edwmax

I haven't posted in a while because I been busy with other things due to the storm last fall. Anyway things has slowed down some and I was catching up on work around my house and yard (Saturday 5/18).



I was mowing when I came up to my small nana patch and saw little red things on the ground. Looking up I saw this on the Orinoco nanas.





Then to the right of it there was another with very small fingers (sorry I can't find that picture). It was already making male fingers.


This past week 3 bunch popped and now opening. (2nd from left). All 3 bunches shown.






The bunch with the very small fingers are dying (far right, in the dark). The the weather turned hot and dry suddenly. I believe lack of water is the cause of the small fingers and the one bunch to die. That bunch I believe opened at the end of April.


Yesterday while watering the Nanas, there was a 4th bunch that popped this week.





This morning while watering & looking at the patch, I believe there are 2 flag leaves on my Dwarf Orinocos. This will be the first time they have produced.





I have been watering 2 Xs a day for 10 days now and watering is taking too much of my time for now. I've setup a sprinkler for now and will put in a drip/spray line later. The plants are looking much better and not wilting. So I hope the bunches and nana fingers will fill & fatten out.


The Orinocos didn't die back this past winter and put out new leaves after each freeze. So I expect a few more of these plants to flower.

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beam2050

all right!!!!!! max.

last 2 light frosts took out a lot of mine that might have produced this year and lack of rain for the last 2 months has not helped. dragging around hoses to keep them watered this year. looking very good max glad to hear from you.

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npk of wood ash 0/1/3 to 0/3/7

npk of banana leaf ash 1.75/0.75/0.5

Akula

Congratulations!!

The plants have a pretty good number of leaves on them and all summer to fill out so you are in great shape!

No rain here in 16 days. Not even a pop up thunderstorm. Solar panels are cranking out the electricity but the yard needs a big rain dump for saturation. Sprinkler system doesn't cut it.

edwmax

Thanks guys, I just didn't realize how dry the ground got so quick. 4 or 5 weeks ago the ground was soaked and there is mud on my car now from a night time down pour last week. ... This unusual heat has a lot more to do with the situation and fast drying of the top surface of the soil.

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HMelendez

Max,




Nice to see you back in the forum!.....Woohoo!....Congratulations!.....Looking good!......

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edwmax

Oh ... I've been around. Just not posting and hogging all the pixels. haha

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edwmax

Yep ... This morning at 8:30 am, the tops of the 2 buds are showing on the dwarf Orinocos. These were showing flags yesterday. .... So 6 bunches on the Orinocos in May

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edwmax

HEY ...Beam ...


I got one two .... It's 4 ft. ... I was just watering the nanas and kept looking at it. I had to walk over for a close look and yep, it was a Bud. The flag leaf I saw yesterday and just though ir had broken off. I didn't pay and more attention as I thought the plants were too short to flower.


A 4 ft Raja Puri .... I think I got this plant from Just Fruits in Crawfordville Fl This is the first flowers for this one. I'm looking ... there could be another one????


Now I'm at 7 bunches for this patch.

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edwmax

I need 100lb of fertilizer for this patch next week and 50lb for the other large nana patch and 50lb for the pecan trees. And some SOP which I already have.

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beam2050

yes I think rajapuri fruits normally at 5 1/2 ft. but winter could have changed its mind.

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npk of wood ash 0/1/3 to 0/3/7

npk of banana leaf ash 1.75/0.75/0.5

Tytaylor77

Awesome! Congrats Max!!

I hope your hungry for bananas!
Amazing job!!

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mushtaq86

Congratulations Max, how tall are the Orinoco.

edwmax

The reg. Orinoco seems to bud just under 12 ft. This is less than the 14 to 16 ft i've read else where. ... The Dwf Orinoco buds just over 10 ft. A little tall for a Dwarf but differently shorter and slightly smaller stem than my other reg. Orinoco.

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edwmax

As a reference, this is one of the Orinoco bunches from the same group at end of September 2017.






Same bunch Nov. 16 2017

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edwmax

It's been 1 1/2 to 2 weeks since the first pics were taken, so these are just progress pictures.


Orinoco bunches 2 & 3 (6/7/2019)





Orinoco bunch 1 (6/7/2013) It is dead. I'm sure it was due to the heat and I didn't know the plant had flowered.





Orinoco bunch 3.






These Orinoco bunches are not going to be big or tight. Likely due to the heat and may be need some fertilizer.


Dwf Orinoco (6/7/2019) 2 bunches





Raja Puri (6/7/2019)







Yesterday at Tractor Supply, I found a 25 gal sprayer discounted at 50% off. ( https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...prayer-5302938 ) The personnel stated it was a return due to a tank leak. It has been sitting all night full of water and there ant no leak. So as soon as I finish checking it out, I will be foliar feeding the bananas again.

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beam2050

LOOKING GOOD MAX. lot of damage probably from draught to, you can dump allot of water on them but if the surrounding ground is dry......well.

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npk of wood ash 0/1/3 to 0/3/7

npk of banana leaf ash 1.75/0.75/0.5

edwmax

Update 7/1/2019


This morning while check the nanas in the small patch I found a new Dwf Orinoco bud. So that makes 3 buds for the Dwf Orinoco.


Last week checking the Orinoco, I realized the count was 1 too many. No I didn't miss count a new bud slip in there and already had 2 hands showing. It just blended in without me noticing.


Anyway the bunch count is 4 Orinoco; 3 Dwf Orinoco; and i Rajapuri. 8 Bunches total growing.



... I do believe there will be another rajapuri soon. The pstem is at the right height and size. A noticeable bulge is at the base, so it should be 1 or 2 more leaves away from the flag leaf. (no pic)


Dwf Orinoco, Bud #3 is the new bud.





Orinoco pics: Bud #4 is the new Orinoco






Due to the dry/drought we had the Orinocos only made 2 or 3 hands. But Bunch 1 above is filling/fatting out good and the rest are following. ... I hope the new Dwf Orinoco bunch will make more then 3 hands. The patch has been well watered since 3rd week of May.


... ... We may be eating home grown Nanas this fall!!!1


Oh forgot this pic. ... The lazy ass Guard Ducks goofing off.

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edwmax

There is a 5th Orinoco Bud today. I didn't see it yesterday (if it was there?).


The count is 5 Orinoco; 3 Dwf Orinoco; and 1 Raja puri. 9 bunches growing.





... ...

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edwmax

About 20 minutes after turning on the sprinkler, those leaves were spread out flat. The sprinkler ran for 2 hrs. ... I'l have to start watering the nana daily again until we get another rain.

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Akula

"These Orinoco bunches are not going to be big or tight. Likely due to the heat and may be need some fertilizer."

What's generally considered a big Orinoco bunch? Monster bragging bunch size? I guess in hands and fingers.

I've never seen big orinoco bunches. 3-5 hands usually. Big one maybe 7 hands.