Banana Collection 2000

I am from the Philippines working in Saudi Arabia. For the past 12 years that I am working here, I realized that we, in the Philippines, are taking for granted the wonders of tropical plants particularly banana. We wanted to have temperate plants like grapes and apples instead of tropical plants like banana.

I have a friend here in Saudi Arabia who have banana plants and do not mind spending the cost of drip irrigation called "Rain Bird" which normally being used in golf courses. And yet, since this is a very hot desert, it doesn't fruit well as compared to that in the Philippines. But still he is planting it.

I was surfing the internet and found that there are many people who are collecting banana cultivars yet they are living in subtropical and even in temperate zones. In the US, for example, people are planting bananas to have feel of the tropics. They are putting fertilizers, watering or irrigating, covering or mulching during winter, even putting in their greenhouses or basement for protection. They, and that include you, really love bananas.

Way back in the Philippines, when I was a kid, my grandfather and father just plant the banana sucker (or pup) and forget about it. Then, sometime later he will call me to get the blossom. We are cooking it as vegetable. Then sometime later he will call me again to help pick the bunch. And it went on and on and on, just like that. If our neighbor wants sucker he can have it for free. If there was a typhoon, and the bananas were damaged, we were just cut the damaged part and the plant will grow again. The cut banana will still fruit later albeit smaller bunch. If we have "fiesta" we were using the leaves as disposable plates. Banana, in our place, is so productive with no much labor required and no fertilizer, irrigation, pesticide or whatsoever. Wonderful. We do not take care much our bananas. Yet banana is giving us so much.

When I was a kid, it is normal to have cooked "saba" as snacks, it is normal to have "lakatan" or "turdan" as dessert. "Cavendish" is rare in local market but we have our own plant. These are four varieties of bananas I am accustomed with. To my surprise, there are at least 80 varieties of banana from the Philippines. Here in Saudi Arabia, the grocery bananas are normally cavendish type. Some are imported from Ecuador and some are from my very own Philippines. he, he, he...

I do not have collection of banana yet, I am just using that name because I am planning now to have a collection of banana varieties. Unfortunately, I cannot start now since I am still here in Saudi Arabia. When I return back to Philippines, I want to start planting. I am just listing down some of the varieties that seems good to me and where I can get them. I believe this website will be a big big help.

I think, this is too much of an introduction. Hopefully, this does not annoy you. he, he, he... whew...

PS. "Banana Collection 2000" is such a long name. You can call me, "BC2K" for short... ha, ha, ha.... ciao...

xmoose

This forum is very informative. You should have No trouble finding anything that you need. Welcome !

cherokee_greg

welcome from California

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Greg zone 9 Fresno,CA
http://gardenjot.com/garden/view/1980/Gregs-Banana-Farm

LilRaverBoi

Great stories! Welcome to the site! I'm sure you'll enjoy it here! If you ever have questions/comments, feel free to share!

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BANANA RAVE!
Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top!
lilraverboi@genxglow.com
RIP Tog Tan. We love you and will always remember you!
I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN!

CValentine

Welcome BC2K!!

Glad to have you with us & sharing your LOVE of Bananas too!! ~Cheryl

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When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace. - Jimi Hendrix

Eric

Welcome aboard, BC2K ! Sounds like you've got a lot of great info already! It's a very friendly & info-packed site which I'm Sure you'll add a lot to! If ya have any questions about using the forum, just ask.
Good Luck with your project!

Banana Collection 2000

Thanks a lot. I read that there are 15 members who welcome me and 5 you replied to this thread. nice. Thanks a lot.

Any suggestion on variety? I will plant them in the Philippines, that's 100% tropics. hmmmm... I wanted to have a good tasting banana for dessert and cooking. Good looking plants is OK. Being rare is a big consideration too. I think, that's it... rare, good tasting and good looking... sounds like I want to marry somebody... he, he,he... your suggestions will be highly appreciated.

May I add extreme... like extreme tall, extreme short, extreme big fruit... etc... Thanks...

Richard

For extremes:
African Rhinohorn (big fruit)
1000 Fingers (many fruit)
true Saba (15 meters tall in the tropics)

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Abnshrek

Welcome.. The big sand isn't much for banana's.. camel's, cobra's, and scorpion's are not uncommon... date palms too..

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I'm a Nannerhead :^)

Banana Collection 2000

Thanks Richard, I will take note of that. For Abnshrek, I will plant them in the Philippines. Not here in Saudi Arabia. Any suggestion? Thanks...