Newbie needs identification
 

I just bought a house that already had full grown banana "trees" in the backyard. Here are some pics of them:

ok, i'm new too...but looks like Orinoco...same as what I was asking to have identified earlier...if the fruit is angular (3-sided) then its definitely orinoco

gabe15 is the resident expert, PM him for his thoughts.

Edward:
looks like you have a big banan lot there, as I can see the flower of a big bunch far away on the top photo to the bottom left. :D

banana ID
 

I am thinking it is awfully tall for an Orinocco, though that may be camera angle. Looks possibly like a Brazilian.

You have a good eye. BTW, is that a male or female flower...and can I cut that off or should I just leave it. It attracts a lot of wasps.

They are pretty tall...probably 15 to 20 feet.

What do you think of those bananas in the bottom picture? I know it's not the clearest pic but should I be trying to harvest those? And if I do so, should I cut off the entire "stalk" or cut off one banana at a time? I know some people mentioned "hands", but the bananas seem to be pretty "separated" from each other.

When to pick
 

Edward23,

In San Diego, I wait 6 months from the appearance of the first hand, and then pick the first hand (top most one). By picking one hand at a time you extend your harvest. In Florida (particualrly the south) it may not take as long.

Jon

What consists of a "hand"? I mean, I know what they l look like in the grocery store, but on my tree, it just looks like a bunch of bananas...and not really arranged in "hands".

Also, while I have your attention, can I cut off that flower that hangs at the bottom or just leave it alone?

If you look at your fingers, they form a hand. The individual banana fruit is a finger. They form a hand. the hands form a bunch.

Cut off the flower at the bottom. Right after the gap of no fruit or fingers, you can safely remove the flower, as it will be male, unless you need it for breeding and the pollens are viable for that variety.

In some varieties like Saba, Cardaba, and brazilian, the flower that you cut can be used as a cooked vegetable or other delicacy. In other varieties like the cavendishes, the flower is too nasty to eat no matter how you cook it, because of high oxalic acid content.

I know what you mean and I've seen hands in stores. But on my tree, each banana might actually be and inch to 2 inches apart from each other...all pretty evenly, so it's hard to tell which bananas are in which hands since they are all pretty evenly separated from each other and not really in any "groups".

You should look at the base to where the fingers originate. There are wider gaps between group of fingers, and so easy to tell a hand that way compared to looking at the fruits directly. So from far away, it would be hard to tell, but looking down near the fruit stalk, it is easier to distinguish.

Re: Newbie needs identification
 

Ok...I'll take another look...it's kinda hard to get all the way up there without falling and breaking my neck.

What would be a useful tool for cutting off a hand (without cutting off the entire stalk by mistake?). Also, this might be hard to tell, but just by the picture, do you think those bananas on my last pic are ready to be picked? I can't tell how long they've been there because I haven't been keeping track.

Re: Newbie needs identification
 

:) My homeowner's insurance doesn't cover such accidents. So take care.

I can't tell when it gets harvested. For us here in the colder area. I take the fruits, filled or unfilled, just the night before the first forecasted frost. Blessed are those in warmer places. :)

Re: Newbie needs identification
 

There should be a point on the stem where several bananas are all attached together, and then another point where another group are all attached together, and so on. A hand is all the bananas which are attached at one point to the stem.

To cut off one hand, take a sharp serrated knife and stab the hand several time as you work you way around the stem. It is easier to plunge it in several times, than to saw all the way around. Eventually you will get them loose, and the rest will still be attached to the stem.

Re: Newbie needs identification
 

I know what you mean, but I think my bananas are different. There is no point on the stem where several bananas are attached together. It's like each banana is attached individually to the "main stem"...think of one of them brushes that has bristles all the way around. One of these days I'll get adventurous and climb up there with a camara and take some close ups.

Re: Newbie needs identification
 

Edward,

Tme to post a picture of this one.

Re: Newbie needs identification
 

I'll have no part of it if he breaks his neck! :o

At any rate, take care edward if you take picture!

Re: Newbie needs identification
 

Man I had a good laugh at this...:D
tropicalkid