New to the party
 

Hi all,

I am Peter, live in Sydney Australia, but have a 40 Ha farm on the mid north coast of New South Wales. The climate there is temperate, but because of a great microclimate, we are able to grow tropicals, subtropicals and temperate fruit trees. Also usually get lots of good, frequent rain (apart from the current drought, bloody, bloody, bloody!), so my veg gardens look after themselves once planted (except for the moment....). Since buying the place about 3 years ago, have put in abouit 150 fruit trees, and my first bananas (ladyfinger and cavendish) about 8 months ago. Have just bought some tissue culture bluggoe, goldfinger, dwarf dacca, pisang ceylon, which I will grow up over the coming winter and plant in spring, next October.

I am a restoration ecologist by trade, though my work nowadays is at program level (work for government), so I don't have the fun of getting in to the field much to restore environments, except for volunteer bush regeneration on the Duck River in Sydney and up at the farm.

I am interested in learning about banana culture (didn't mention that as far as we can tell, Wootton, where my farm is, was the southern most commercial banana growing area in NSW (though it has all moved up north now), and swapping plants (we are outside the quarantine area), or fruit for plants.

hope to meet you all over teh coming while

anon

Peter

Re: New to the party
 

Welcome Peter.

Did your farm miss out on all that recent rain?

It would be cool to see some pictures of your farm and your 8 month old banana plants.

btw I am looking at getting a bluggoe too. They are the same as orinoco which is pretty popular on here. I bought a couple from a market a few weeks ago and cooked tostones for the first time in my life. Was very surprised they tasted almost identical to potato chips.

Re: New to the party
 

Thanks for the welcome, sloot. We did get the big rain a week back that you sent us down from Queensland, but it has been dry as the last 4 months, only a few showers of a few mils and one or two decent drops. I have put a few pics of the place up.. looks like they are uploading to "Member's Gallery".

anon

Re: New to the party
 

Hello, Welcome & Happy Growing.. :^)

Re: New to the party
 

Hey Peter. I too have a small farm in Central Florida. Climate I bet is pretty much like yours.Welcome aboard and happy growing. Post some pic when ya have the time.

Re: New to the party
 

Hi Peter, just noticed your post. Welcome to the world of banana growing.
Hopefully the rain will stick around for a while now. We had 6 months of dry which made it hard to grow TC plants I bought, but watering them daily has payed off. I planted mine straight in the ground with no problems.

Sloot95 I didn't realize Bluggoe is the same as Orinoco. As you say, our American friends seem to rave about them. I might get a TC plant from BlueSky.
I'm waiting for my Pacific Plantain/Ele Ele to bunch so I can make some tostones. They sound great.

Re: New to the party
 

[quote=bushregenerator;214399]Hi all,

I am Peter, live in Sydney Australia, but have a 40 Ha farm on the mid north coast of New South Wales.
WELCOME from Lismore. Its weather for the ducks here.