other post I had read), and they said they were confident they had labeled the plants correctly according to what Agri-Starts sent them. I would guess the chances of Agri-Starts having a true GM strain are about 50% since both Jon has something that doesn't look right and we had another member here selling plants he got somewhere that were supposedly GM but not.

GreenFin
02-04-2012, 04:10 PM
I would guess the chances of Agri-Starts having a true GM strain are about 50% since both Jon has something that doesn't look right and we had another member here selling plants he got somewhere that were supposedly GM but not.

Were those plants from Agri-Starts or some other origin?

momoese
02-04-2012, 04:13 PM
Hey do what ya want, I'm just telling you that "I" would rather buy a corm from a plant that is known to be the real deal, and I know others that feel the same way. My garden is very small so I don't want to chance growing out a tc for for 2 or 3 years just to find it's not a GM or whatever I was looking for.

No negativity, just my opinion.

And that said, I'm sure there are lots of people on the board that would want to gamble on that. You could ask Richard to help as he buys from them frequently.

sunfish
02-04-2012, 04:39 PM
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=buy%20musa%20gros%20michel&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CFMQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%2Fi.html%3F_nkw%3Dgros%2Bmichel%2 Bbanana&ei=I6QtT4DcIILSiALrv7y3Cg&usg=AFQjCNHPj882zXYMy6Ir0auQq5BiJWwTLg&cad=rja

gros michel banana | eBay

sunfish
02-04-2012, 04:44 PM
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=buy%20musa%20gros%20michel&source=web&cd=9&ved=0CHYQFjAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthailandplant.com%2FAmorphophallusAroidCrinumBu lbTropicalPlant-product_detail.php%3Flistid%3D153%26plantSID%3Dparblfrpdf33r8qlj cuii4hrt3&ei=JqUtT96IEYPMiQLl9qzbCg&usg=AFQjCNE-3SdKCKP0NJaX56cT6OWVvBhc_g&cad=rja

Thailandplant.com

GreenFin
02-04-2012, 05:16 PM
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=buy%20musa%20gros%20michel&source=web&cd=9&ved=0CHYQFjAI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthailandplant.com%2FAmorphophallusAroidCrinumBu lbTropicalPlant-product_detail.php%3Flistid%3D153%26plantSID%3Dparblfrpdf33r8qlj cuii4hrt3&ei=JqUtT96IEYPMiQLl9qzbCg&usg=AFQjCNE-3SdKCKP0NJaX56cT6OWVvBhc_g&cad=rja

Thailandplant.com

Bob has a thread about trying to order from that source: http://www.bananas.org/f2/kluai-hom-tong-gros-michel-12180.html

It took the package a month to arrive though and the corm was partially rotted

[...]

If you're going to brag about any successes you might as well admit the failures..... it's dead as a doornail and did nothing but rot in its pot.... was worth a try though.

sunfish
02-04-2012, 05:30 PM
Top-rated seller program - opens in a new window or tab
Member id thailandplant ( Feedback Score Of 1855Red star icon for feedback score in between 1,000 to 4,999) About member
100% Positive feedback

Get fast shipping and excellent service from eBay Top-rated sellers.

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**** High Recommend EMS Shipping Service for this plant. If you would like us ship it by EMS, please contact me, which you have to pay the increased shipping cost for EMS.

GreenFin
02-04-2012, 05:50 PM
Top-rated seller program - opens in a new window or tab
Member id thailandplant ( Feedback Score Of 1855Red star icon for feedback score in between 1,000 to 4,999) About member
100% Positive feedback

Get fast shipping and excellent service from eBay Top-rated sellers.

Consistently receives highest buyers' ratings
Ships items quickly
Has earned a track record of excellent service

**** High Recommend EMS Shipping Service for this plant. If you would like us ship it by EMS, please contact me, which you have to pay the increased shipping cost for EMS.

I saw that, but would be more interested in 1) his success regarding shipping healthy corms to the U.S., and 2) any positive/negative experiences of those on this board in dealing with him.

