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View Full Version : Sometimes I wonder if we are really zone 8!


Simply Bananas
08-15-2009, 02:55 AM
In early June 2008, I dropped off 5 plants for a customer to put around her pool. She lives out at Folly Beach, just south of Charleston and 8 miles from me on James Island. I shot these pics yesterday.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=21196&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=21196&ppuser=226)

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=21198&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=21198&ppuser=226)

She is a first time banana grower so I would get emails like:
"My plants look like hell(in winter)"
"The leaves are looking funny( a flag leaf had popped up)"
then it was "I got Bananas!"
Finally, it was "Can I cut that 'pod' off yet?"

Anyway, when I stopped by, she had a broken hip and was house ridden and could holler at me from a window. A big rack of Ice Creams and a big rack of Saba have grown.
one ice cream:
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=21200&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=21200&ppuser=226)
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=21197&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=21197&ppuser=226)
and one saba I believe.

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=21199&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=21199&ppuser=226)


The yard guy had tied them up from leaning and trimmed the dead leaves so they just looked great.

Sometimes I have to double check and see if we are really just in zone 8!

ArchAngeL01
08-15-2009, 03:15 AM
my southern living gardens book rates you as in the coastal south which is rated as zone 9 in the book,i saw bismark palms on james island and bismarks are rated zone 9 so id think your a 9a-ish zone was the p-stem protected in order to get fruit? or was it natural dieback and still fruited? :D

Simply Bananas
08-15-2009, 03:59 AM
no protection

ArchAngeL01
08-15-2009, 04:24 AM
:O

Simply Bananas
08-15-2009, 05:12 AM
She does have a pool, which retains heat in winter and the 8' fence has to help some.

Bananaman88
08-15-2009, 08:03 AM
Looks like she has a nice microclimate, if nothing else. Her plants look excellent!

Simply Bananas
11-15-2009, 04:17 PM
We harvested them today! We had a lot of rain last week and the the skins were splitting and they were yellow. The tasted great too!

http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=26715&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=26715&ppuser=226)

Taylor
11-15-2009, 04:32 PM
I don't know how I missed this thread. They look awesome, she's doing a great job! Keep it up.

BananaLee
11-15-2009, 05:10 PM
"NOW THAT"S IMPRESSIVE!!!"-Edward Nigma. Really, it looks GREAT!!! ;)

austinl01
11-15-2009, 05:54 PM
Those ice cream bananas look so yummy!

v1rtu0s1ty
11-15-2009, 08:21 PM
Those ice cream bananas look so yummy!

I have not seen nor tasted Ice Cream bananas. Can someone please compare it with Lakatan/Lacatan in the Philippines? I missed those bananas so much! We always have it during lunch and dinner. Thanks.

bikoro child
11-16-2009, 11:44 AM
in my opinion if you have Bismarck palm on your island you are in zone 10...

momoese
11-16-2009, 12:31 PM
Wow, whatever she's doing is working great!