Bananas not ripening.
 

I live 1000 ft up above the Mediterranean in Southern Spain. Growing bananas is really not feasible due to the total lack of rain in the summer, but we have an agricultural supply which is just enough.
My mini-plantation produces good eating fruit and we are lucky not to experience frosts, therefore no special winter treatment is necessary, except for wind protection.
This year we had fruit forming May/June but we had an exceptionally hot summer with temperatures reaching 35 - 40c, one day reaching 43c. but these bananas are not ripening, although fully grown. I don't know the variety, they have a pronounced ridging, fat and about 6" long, roughly twice the weight of 'commercial' fruit.
Now in November we have temperatures mostly between min 10c and max 20c. Can someone tell me if the fruit will ripen? Or shall I just consign them to the compost heap? I read somewhere that bananas stop growing if the summer temperatures are too high, could this be the reason for non-ripening?
Thanks for any advice.

Re: Bananas not ripening.
 

Welcome to the board Piran. Looks like U have an Orinoco or some kind of platane, picture would help for better ID. They will ripe at some stage.
:woohoonaner:

Re: Bananas not ripening.
 

my guess was Orinoco as well by the description

Re: Bananas not ripening.
 

I agree with others....sounds kinda like orinoco or possibly a plantain. Just wait longer....as long as the plant isn't dying, the fruit should ripen eventually.

Re: Bananas not ripening.
 

Very helpful replies, I'll leave the bananas over winter and see what happens.
As a matter of interest regarding ripening, my mangos are the same, nice and big but still not ripe.
Thanks all.

Re: Bananas not ripening.
 

Hello, Piran.

You could cut down the bunch and place a plastic bag around them. The ethelyne gas will cause them to ripen. Of course, the best flavor is obtained from allowing the fruit to remain on the tree until some yellowing occurs. However, if you're worried about losing your fruit to the cold, the bananas will still be tasty if you let them ripen off the plant.