Tonybanana

Hi guys for the past 9 years I have lived in Lehigh acres Fl. and I have been trying to grow my own bananas, by trying I mean I bought some plants and planed them, I keep them watered and cleaned up. I/E/ removed the dead parts. But I must say in all the years I have had them I have never seen a banana outside of the public’s. I have three main patches of plants with a total of 7 or so plants. They all seem healthy good leafs & color. I have asked at the home depot as well as at a local nursery but I can not seem to find any good info. I don’t want to just through money at this and hope for the best. If I can get some good results (a banana). I would like to add more plants as I think they look nice and I have the room.
Thanks guys!
Tony

edwmax

We need pictures of your plants and the types of banana you bought. Not all bananas plants fruit, so have you ever seen any type of flower on the plants? Within 2 to 3 years of planting you should have seen something.

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Tonybanana

I will post photos in the A.M. I have never seen a flower, hmm would that be funny after all this time to find out that was my issue. They are good looking plants and they seem well enough, but i don't know what i am looking at so that very well could be it. I will post photos asap!
Thank you very much.
Tony

Tonybanana

Ok Guys I have weeded the base fed them and mulched them, I did try to up load some new photos but the system did not seem to take them. it said they did but hell if I can find them. LOL
I will tell you they look better with the mulch, We will see how it goes!
Thanks one and all!
Tony

Iowa

Your pictures may be too large. I usually make mine about 1000 pixels on the long side if I'm having trouble loading and they load for me then.

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Growing Musa Orinoco since 1993 - Added 2018-Basjoo, Zebrina' Rojo, Ensete Red Abyssinian - Added 2019-Goldfinger - Added 2020-Kokopo (Short Cycle), Double (Mahoi), Highgate, Super Dwarf Cavendish - Added 2021-Pisang Ceylon(Mysore), Musa Margarita, Ensete Ventricosum - Added 2023 - Siam Ruby

Tytaylor77

Yes! Iowa is correct! They are too big. Resize them or if your on a phone I just crop them a little on my iPad and it works great. If it works you will get a "process" button.

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150+ Varieties!!. See profile for list. Help me add more!

www.bananapups.com

Tonybanana

I did so and up loaded them.

edwmax

These ???

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Tonybanana

yes!

beam2050

if those are full grown you may want to invest in something that grows a little taller.

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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

Yes, and they are health looking. As I stated in the other echo thread, the plant are probably non-fruiting ornamental.

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Tonybanana

Well I love them just the same, Any thoughts on what plants I could add that would work down here? And where to buy them?
Thanks

mjc

You are in zone 10...so the list of what you can grow, in the ground and have reasonable chance of fruiting is probably a couple miles long.

It may be easier to come up with some suggestions, if you could narrow down what you are looking for/wanting.

Tall, medium or short?
Striking foliage?
Colorful?
Fruit?

Botanical_Bryce

Being ornamental would not explain that it does not fruit or flower. Maybe someone could surprise me with something I never heard of but even ornamentals fruit and flower but the flower may be the best part or the fruit are trash. Having seen severely stunted bananas many times and bringing them home and planting them to watch them rise far above my head convinces me enough that these are simply stunted and when they recover will flourish and fruit. My dwarf brazilians came from 2 to 3 foot plants. Some of my dwarf namwahs came from 2 to 3 foot plants that never fruited for all the years the guy had them. My SH 3640s were fruiting but all at 3 feet. When I got them home and replanted them most of them soared above me with the exception of the Namwah which fruited for my at 6 feet and yet the guy I got it from never saw fruit. I am pretty optimistic about what I see in the photos simply from that experience.

edwmax

That may be! ... It is my understanding there are some ornamental varieties (or supposed ornamental) that do not produce fruit. ... since the OP doesn't know what the plant variety is and he has been growing it with some care for 9 years in Florida (zone 10 ? & in the ground) without any signs of flower or fruit; then it is my suggestion to plant a known banana suited for his location for fruit. He should then have fruit in about 2 years or less.

We simple don't know what type of banana that plant is. It appears to be a dwarf of some type and otherwise in good condition.

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Botanical_Bryce

I think all it needs is freshened up. Just sitting in sand laden with nematodes explains this situation perfectly. He may go buy a new plant unknowingly buying exactly what he already has when all it needed was some attention. I remain optimistic about these plants.

Tonybanana

Thanks Guys,
I love my plants and want them to do well.
I have to admit I have not put any effort in to them with the exception of cleaning up the dead leaves every now and then. I have no problem adding more plants as I have lots of room and I think they look good.
But I would like to get these guys in the best shape they can be in first.
small steps!
Thanks

Tonybanana

The plants are doing very well now!

sputinc7

Get a couple bags of Black Kow from Home Depot and put one in a ring around each one, wait for rain and watch out!

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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.

Deadon2

I'm in South Fort Myers. I will be culling some dwarf Cavendish pups in a few weeks. U should have a nice mat and a rack in about a year. PM me if you are interested. No charge.