There are tons of examples from members of this board receiving healthy, correctly labeled plants from Agri-Starts. Are there a lot (or any?) examples of this guy sending healthy, correctly labeled corms to members of this board?

venturabananas
02-04-2012, 10:23 PM
If your ideal scenario were actually a realistic option, I'm sure most of us would go that route. But the whole context of the thread is that it isn't realistic because there isn't a simple source with 100% known GM corms. That's the whole point. That's why we need an alternative source.

Hopefully we'll get enough people together to give this latest alternative a shot. Even if the odds are a paltry 50% that they have real GM, that makes this a tremendously promising, low risk/high reward opportunity to solve our GM availability problem. And if successful, we'll have corms to share with you :goteam:

I'm having a tough time seeing this as anything other than an exciting opportunity that gives us a substantial possibility of success (50% or better?) at solving a major problem for many of us. Definitely worth the risk for me!

I think Momoese's point was simply that you shouldn't count on the "Gros Michel" TC starts being correctly identified. Provided everyone going in on the purchase of these flats understands that, then they can be educated gamblers. Depending on your yard space, etc., that might be a reasonable gamble for a chance at getting what is a difficult to obtain plant. For me, I don't have the space in my yard to devote to a gamble that will take me 2 years or so to see if I won. I believe you can find several posts that document major screw ups on flats of TC'd bananas from Agristarts (look for some of Nick's posts, for example). Based on my very limited sample of 6 TC'd bananas from Florida growers (don't know the ultimate source, but likely Agristarts), half are misidentified. The TC operation or the grower could have made the mistake. A year ago, when I had space in my yard, I would have gone in on an order of GM from Agristarts. Now I'll wait to see what happens with this order, before I chop down a mat of healthy banana plants to make room for a possible GM. Taking out a mat of healthy bananas to make room for one you are unsure about is a high risk to me. The risk:reward ratio depends on your circumstances. I hope they are the real GM (which is a BIG plant) and a bunch of you "orgers" end up with them happily growing in your yards.

GreenFin
02-04-2012, 10:47 PM
Something else I just thought of, too, is that our resaler would be able to order as few as 18 GM plants, rather than two trays full of GM. For example, if someone like Richard wanted 1.75 trays of something like DC for his own nursery business, then he could order one tray of DC and a 2nd tray that has 54 DC's and 18 GM's. Agri-Starts would add an $18 "mixed tray" fee to his order, but that wouldn't be a big deal (distributed solely over the GM's, since they're what are triggering the extra fee, it would only add $1 to the price that we'd have to pay him).

I think the odds are good we could find homes for 18 GM's among our members here :)

harveyc
02-04-2012, 10:59 PM
Were those plants from Agri-Starts or some other origin?


I doubt either Jon or just_j had got there's from Agri-Starts as I don't believe Agri-Starts had been offering them before.

Your enthusiasm is nice to see. Don't lose it.

Agri-Starts doesn't have any inside line on a source so I'm skeptical that they would have the real deal absent some evidence from them to change my mind. They say they have a mother plant. It would me helpful to see it, especially if it's in flower, to help ID it.

Many of us have spent money and several years growing a plant only to learn later it's been wasted on the wrong plant. What you've perceived as negativity might really be wisdom. ;)

sunfish
02-04-2012, 11:06 PM
If I had room I would be in for a few. I have so many plants I've been putting them in the trash.I wonder if the Miramar landfill will have bananas ,palms ,dragon fruit and passion vines sprouting in a couple years

momoese
02-05-2012, 01:03 AM
If I had room I would be in for a few. I have so many plants I've been putting them in the trash.I wonder if the Miramar landfill will have bananas ,palms ,dragon fruit and passion vines sprouting in a couple years

:ha:

Gabe15
02-05-2012, 03:01 AM
Maybe someone should ask for some photos of the out planted 'Gros Michel' source plant Agri-starts is using for their TC lines. They are rather distinctive plants.

