Im new here!!

Velutina · 05-25-2008, 12:41 PM

A freind pointed me to this website a few days ago and I have to say... I LOVE IT!! Im 26m living in Salt Lake City (zone 6), and moving to Las Vegas in a month or so. I've been growing bananas since I was in junior high. Growing bananas in Utah has been fun with the low humidity, hot hot summers and cold winters. Anyways, here are some photos of my banana past...

My first banana plant I got to flower (velutina)

Looking into my banana-filled greenhouse. Dwarf cavendish and papaya

I needed a larger greenhouse! Dwarf orinoco on left and Red Iholene on right. Dwarf Orinoco flowered a week before the first frost

Musa basjoo doing very well after being covered in snow all winter...

MediaHound · 05-25-2008, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Velutina

Love it!

Welcome aboard!

Velutina · 05-25-2008, 12:52 PM

Thanks! Here's my banana collection today. I have Ensete glaucum, Ensete ventricosum, Musella lasiocarpa, Musa velutina, Musa ornata, Musa violacea, Musa sikkimensis, Daj giant, Musa basjoo, and Musa zebrina. Pretty much all grown from seeds.

Basjoo and zebrina

MediaHound · 05-25-2008, 12:56 PM

Awesome collection you have there! Hope you have room!!

magicgreen · 05-25-2008, 01:28 PM

Welcome!!

You have done great~!!

Do you heat that green house?

How did you germinate the seeds?

How did you over winter your basjoo?

Enquiring mind wants to know!!

Thanks in advance!
Lynn

Velutina · 05-25-2008, 02:38 PM

Thanks!

The greenhouse was heated with a 20,000 BTU natural gas heater.

To germinate the seeds, I used the regular germination flats with the humidome. I used black magic germination mix and used germination heat mats (on 24/7). I had a ton of Ensete sprouts within 2-3 weeks and musa sprouts in 1-2 months.

To overwinter the basjoo, I wrapped the stalks in plastic, placed a wire cage around the stalks and filled it up with leaves. Then placed a large tarp over the whole thing to keep it dry. The stalks survived, but the offshoots easily outgrew the larger stalks. The plant died the next winter from rot.

Randy4ut · 05-25-2008, 02:56 PM

Velutina,
Welcome aboard!!! What a great job you have done. How did you learn about all this without ever hearing of banana.org!?!?! Man, I found this place after I had basjoo and velutina and thought that was about all I could have around here. You have done a wonderful job and looks like you could give ALOT of us some advice and you are a very accomplished banana man!!! Please make yourself at home and be sure to give us your two cents on anything you feel would help. If there is anything you have questions about or need anything, let out a "shout" as there are some pretty awesome folks here as well....

Velutina · 05-25-2008, 03:14 PM

Thank you Randy! Bananas.org, where have you been all my life?? lol I have searched many many times for a website like this, but never found anything even close to this website! I learned how to grow bananas by searching the archives at the library at the university I was attending. The main books I read were those written for commercial banana farmers which were hundreds of pages of banana insanity! I majored in biology, which I give a lot of credit to my early interest in banana plants.

Thanks everyone for the warm welcome... I think I found my new home page

lorax · 05-25-2008, 05:06 PM

Is that a cute little Papaya tree I spot growing in the door of your greenhouse? Congrats on getting one to grow in Utah!

Commercial banana farming is bananinsanity in and of itself.... Very very different from home or even market-garden cultivation.

mskitty38583 · 05-25-2008, 05:36 PM

welcome to the org! love the nanas sticking out the gh. thats great. you have done a wonderful job of nana growing.

STEELVIPER · 05-25-2008, 05:54 PM

Great pics.

Chironex · 05-28-2008, 11:24 AM

I was glad to hear that you will be moving to Vegas. I am going to be moving there in about a month or so. You, Damaclese and I will have to get together to figure out how we can grow bananas in the desert!
I am new to growing bananas, but undaunted by the challenges we face there. There has to be a way. See you soon and welcome to the club!

Velutina · 05-28-2008, 11:55 AM

Scot, I lived there last year for a bit and I have to say... gardening had never been so difficult!!! It took me over an hour to dig a hole for a small palm. The soil is super hard and rocky!! We'll find a way though! Do I see the start of the world-famous Banana Association of Las Vegas?? lol, perhaps

rhymechizel · 05-29-2008, 01:32 AM

Adam- With all the help you've given me I'm glad I could at least direct you to this cool site.

Adam (Velutina) got me facinated with Utah banana growing. I got my first plants from him a few weeks ago and now I have planted around 20 banana trees in my little 1/4 acre lot.

