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Cold Hardy Bananas This forum is dedicated to the discussion of bananas that are able to grow and thrive in cold areas. You'll find lots of tips and discussions about keeping your bananas over the winter.


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Old 01-12-2010, 10:30 PM   #1 (permalink)
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Default Forcing A Bloom

I have two D.Oinoco's that will be in their second summer this year that I dug up last fall and have in pots in the house. I'll put them back in the ground but I wanted to try fertilizing to force a bloom in the spring in hopes to cheat my zone and get fruit. I don't know if it'll work and I don't know when to tip the scale with more potassium. So far I haven't fertilized at all since they've been inside. Have kept water down to a minimum and humidity to around 40% on average with temp. at a pretty constant 75 degrees. So far no mites or fungus and very slow growing leaves.

Any thoughts on when to start the fertilizing for hopes of getting a bloom by the end of April?
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Old 01-13-2010, 08:02 AM   #2 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

since you have two I think that you should take two completly different ways.
maybe start over feeding one and getting a grow light on it for 12 or so hours a day and try something different on the other. Could you try planting one outside by a window then cover it with plastic thats attached to the house and open the window to give it heat during the cold, making it a little greenhouse. orinoco's make great bananas and are the best ones for baking. good luck jimmmy
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Old 01-13-2010, 09:50 AM   #3 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

You can get alot of growth by feeding a weekly strong mix of miracle grow or dumping alot of grass fertilizer on them. I have seen decent growth with the addition of potasium nitrate.
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Old 01-13-2010, 10:03 AM   #4 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

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You can get alot of growth by feeding a weekly strong mix of miracle grow or dumping alot of grass fertilizer on them. I have seen decent growth with the addition of potasium nitrate.
Are you talking about promoting blooming type growth? I plan on doing that .. I was wondering if anyone had tried hurrying a bloom along and if so.. how long did they start the process before a bloom appeared. I'm just hoping to get a bloom in the spring so I could have a hope of enough summer to give the fruit enough time on the plant since I'm really zone challenged.

I know I'm probably wishing on a star .... but I do that! LOL
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Old 01-13-2010, 10:41 AM   #5 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

Adding potassium will not force a banana to fruit. It is a myth. Applying an optimal amount of a complete fertilizer along with an optimal environment (water/sun/temp/soil) will produce a larger, healthier plant which will achieve the adult stage quicker.
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Old 01-13-2010, 10:54 AM   #6 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

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Adding potassium will not force a banana to fruit. It is a myth. Applying an optimal amount of a complete fertilizer along with an optimal environment (water/sun/temp/soil) will produce a larger, healthier plant which will achieve the adult stage quicker.
But what about Miracle Grow's Bloom food for flowers? Is that just marketing strategy? I was thinking that would be the same concept with an already adult plant that will most likely bloom at some point this summer but too late for the fruit to mature because of my zone. It happened to me last summer and it was so painful to see little nanas on my D.O. popping out in Sept.

I need a greenhouse!!! LOL
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Old 01-13-2010, 11:08 AM   #7 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

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Originally Posted by CookieCows View Post
But what about Miracle Grow's Bloom food for flowers? Is that just marketing strategy? I was thinking that would be the same concept with an already adult plant that will most likely bloom at some point this summer but too late for the fruit to mature because of my zone. It happened to me last summer and it was so painful to see little nanas on my D.O. popping out in Sept.
It is all marketing. On the box it states that it will promote bigger, more beautiful flowers and nicer growth. This is true when you compare a plant fertilized with Miracle-Gro against one that hasn't been fertilized.

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Old 01-13-2010, 11:16 AM   #8 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

Ok I appreciate your response even though I don't like the answer I have never tasted a homegrown banana and I know I'm missing out on something!!
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Old 01-13-2010, 12:37 PM   #9 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

Bananas generally cannot be forced to flower, they just do it when they are old enough and happy enough. Depending on the variety and the conditions, the blooming process begins 3-6months before you see anything happen. Flowering is sometimes triggered by stress, however, (like pineapple) if you have a small plant flower you will have a small bunch, and if the plant is stressed out its likely because its severely lacking in nutrition and these plants usually do not make good fruit at all. So the best thing you can do is just to give them all you got and hope for the best.
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Old 01-13-2010, 01:03 PM   #10 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

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Bananas generally cannot be forced to flower, they just do it when they are old enough and happy enough. Depending on the variety and the conditions, the blooming process begins 3-6months before you see anything happen. Flowering is sometimes triggered by stress, however, (like pineapple) if you have a small plant flower you will have a small bunch, and if the plant is stressed out its likely because its severely lacking in nutrition and these plants usually do not make good fruit at all. So the best thing you can do is just to give them all you got and hope for the best.
Three to six months prior to reaching the top... that is what I was wondering so now that I know I can't force it with an imbalance of fertilizer I'll get busy on caring for it as if it was already outside. I've been holding it back as it already reaches the ceiling in the 'bedroom turned plant room' but if I bring it out into the main living area I think I can we can give it more space and start a growth spurt which I'll begin with some nice aquaponics water first.