GreenFin
02-05-2012, 03:18 AM
Maybe someone should ask for some photos of the out planted 'Gros Michel' source plant Agri-starts is using for their TC lines. They are rather distinctive plants.

I emailed some follow-up questions to AgriStarts a couple of hours ago:

Hi Heather,

Some members are skeptical about whether your Gros Michel is legit. Will you please answer these questions to help us out?

1) How do you know that your Gros Michel is actually a Gros Michel? (Did you verify it via genetic analysis?)

2) Have you grown out and fruited your Gros Michel? (If so, do you have any pictures of this?)

3) Where did your specimen(s) come from?

I really appreciate your help with this, and I'm sorry for the hassle.

Yug
02-05-2012, 12:16 PM
Maybe someone should ask for some photos of the out planted 'Gros Michel' source plant Agri-starts is using for their TC lines. They are rather distinctive plants.

Actually, that is a great idea. With orchids we love to have photos of the parent plant if we are purchasing a mericlone or even a division (almost like a pup); or if it is a cross, knowing the parent plants used to make the cross can give some insight into what you might expect from the progeny. Of course, even with a photo, tags can still get mixed up... Then it depends on the integrity of the seller to 'make it right'. :lurk:

GreenFin
02-11-2012, 01:45 PM
I received an update from Agri-Starts: the salesperson forwarded the questions I sent (see post #177 above) to their lab director and expects answers next week.

Yug
02-11-2012, 09:30 PM
Hey do what ya want, I'm just telling you that "I" would rather buy a corm from a plant that is known to be the real deal, and I know others that feel the same way. My garden is very small so I don't want to chance growing out a tc for for 2 or 3 years just to find it's not a GM or whatever I was looking for.

No negativity, just my opinion.

And that said, I'm sure there are lots of people on the board that would want to gamble on that. You could ask Richard to help as he buys from them frequently.
I just went back and re-read this thread, and I noticed your post. You would probably not waste 2 or 3 years to discover it is not a GM. This is why: look for 'blood' marks on the immature plant, and next look for open petiole channels tinged in red. The photos I've posted are of a plant that is only a few months old, and it is already displaying classic GM characteristics. If yours doens't exhibit those traits, you would probably be safe in tossing it out. Gabe once told me that the traits for some bananas may not manifest themselves until the plant is mature. If my little GM is any indicator, you shouldn't have to wait that long for this type.

GreenFin
02-13-2012, 02:42 PM
Just heard back from Agri-Starts:

Here’s what I have for you right now, our Gros Michel cultures came directly from the USDA so they are true to type. We received them invitro, not a mother plant, so I have not seen them grown out. We’ve only had them in production a short time but I imagine that we will plant some out this spring.

What are others' thoughts on this reply?

What are the odds that the USDA's Gros Michel is indeed Gros Michel? Is the USDA ultra reliable? I would think/hope so, but I have no experience in these matters.

venturabananas
02-13-2012, 04:37 PM
Just heard back from Agri-Starts:



What are others' thoughts on this reply?

What are the odds that the USDA's Gros Michel is indeed Gros Michel? Is the USDA ultra reliable? I would think/hope so, but I have no experience in these matters.

I would trust the USDA on this. It is their job to identify and preserve unique plants used in agriculture.

ARS | Publication request: Phenotypic Characterization of the USDA-ARS Tropical Agriculture Research Station Banana Germplasm Collection (http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?seq_no_115=194836)

harveyc
02-13-2012, 04:38 PM
Just heard back from Agri-Starts:



What are others' thoughts on this reply?

What are the odds that the USDA's Gros Michel is indeed Gros Michel? Is the USDA ultra reliable? I would think/hope so, but I have no experience in these matters.

It is hard to say. The Senorita that USDA has is taller than what the Filipino immigrants say and Gabe once wrote to me in a PM that they probably have some mislabeled plants. In many cases, the USDA obtained them from private party donations and those could have been incorrectly identified.

Did they say anything about having photos available?

GreenFin
02-13-2012, 05:31 PM
Did they say anything about having photos available?