Chironex · 05-29-2008, 08:04 PM

Adam, We need to start our LV Banana Club for sure. I think of us, (you too Pauly), as pioneers in arid Banana development. Can you see us producing some hybrids that actually thrive in the desert? What a great opportunity to further the range of bananas. It could happen....couldn't it???
See you soon.

damaclese · 05-29-2008, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Velutina

Scot, I lived there last year for a bit and I have to say... gardening had never been so difficult!!! It took me over an hour to dig a hole for a small palm. The soil is super hard and rocky!! We'll find a way though! Do I see the start of the world-famous Banana Association of Las Vegas?? lol, perhaps

boy don't we know it but their's some really simple tricks for digging holes here first after you dig the first 6 inch and hit the first rocks get ones of the guarding tine cultivators then u use it to rake the rocks loose buy a good one with heavy tines also i for got to mention you can water the spot vary throughly the day before that helps a lot but in the end digging a hole is hard work i say drink Bourbon before it makes it a hole lot more fun lol J/K

o and by the way welcome to are banana world we got lots of nuts but were not crazy!lol and welcome to Vegas you are now officially a Desert rat!

damaclese · 05-29-2008, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chironex

Adam, We need to start our LV Banana Club for sure. I think of us, (you too Pauly), as pioneers in arid Banana development. Can you see us producing some hybrids that actually thrive in the desert? What a great opportunity to further the range of bananas. It could happen....couldn't it???
See you soon.

i love your optimism we can try although i don't have lots of experience with bananas although my ice cream's are doing grate they both have there first leafs now they seem kinda pail to me but I'm protecting them most of the day

05-25-2008, 12:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
Velutina Location: Las Vegas Zone: 9 Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 56 BananaBucks : 890 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 10 Thanked 47 Times in 33 Posts Welcomes: 0	Im new here!! A freind pointed me to this website a few days ago and I have to say... I LOVE IT!! Im 26m living in Salt Lake City (zone 6), and moving to Las Vegas in a month or so. I've been growing bananas since I was in junior high. Growing bananas in Utah has been fun with the low humidity, hot hot summers and cold winters. Anyways, here are some photos of my banana past... My first banana plant I got to flower (velutina) Looking into my banana-filled greenhouse. Dwarf cavendish and papaya I needed a larger greenhouse! Dwarf orinoco on left and Red Iholene on right. Dwarf Orinoco flowered a week before the first frost Musa basjoo doing very well after being covered in snow all winter... __________________ Adam Last edited by Velutina : 05-25-2008 at 12:56 PM.

05-25-2008, 12:52 PM	#3 (permalink)
Velutina Location: Las Vegas Zone: 9 Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 56 BananaBucks : 890 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 10 Thanked 47 Times in 33 Posts Welcomes: 0	Re: Im new here!! Thanks! Here's my banana collection today. I have Ensete glaucum, Ensete ventricosum, Musella lasiocarpa, Musa velutina, Musa ornata, Musa violacea, Musa sikkimensis, Daj giant, Musa basjoo, and Musa zebrina. Pretty much all grown from seeds. Basjoo and zebrina __________________ Adam

05-25-2008, 12:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
MediaHound Tally-man MediaHound's Photo Gallery Location: South Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 10b Name: Jarred Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,887 BananaBucks : 44,508 Feedback: 57 / 100% Thanks: 802 Thanked 1,023 Times in 331 Posts Welcomes: 223	Re: Im new here!! Awesome collection you have there! Hope you have room!!

05-25-2008, 01:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
magicgreen magicgreen's Photo Gallery Location: cincinnati OH. Z6 Find me on the map! Zone: Z6 Name: Lynn Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 817 BananaBucks : 2,887 Feedback: 8 / 100% Thanks: 359 Thanked 138 Times in 120 Posts Welcomes: 117	Re: Im new here!! Welcome!! Welcome!! Welcome!! You have done great~!! Do you heat that green house? How did you germinate the seeds? How did you over winter your basjoo? Enquiring mind wants to know!! Thanks in advance! Lynn __________________ (Started growing bananas July 2007) (Zone 6)

05-25-2008, 02:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
Velutina Location: Las Vegas Zone: 9 Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 56 BananaBucks : 890 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 10 Thanked 47 Times in 33 Posts Welcomes: 0	Re: Im new here!! Thanks! The greenhouse was heated with a 20,000 BTU natural gas heater. To germinate the seeds, I used the regular germination flats with the humidome. I used black magic germination mix and used germination heat mats (on 24/7). I had a ton of Ensete sprouts within 2-3 weeks and musa sprouts in 1-2 months. To overwinter the basjoo, I wrapped the stalks in plastic, placed a wire cage around the stalks and filled it up with leaves. Then placed a large tarp over the whole thing to keep it dry. The stalks survived, but the offshoots easily outgrew the larger stalks. The plant died the next winter from rot. __________________ Adam

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05-25-2008, 02:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
Randy4ut Moderator Randy4ut's Photo Gallery Location: Cleveland, TN Find me on the map! Zone: 7a/b Name: Randy4ut Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 880 BananaBucks : 12,193 Feedback: 17 / 100% Thanks: 402 Thanked 325 Times in 154 Posts Welcomes: 29	Re: Im new here!! Velutina, Welcome aboard!!! What a great job you have done. How did you learn about all this without ever hearing of banana.org!?!?! Man, I found this place after I had basjoo and velutina and thought that was about all I could have around here. You have done a wonderful job and looks like you could give ALOT of us some advice and you are a very accomplished banana man!!! Please make yourself at home and be sure to give us your two cents on anything you feel would help. If there is anything you have questions about or need anything, let out a "shout" as there are some pretty awesome folks here as well.... __________________