Ok, I'm not as discouraged as I thought. One day ... it'll happen!
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Old 01-13-2010, 01:26 PM   #11 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

I agree with Gabe and that's been my experience as well. Depending on the variety, after the plant pushes out x number of leaves the bloom will appear (please correct me if I am wrong). By giving the best conditions and heavy fertilization the plant will push out more leaves and in turn encourage a more precocious plant.
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Old 01-13-2010, 02:00 PM   #12 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

The leaf counting theory may hold up, but only if you are considering the exact same variety in the exact same conditions, and are able to measure this over the course of many flowering cycles. Sometimes you will see it written that bananas flower after 45 leaves or something like that, but its not true. The trigger to flower initiation is not directly dependent on the number of leaves produced, however, if you are growing the same plant in the same conditions, it is likely you will indeed be able to predict how many leaves it will make before flowering. Unfortunately at this time I cannot find what the trigger for flower initiation is, but I will keep looking.
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Old 01-13-2010, 03:14 PM   #13 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

Sounds like over the years you become familiar with your mat if you keep the same one going and can better predict your own's flowering cycle.

If you find the secret to initiate the flowering cycle you might become a rich man!!

Just told my husband the good news about re-arranging the furniture to roll in one of the big boys! He's being awesome about it. I support his aquaponics hobby (and steal his water) and he supports my bananas.
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Old 01-13-2010, 03:35 PM   #14 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

Good luck Deb! I thought my I Cream would do a flower last year but now I'm hoping for this year. It's 4 yrs old & will go into its 5th summer growing. In a 65 gal pot in L room with a 500 halogen on from 3 - 7:30. It will stay in pot but moved outside - when weather permits.
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Old 01-13-2010, 03:49 PM   #15 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

Hi Deb, I grilled Gabe pretty good about this when I first joined up asking questions regarding fertilization, photo period, and temperature fluctuations ( tricks northern growers use to get artichokes to act as an anual) and of course got the same answers you did. The one thing I really believe that we have to consider that others in warmer climates don't is the effects of transplant shock and how far this actually sets your plants back. Dormant periods, such as using the "bigdog" method must set them back considerably. I suspect that using the largest pots and highest temps you can provide over winter is part of the key along with proper , (not necesarily over) fertilization is the best strategy. I'm also going to try micorhizal fungai when planting out in spring to get the roots off to the best start. A few other tricks such as warming the soil with plastic mulch etc couldn't hurt either.
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Old 01-13-2010, 09:24 PM   #16 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

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Hi Deb, I grilled Gabe pretty good about this when I first joined up asking questions regarding fertilization, photo period, and temperature fluctuations ( tricks northern growers use to get artichokes to act as an anual) and of course got the same answers you did. The one thing I really believe that we have to consider that others in warmer climates don't is the effects of transplant shock and how far this actually sets your plants back. Dormant periods, such as using the "bigdog" method must set them back considerably. I suspect that using the largest pots and highest temps you can provide over winter is part of the key along with proper , (not necesarily over) fertilization is the best strategy. I'm also going to try micorhizal fungai when planting out in spring to get the roots off to the best start. A few other tricks such as warming the soil with plastic mulch etc couldn't hurt either.
I agree with you Bob. I'm learning a little more each year. The transplanting in and out of pots is stressful and that is one of the things I get concerned about. I never did get the biochar going last year and that is one of my goals also to get the beds outside amended with that before transplanting. I have no clue what the mycorrihiza fungi is so looked it up real quick. It sounds great! Is this something that can be soaked in with the smashed briquets I wonder? I'm still not sure what I need to buy to soak the biochar in prior to tilling it in the soil.

BTW.. I have never had sucess with artichokes and I have tried for the past two years. I have in fact two dead artichoke plants right now sitting on my bath tub against a south facing window that died after bringing them inside..... both years!
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Old 01-14-2010, 09:16 AM   #17 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

You should grow imperial star artichokes. I sell them every year. They produce buds the first year, and they even produce here in Indiana.
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Old 01-14-2010, 09:31 AM   #18 (permalink)
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You should grow imperial star artichokes. I sell them every year. They produce buds the first year, and they even produce here in Indiana.
I would say put me down for two but I know you're too busy for that ... I'll definitly order them. I have your site saved in my favs. I also read one of your older posts in the fertilizer section about the mycrorrhize and am currently looking for the cheapest place to order that and mix with the biochar. I found some info. out on the web saying that yes.... it's good to mix it. What I can find in my area are cowboy chips so I'll buy more bags of those. I want to at least start out with tilling this into our raised beds.
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Old 01-14-2010, 10:17 AM   #19 (permalink)
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

My suggestion would be to grow short bananas--I got a bloom from my Raji Puri at just over 4 ft in stem--it is a very good banana that many consider the best tasting. I grew mine in a container that is only about 10 gal and got 59 fingers. I have another that is even bigger in a container that is a little over 5 gal--it may bloom soon, but just got set back by the cold that froze the leaves even in my shop.
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Old 01-16-2010, 01:20 PM   #20 (permalink)
 
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Default Re: Forcing A Bloom

FYI ... I've managed to winter Musa velutina by bringing it in on the few nights where temps dip to around 3ºC (37.4ºF). It's a relatively small sized banana plant so quite managable. I wasn't really expecting this to occur until next season when I have plans to plant it out.

Cheers, Barrie.
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