Just what you see in the quote (I quoted the whole body of the email).

venturabananas
02-13-2012, 05:34 PM
It is hard to say. The Senorita that USDA has is taller than what the Filipino immigrants say and Gabe once wrote to me in a PM that they probably have some mislabeled plants. In many cases, the USDA obtained them from private party donations and those could have been incorrectly identified.

Did they say anything about having photos available?

If you search the USDA site, you can find photos of their Gros Michel. I'm no expert, but it looks like the real deal from what I know. So, if Agri-starts got their material from USDA and there were no mix ups at either place, I think you'd get the right plant.

GreenFin
02-13-2012, 05:45 PM
If you search the USDA site, you can find photos of their Gros Michel. I'm no expert, but it looks like the real deal from what I know. So, if Agri-starts got their material from USDA and there were no mix ups at either place, I think you'd get the right plant.

Good thought.

I've started searching through the usda's site, but every search I try yields no results. Will you please post the link to their pic of Gros Michel?

harveyc
02-13-2012, 05:57 PM
Good thought.

I've started searching through the usda's site, but every search I try yields no results. Will you please post the link to their pic of Gros Michel?

Ask Gabe to check out the photos, he's an expert in ID. I'm not.

http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/images/may/musa/TARS17155-fruit.jpg

http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/images/may/musa/TARS17155-hand.jpg

http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/images/may/musa/TARS17155-stemdetail.jpg

http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/images/may/musa/TARS17155_PLANT.jpg

http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/images/may/musa/TARS17155_HARVESTED.jpg

http://www.ars-grin.gov/npgs/images/may/musa/TARS17155_PLANT.jpg

harveyc
02-13-2012, 06:06 PM
I think it's probably worth a shot but would check with Gabe first. Maybe Sandy would be interested in ordering all of them with the knowledge that several members would probably be interested buyers. It would probably be her most popular banana for 2012.

harveyc
02-13-2012, 06:08 PM
I need to give credit to Tony for the idea of Sandy's recruitment. He mentioned it last week.

By the way, I think your idea of growing bananas horizontally in your short tunnel in Kansas is quite interesting and probably very challenging. Good luck!

GreenFin
02-13-2012, 07:44 PM
By the way, I think your idea of growing bananas horizontally in your short tunnel in Kansas is quite interesting and probably very challenging. Good luck!

Thanks :bananas_b

Hopefully I'll have a bigger one soon with a 12' roof. If not, things are going to get out of control in a big hurry in the little one.

:08:

Gabe15
02-14-2012, 01:53 AM
The photos above from the USDA are the real 'Gros Michel'.

harveyc
02-14-2012, 02:18 AM
:woohoonaner:

Thanks, Gabe!

Yug
03-14-2012, 04:46 PM
Still growing well, leaves about 3 times bigger.

<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=48101><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=48101&size=1 border=0></a>

GreenFin
03-14-2012, 05:00 PM
I love the coloration on the pseudostem and petioles of the GM subgroup.

TommyMacLuckie
05-05-2012, 11:28 AM
Great pics! Thanks!

DoctorSteve
05-05-2012, 01:36 PM
I love the color of the fruit flesh.

Yug
06-03-2012, 08:29 PM
Update - my Gros Michel 'Cocos' has a p-stem barely 4 ft high, and a 3 in pup! I think it's going to make it. I can never really be sure until I see the first pup.
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=49190><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=49190&size=1 border=0></a>

Yug
07-25-2012, 06:46 AM
Update - still growing well. P-stem about 4 ft, and has 3 pups.

Pretty good size, but still young.
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=49847&perpage=24><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=49847&size=1 border=0></a>

Love the colors.
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=49719><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=49719&size=1 border=0></a>

Two pups visible in the photo, but actually has 3. (cheson74 paying attention?)
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=49721><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=49721&size=1 border=0></a>

dkf85281
07-25-2012, 09:40 PM
Hi, the gros Michel looks like a fairly large plant. Does anyone know how long each branch grows? I'd like to know if I have enough room in my back yard and how far I need to plant it from the property line.

thanks!
dean

venturabananas
07-26-2012, 11:29 AM
Hi, the gros Michel looks like a fairly large plant. Does anyone know how long each branch grows? I'd like to know if I have enough room in my back yard and how far I need to plant it from the property line.