05-25-2008, 03:14 PM	#8 (permalink)
Velutina Location: Las Vegas Zone: 9 Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 56 BananaBucks : 890 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 10 Thanked 47 Times in 33 Posts Welcomes: 0	Re: Im new here!! Thank you Randy! Bananas.org, where have you been all my life?? lol I have searched many many times for a website like this, but never found anything even close to this website! I learned how to grow bananas by searching the archives at the library at the university I was attending. The main books I read were those written for commercial banana farmers which were hundreds of pages of banana insanity! I majored in biology, which I give a lot of credit to my early interest in banana plants. Thanks everyone for the warm welcome... I think I found my new home page __________________ Adam

05-25-2008, 05:06 PM	#9 (permalink)
lorax <div style="color: Yellow;">Banana Coloured</div> lorax's Photo Gallery Location: Ecuador, South America Zone: 12/13 Tropical Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 365 BananaBucks : 2,298 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 35 Thanked 125 Times in 81 Posts Welcomes: 90	Re: Im new here!! Is that a cute little Papaya tree I spot growing in the door of your greenhouse? Congrats on getting one to grow in Utah! Commercial banana farming is bananinsanity in and of itself.... Very very different from home or even market-garden cultivation. __________________ I speak for the trees.

05-25-2008, 05:36 PM	#10 (permalink)
mskitty38583 banana junkie mskitty38583 's Photo Gallery Location: sparta, tn. Find me on the map! Zone: 6-7 Name: mskitty Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 3,597 BananaBucks : 15,494 Feedback: 24 / 100% Thanks: 23 Thanked 456 Times in 390 Posts Welcomes: 59	Re: Im new here!! welcome to the org! love the nanas sticking out the gh. thats great. you have done a wonderful job of nana growing. __________________ WELCOME TO THE GATOR NATION "kokomo" beach boys:

05-25-2008, 05:54 PM	#11 (permalink)
STEELVIPER Mechwarrior STEELVIPER's Photo Gallery Location: Riverside,CA Find me on the map! Zone: 9B Name: Mark Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 724 BananaBucks : 4,597 Feedback: 2 / 100% Thanks: 44 Thanked 56 Times in 44 Posts Welcomes: 169	Re: Im new here!! Great pics. __________________

05-28-2008, 11:24 AM	#12 (permalink)
Chironex Dayyyyyyyy-O Chironex's Photo Gallery Location: Las Vegas, NV Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Scot Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 952 BananaBucks : 1,075 Feedback: 3 / 100% Thanks: 1,486 Thanked 233 Times in 170 Posts Welcomes: 207	Re: Im new here!! I was glad to hear that you will be moving to Vegas. I am going to be moving there in about a month or so. You, Damaclese and I will have to get together to figure out how we can grow bananas in the desert! I am new to growing bananas, but undaunted by the challenges we face there. There has to be a way. See you soon and welcome to the club! __________________ Scot "Grow 'em if ya got 'em!"

05-28-2008, 11:55 AM	#13 (permalink)
Velutina Location: Las Vegas Zone: 9 Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 56 BananaBucks : 890 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 10 Thanked 47 Times in 33 Posts Welcomes: 0	Re: Im new here!! Scot, I lived there last year for a bit and I have to say... gardening had never been so difficult!!! It took me over an hour to dig a hole for a small palm. The soil is super hard and rocky!! We'll find a way though! Do I see the start of the world-famous Banana Association of Las Vegas?? lol, perhaps __________________ Adam

05-29-2008, 01:32 AM	#14 (permalink)
rhymechizel rhymechizel Location: Spanish Fork, Utah Find me on the map! Zone: 6 Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 23 BananaBucks : 1,434 Feedback: 2 / 100% Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts Welcomes: 0	Re: Im new here!! Adam- With all the help you've given me I'm glad I could at least direct you to this cool site. Adam (Velutina) got me facinated with Utah banana growing. I got my first plants from him a few weeks ago and now I have planted around 20 banana trees in my little 1/4 acre lot.

05-29-2008, 08:04 PM	#15 (permalink)
Chironex Dayyyyyyyy-O Chironex's Photo Gallery Location: Las Vegas, NV Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Scot Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 952 BananaBucks : 1,075 Feedback: 3 / 100% Thanks: 1,486 Thanked 233 Times in 170 Posts Welcomes: 207	Re: Im new here!! Adam, We need to start our LV Banana Club for sure. I think of us, (you too Pauly), as pioneers in arid Banana development. Can you see us producing some hybrids that actually thrive in the desert? What a great opportunity to further the range of bananas. It could happen....couldn't it??? See you soon. __________________ Scot "Grow 'em if ya got 'em!"