another harvest question

plundccre · 12-09-2011, 12:47 AM

Im in Southern California and the day temps are in the mid 60"s and at night it is in the low 40"s and maybe into the high 30"s. I had a Raji bunch that first appeared in mid June and really does not seem to have matured. The fruit is about 3 -4 inches and no hint of yellow. It's been this way for months now with no apparent change. I would have thought that these would be ripe by now.

I also have a Kofi bunch which first appeared in early August. No yellow here and they seem on the small size as well.

With the cold weather that I have now, does it make sense to harvest these now and see if they ripen indoors?

I also have a Cardaba bunch but they emerged only 2 months ago. Don't know if they will develop with the cold.

Thoughts?

Peter

pitangadiego · 12-09-2011, 10:02 AM

Most varieties take 6 months to ripen in your location, and if that time falls in winter (Nov to March), they will probably not show signs of ripening till April. The ones from June are probably mature. Cut of one hand and put in on the counter in the kitchen as see what happens.

venturabananas · 12-09-2011, 11:34 AM

Pitanga, if you were expecting a freeze (say we get some unusual weather), would you harvest the bunch or leave it hanging and hope for the best?

pitangadiego · 12-09-2011, 02:13 PM

Maybe bag it and put a small light bulb insi8de for heat. The ones from June could probably be harvested. There is NO substitute for time on the pseudostem. If they are not mature (which takes time) they will not ripen properly.

Even if you lose the leaves, if the pseudostem, and particularly the flower stem inside remains viable, you can continue to rack up maturation time.

plundccre · 12-09-2011, 02:26 PM

Due they continue to mature even in the cold weather?

momoese · 12-09-2011, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plundccre

Due they continue to mature even in the cold weather?

If they do I sure haven't noticed it in my garden. If so I'd say very slowly just like the growth slows down in the cold.

pitangadiego · 12-09-2011, 07:41 PM

I bunch that flowers in October can easily ripen in April. A bunch that flowers in April will ripen about October, so they must mature at something close to the same rate. The only difference I see is that ripening will not initiate, even if they are mature, in the winter months, but will wait till the first warm weather in the Spring. So if it ripens in April, it may have been mature for a month or two or more.

12-09-2011, 12:47 AM	#1 (permalink)
plundccre plundccre's Photo Gallery Location: Sherman Oaks, CA, USA Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Peter Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 103 BananaBucks : 57,781 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 81 Times Was Thanked 111 Times in 47 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 6 Times	another harvest question Im in Southern California and the day temps are in the mid 60"s and at night it is in the low 40"s and maybe into the high 30"s. I had a Raji bunch that first appeared in mid June and really does not seem to have matured. The fruit is about 3 -4 inches and no hint of yellow. It's been this way for months now with no apparent change. I would have thought that these would be ripe by now. I also have a Kofi bunch which first appeared in early August. No yellow here and they seem on the small size as well. With the cold weather that I have now, does it make sense to harvest these now and see if they ripen indoors? I also have a Cardaba bunch but they emerged only 2 months ago. Don't know if they will develop with the cold. Thoughts? Peter

12-09-2011, 10:02 AM	#2 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,481 BananaBucks : 129,637 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 2,707 Times in 923 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: another harvest question Most varieties take 6 months to ripen in your location, and if that time falls in winter (Nov to March), they will probably not show signs of ripening till April. The ones from June are probably mature. Cut of one hand and put in on the counter in the kitchen as see what happens. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

12-09-2011, 11:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
venturabananas venturabananas's Photo Gallery Location: Ventura, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Mark Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 2,845 BananaBucks : 239,036 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,752 Times Was Thanked 3,968 Times in 1,713 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 39 Times	Re: another harvest question Pitanga, if you were expecting a freeze (say we get some unusual weather), would you harvest the bunch or leave it hanging and hope for the best? __________________

12-09-2011, 02:13 PM	#4 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,481 BananaBucks : 129,637 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 2,707 Times in 923 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: another harvest question Maybe bag it and put a small light bulb insi8de for heat. The ones from June could probably be harvested. There is NO substitute for time on the pseudostem. If they are not mature (which takes time) they will not ripen properly. Even if you lose the leaves, if the pseudostem, and particularly the flower stem inside remains viable, you can continue to rack up maturation time. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

12-09-2011, 02:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
plundccre plundccre's Photo Gallery Location: Sherman Oaks, CA, USA Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Peter Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 103 BananaBucks : 57,781 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 81 Times Was Thanked 111 Times in 47 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 6 Times	Re: another harvest question Due they continue to mature even in the cold weather?

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12-09-2011, 07:41 PM	#7 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,481 BananaBucks : 129,637 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 2,707 Times in 923 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: another harvest question I bunch that flowers in October can easily ripen in April. A bunch that flowers in April will ripen about October, so they must mature at something close to the same rate. The only difference I see is that ripening will not initiate, even if they are mature, in the winter months, but will wait till the first warm weather in the Spring. So if it ripens in April, it may have been mature for a month or two or more. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

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