It is a big plant, getting up to 15-20' to the top of the pseudostem ("trunk") and another 10' beyond that to the top of the leaves. Each "branch" (which is actually a leaf) is about 10' long on a mature plant. There are dwarf versions of Gros Michel. All varieties are very susceptible to fusarium wilt (Panama disease).

dkf85281
07-26-2012, 09:56 PM
thanks ventura! do you know if the leaves of the dwarf varieties grow to 10 feet long also?

sunfish
07-26-2012, 10:08 PM
Banana Gallery - diagram (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=326&cat=500)

Yug
07-27-2012, 12:57 AM
Hi, the gros Michel looks like a fairly large plant. Does anyone know how long each branch grows? I'd like to know if I have enough room in my back yard and how far I need to plant it from the property line.

thanks!
dean
Gabe reported that he had a Gros Michel 'Highgate' fruiting at 7 ft, and a 'Cocos' at fruiting at 6-8 ft.

http://www.bananas.org/f2/highgate-cocos-15127.html#post188633

They are both dwarf varieties of Gros Michel, with the 'Highgate' making slightly smaller fruit than 'Cocos'. The regular Gros Michel has a p-stem of about 15 ft when it fruits.

http://www.bananas.org/f2/gros-michel-8776.html#post85956

dkf85281
07-27-2012, 04:28 AM
thanks yug! would you happen to know how long each leaf/branch grows? i want to calculate the radius i need in my yard.

thanks!
dean

Julian
07-27-2012, 04:42 AM
My GM>>>

<a href="http://s141.photobucket.com/albums/r74/jkrbigboy/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_50012.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r74/jkrbigboy/IMG_50012.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>


<a href="http://s141.photobucket.com/albums/r74/jkrbigboy/?action=view&amp;current=IMG_50002.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r74/jkrbigboy/IMG_50002.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

venturabananas
07-27-2012, 10:48 AM
thanks ventura! do you know if the leaves of the dwarf varieties grow to 10 feet long also?

They'll be shorter. Closer to 6', I would guess.

blownz281
07-27-2012, 03:53 PM
I alos love the colors of mine and it holds up better to heat then any of my nanners in my profile. It never wilts i swear :) . Must be heat tolerant.

GreenFin
07-27-2012, 06:10 PM
Here's an updated pic of a Gros Michel tc I got from Terry back in April (http://www.bananas.org/f3/tc-gros-michel-15125.html#post190195). P-stem is now about 2' tall and 2.5 inches wide (it's the one that's front and center).

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CZPYBc9wkqs/UBMb3eVKYFI/AAAAAAAAA5E/wkGr_j6ly5w/s1600/SAM_4534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CZPYBc9wkqs/UBMb3eVKYFI/AAAAAAAAA5E/wkGr_j6ly5w/s320/SAM_4534.JPG" /></a></div>

Yug
07-28-2012, 02:15 AM
thanks yug! would you happen to know how long each leaf/branch grows? i want to calculate the radius i need in my yard.

thanks!
dean

Well, I've never had a mature one, but here are some photos of different Gros Michel bananas. I guess you will have to look at them and make an estimate. I could take a shot at it, too, but I really have never had a fully grown one yet. Take a look and see what you think. Mine is about 7 1/2 ft wide, but it is still young.

