Ricciov

Hi, I have three hardy banana plants that I planted last summer. I live in zone 7 but had read that it was best to mulch them heavily for winter. We had a wet early spring and it appeared that the original plants rotted. I now have shoots coming up all around the original plants. Some of them are pretty close together. SHould they be separated? If so, when is the best time to do that? I joined the forum because I cannot seem to find anything that directly answers my question. these plants are near a pool so I don't mind having more plants but want them to get tall so we can see them. I am concerned that the multiple plants might be slowing down the growth of the biggest ones. the largest one is only about 3 feet tall. Thank you so much for your advice!

Snarkie

Welcome to the Banana Express.

Three feet of growth already is pretty good for new pups! There are several good videos on YouTube that show you how to properly dig the pups out. My advice would be to keep the sword suckers and get rid of the water suckers. if you have an area where shorter plants would work, you can plant the water suckers there, or give them away.

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The Only Eastern Redwood Forest in America




"Nuke my 'nanners, will you?!"

Botanical_Bryce

I grow many types of plants of plants and my understanding is the larger the group the stronger the plant. Easily seen in most plants that the larger the mass the healthier the plants. When I visit banana mats it seems to be the same. Oddly the only time I see bananas fruiting big healthy bunches is when there are few in the mat. So in my casual observation the plants thrive in numbers but fruit poorly. In agricultural videos they suggested removing at 3 feet but I remove them if I see roots. Smaller ones pot up very nice imo bigger ones go in the ground. My best fruiters were orinoco water suckers and my worst growers have been gran nain water suckers but they still can send up swords so I don't see throwing anything away unless you have nobody to share it or just don't need it. Unless you expect fruit I would leave the suckers on.

sputinc7

Since they are cold hardy (AKA Basjoo) does it really matter which suckers they are? Fruit isn't an option anyway, right? I know basjoo will flower and fruit, but it's inedible.

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If you lose your head and give up, you neither live nor win.

https://sputinc7.wixsite.com/covwc

Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel.
What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

Snarkie

Well yeah. You want plants as big as you can get them in most cases. Now I have an application near the end of the driveway, where I want short ones I can see over, so the water suckers work better there.

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Doug (D.A. Hänks) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2955582/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1


The Only Eastern Redwood Forest in America




"Nuke my 'nanners, will you?!"

HMelendez

Welcome to the banana gang!....

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cincinnana

welcome to the Jungle....

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