Gabe with Gros Michel 'Cocos', mine is two generations from this plant
http://www.bananas.org/f2/gros-michel-8776-7.html#post186646

Gabe with other types of Gros Michel
http://www.bananas.org/f2/highgate-cocos-15127.html#post188633

More Gros Michel photos
http://www.bananas.org/f2/gros-michel-8776-10.html#post187338

My Gros Michel
http://www.bananas.org/f2/gros-michel-8776-10.html#post200928

kaczercat
07-28-2012, 04:11 PM
My GM is just showing a pup. How are these plants with pupping?? edit was not a pup but a weed:(

Yug
07-29-2012, 03:25 AM
Couldn't tell you, but mine has about 4 ft or slightly less of p-stem, and has three showing. Gabe told me it was a month old when I got it, and that would make it about 8 1/2 months old.

sddarkman619
08-28-2012, 12:44 PM
I just wanted to add that I have GM plants for sale in this thread:

http://www.bananas.org/f3/gros-michel-banana-plants-sale-16505.html

Larry

sunfish
08-28-2012, 07:50 PM
I just wanted to add that I have GM plants for sale in this thread:

http://www.bananas.org/f3/gros-michel-banana-plants-sale-16505.html

Larry

Do you still have any available I would love to get a couple :)

GreenFin
08-29-2012, 01:45 PM
Here's an updated pic of a Gros Michel tc I got from Terry back in April (http://www.bananas.org/f3/tc-gros-michel-15125.html#post190195). P-stem is now about 2' tall and 2.5 inches wide (it's the one that's front and center).

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CZPYBc9wkqs/UBMb3eVKYFI/AAAAAAAAA5E/wkGr_j6ly5w/s1600/SAM_4534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CZPYBc9wkqs/UBMb3eVKYFI/AAAAAAAAA5E/wkGr_j6ly5w/s320/SAM_4534.JPG" /></a></div>

Updated pic from about a month later (GM is the biggest plant in the picture, just left of center, leaning to the right, with tip of newest leaf touching the ceiling; p-stem is now about 3.5'):

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7p9NhmxtYvM/UD5e4CKi0vI/AAAAAAAAA8s/qksR8GMKrvc/s1600/SAM_4885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7p9NhmxtYvM/UD5e4CKi0vI/AAAAAAAAA8s/qksR8GMKrvc/s320/SAM_4885.JPG" /></a></div>

sunfish
08-29-2012, 02:35 PM
Do you still have any available I would love to get a couple :)

Bump

sddarkman619
08-29-2012, 02:42 PM
Bump

I have a bunch left for sale...

sunfish
08-29-2012, 02:55 PM
I have a bunch left for sale...

Kewl beans

TommyMacLuckie
08-29-2012, 02:59 PM
The Gros Michel (and Dble Mahoi) I got from Terry (Chance1945) are possibly all gone thanks to a higher than we thought it would be storm surge from Hurricane Isaac.

venturabananas
08-29-2012, 04:08 PM
Updated pic from about a month later (GM is the biggest plant in the picture, just left of center, leaning to the right, with tip of newest leaf touching the ceiling; p-stem is now about 3.5'):

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7p9NhmxtYvM/UD5e4CKi0vI/AAAAAAAAA8s/qksR8GMKrvc/s1600/SAM_4885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7p9NhmxtYvM/UD5e4CKi0vI/AAAAAAAAA8s/qksR8GMKrvc/s320/SAM_4885.JPG" /></a></div>

What are you going to do with this plant as it gets bigger? The clone that these were TC'd from averaged 4.7 m (15.5') p-stem at fruiting -- so well over 20' to the top of the leaves.

sunfish
08-29-2012, 05:03 PM
Sideways

sddarkman619
08-29-2012, 05:20 PM
What are you going to do with this plant as it gets bigger? The clone that these were TC'd from averaged 4.7 m (15.5') p-stem at fruiting -- so well over 20' to the top of the leaves.

poke a hole in the roof?

sunfish
08-29-2012, 05:58 PM
Prune it

GreenFin
08-29-2012, 06:00 PM
I've got several ideas that I'm going to pursue for fruiting tall bananas in Kansas.

1) I'm going to build bigger greenhouses in the 12-15' range. The tall bananas won't be able to fruit in there, but the plan is to time things so that they're pushing the ceiling in April, then plant them outdoors. If they bloom before frost, I'll then be able to move them back into greenhouses and lay them almost horizontal (propped up a bit with supports, but with roots still in the nutrient water) until the fruit ripens.

2) I'd like to experiment with something similar to #1, but with the tunnel covering a pit that I dig to give it more height.

3) I'd like to experiment with growing a tall all the way to fruition inside a short tunnel by laying it sideways. I think I'll run into major 'bending toward the light' problems, though, unless I orient the tunnel along a NE/SW axis so that it can grow towards the southwest (i.e. the direction all my plants naturally lean/grow). I've seen pics and comments about bananas bending to extreme angles within just a couple of days, so unless I make a rotisserie contraption to continually rotate the plant, a NE/SW oriented greenhouse may be the easiest way to pull off this method.

4) I'll continue to experiment with chopping. For example, the Raja Puri and Double that are mostly hidden by the GM in my pic are plants that I chopped at ~4' of p-stem (down to 1'); they are now almost the height they were before the chop, but with vastly larger leaves and thicker p-stems than they had at that height before. The goal is to time things right so that they flower at about 3-4' with 10+ big healthy leaves (they have about 10 right now).

I'm hoping to cheat and build some monstrously big greenhouses next year (30' tall?) that'll provide a permanent home for the tall nanners. So even if I don't get satisfactory fruit via my short-term methods, I should at least have a lot of big healthy plants with enormous corms that I can use to stock the new greenhouses/botanical gardens.

sunfish
08-29-2012, 06:06 PM
Bonsi :)

Darkman
08-29-2012, 06:13 PM
I like the idea of a five foot pit with a tall green house over the top.

john_ny
08-29-2012, 06:32 PM
Greenfin- Very ambitious project. Sounds like a lot of work. Good luck!

sunfish
08-29-2012, 06:48 PM
I like the idea of a five foot pit with a tall green house over the top.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=20089&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=20089&ppuser=5721)

http://www.bananas.org/f2/growing-praying-hands-bananas-central-california-8968.html#post88420

venturabananas
08-30-2012, 01:45 AM
I've got several ideas that I'm going to pursue for fruiting tall bananas in Kansas.

Keep us posted on how it all works out.

Yug
08-31-2012, 01:55 AM
Latest progress

Gros Michel
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=50329><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=50329&size=1 border=0></a>

Largest of four pups
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=50327><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=50327&size=1 border=0></a>

Jose263
09-06-2012, 12:38 AM
I like the idea of a five foot pit with a tall green house over the top.

Sounds nice - unfortunately, I would have 3 feet of water in my pit :ha::ha:

Darkman
09-06-2012, 06:16 PM
Sounds nice - unfortunately, I would have 3 feet of water in my pit :ha::ha:

AND why aren't you on the catfish forum?

Jose263
09-07-2012, 08:25 AM
AND why aren't you on the catfish forum?

I offered to take my wife on a noodling trip for our anniversary but she not so politely declined :ha: :ha:
whats the url for the catfish forum? :nanadrink:

Darkman
09-07-2012, 03:13 PM
whats the url for the catfish forum? :nanadrink:


Catfish farming forum - Yahoo! Search Results (http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=Aq2G7ZOyqrEteOFxTCi1FsGbvZx4?p=Catfish+farming+forum&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-564)

kaczercat
01-20-2013, 07:37 PM
an update on GM
june 21 2012
<a href="http://s665.beta.photobucket.com/user/Kaczerm/media/IMG_0755-1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/Kaczerm/IMG_0755-1.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_0755-1.jpg"/></a>
Jan 20 2013
<a href="http://s665.beta.photobucket.com/user/Kaczerm/media/IMG_1585_zps90005763.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/Kaczerm/IMG_1585_zps90005763.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_1585_zps90005763.jpg"/></a>

Julian
01-21-2013, 08:21 PM
Latest progress

Gros Michel
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=50329><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=50329&size=1 border=0></a>

Largest of four pups
<a href=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=50327><img src=http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=50327&size=1 border=0></a>

What kind of sweet potato are you growing by the larger pup?

TommyMacLuckie
01-21-2013, 10:33 PM
It's been a while.

The GMs I have left are still alive but looking awful. Hopefully they'll do better this spring and won't get smashed again.

kaczercat
03-16-2013, 01:27 PM
March 16 2013
Looking better then it did in January!
<a href="http://s665.beta.photobucket.com/user/Kaczerm/media/IMG_2049_zpsa47b9a44.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i665.photobucket.com/albums/vv17/Kaczerm/IMG_2049_zpsa47b9a44.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo IMG_2049_zpsa47b9a44.jpg"/></a>

wolfyhound
03-16-2013, 02:11 PM
Wow!! Awesome looking!

sunfish
03-16-2013, 04:04 PM
Wow

robguz24
03-31-2013, 05:16 PM
My third fruiting of Gros Michel. This one is the biggest bunch yet and bloomed about 2' taller than last year, maybe 10' or so. Though it is still not a very big bunch.

http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/robguz24/Robs%20bananas/file_zpsb1f21a9a.jpg

Yug
03-31-2013, 07:31 PM
My third fruiting of Gros Michel. This one is the biggest bunch yet and bloomed about 2' taller than last year, maybe 10' or so. Though it is still not a very big bunch.

http://i1289.photobucket.com/albums/b508/robguz24/Robs%20bananas/file_zpsb1f21a9a.jpg

What variety of GM, Highgate, Lowgate, Cocos?

robguz24
03-31-2013, 09:15 PM
What variety of GM, Highgate, Lowgate, Cocos?
"Raja Puri", lol! That's what I bought it as and 2 of the local sellers here are still selling it as that. No idea what variety but it probably isn't a dwarf type. Gabe was able to ID it via photos. It may be just the one that's always been called Bluefields locally, which the guy I bought it from also sells.

edzone9
03-31-2013, 09:27 PM
I Bought 2 TC GM afew Month Ago , And they are Slowwwwwww Growers .

Cant wait to see these as big as the ones posted here..

sddarkman619
03-31-2013, 10:01 PM
So there are other bananas with other names that are Gros Michel??
Explain that to me please, Thanks

delonix87
04-01-2013, 04:14 AM
Does anyone know the ultimate height of GM? I have read that they grow 7 metres! If that is true, they are giants!

Nicolas Naranja
04-01-2013, 09:59 AM
4.7 meters according to the USDA for Gros Michel
2.7 meters for Highgate

GreenFin
04-01-2013, 02:44 PM
So there are other bananas with other names that are Gros Michel??
Explain that to me please, Thanks

My understanding is that Gros Michel, Cocos, and Highgate (and probably others that I don't know about) are members of the Bluefields group.

Like how DC, GN, and Williams are members of the Cavendish group.

delonix87
04-01-2013, 05:28 PM
What features distinguish the various GM cultivars?

venturabananas
04-01-2013, 05:45 PM
My understanding is that Gros Michel, Cocos, and Highgate (and probably others that I don't know about) are members of the Bluefields group.

Like how DC, GN, and Williams are members of the Cavendish group.


Close. They are all members of the Gros Michel subgroup.

The main thing that distinguishes the different cultivars in the Gros Michel subgroup is their height.

Nicolas Naranja
07-11-2013, 06:55 PM
Gros Michel...boy is it slow to grow. But I really like the erect leaf architecture.

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x455/NicolasNaranja/2013-07-11171200_zps173c93d8.jpg (http://s1182.photobucket.com/user/NicolasNaranja/media/2013-07-11171200_zps173c93d8.jpg.html)

servatusprime
07-11-2013, 11:00 PM
I agree! Mine is so slow I'm about to pull my hair out over it. Thankfully I have some other varieties that are much vigorous and cold hardy too.

sunfish
07-11-2013, 11:16 PM
From the wiki

Description

One of the first edible cultivars. Not recommanded for S. Florida.

Genetic Group - AAA

[edit]
Origin