Willow87

I'm under a Stage 3 water restriction I hand water my garden which probably wasn't enough. I hope next year will be wetter. I'm trying to save what I have left now but even with the cooler temperatures alot of my plants still haven't recovered. I'll need to invest in more mulch next year. I mulched a few areas but that still didn't make a difference lol

Darkman

This year everything is just getting settled in. I believe your climate is very similiar to mine. If we have a reasonable winter next year this time you will not be able to see the side of house anymore. Be careful with the Sabas. Huge is not an appropriate size description. After a bad winter that P-stem has to come down. What wakes you up and shakes your house in the middle of the night? Ask Bo AKA Hydroid?

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Darkman in Pensacola

Looking for Bananas that I can grow and eat in Pensacola.

Life - Some assembly required, As is no warranty, Batteries not included, Instructions shipped separately and are frequently wrong!

Kentucky Bourbon - It may not solve the problem but it helps to make it tolerable!

Statistics - Opinions that analyst twist to support the insanity of those that pay them.

oakshadows

Cameron, It might be good for you to use drip irrigation as it uses less water and can be easier controlled. Mulch is a must and thicker is better but not too close to the stem. We grow in containers and they require more water if not set up correctly. If plants are in the ground then it might be good for you to replant and add a large amount of compost to the whole before planting. Sometimes a lot of work but it will of benefit to the plant and to the harvest. Adding perlitie to the soil will also add some moisture holding capacity. Good luck.

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"What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."

Dreaminofthetropics

LOL @ Darkman about the Sabas (those are one variety that isn't beside the house ) I've seen Chris's (Rmplmnz) and they're HUGE... I can not imagine one coming down suddenly! I'm hoping they all fair well through the winter and yeah I imagine I'm pretty much like your climate. Do you have any p-stems make it through the winter without protection? I know I'm going to dig my Dwarf Reds, but are there any other really tempermental ones I should dig???

@Willow - I hand water everything that I have. I followed Chris's example when I planted I tilled in compost and then after planting I piled on more compost and topped off with mulch. Now I'm beginning to rake as the leaves are starting to fall and piling those on top as well. Chris piles TONS of leaves / compost / mulch every year. It begins piled so high and then by the end of the season its flatted out (mine that is lol! I had mounds and now its almost flat so time to add more leaves and compost!) I also added some of the water crystals to two of the beds and EVERY banana in there died except for one saba I think having that in there with newly dug bananas I rotted them out I think if I had planted one that had been potted they might have been ok.

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Kat

Check out my website
http://www.ilovemyplants.com

Intellectual property has the shelf life of a banana.
Bill Gates

Willow87

I really do need to start doing drip irrigation. Is it an expensive set up? I have a flowerbed that I need to amend so I can plant bananas there next year. I found some 40lb bags of a compost/green sand/ lava sand mixture, and perlite is definitely a must because I have clay soil. I need to come up with a better plan so I don't have a repeat of this year

hydroid

Darkman is right, we had a dying Saba come down in some wind one night and we thought a big pine tree fell in the yard, with all that water weight they are really heavy also. It shook the whole house.
I started out with 3 Saba about 4 or 5 yrs. ago that I got from Chris and I now have a yard full of them. They are my favorite of all the Banana family that I presently have. You will be surprised.

Dreaminofthetropics

I have one by my pool/pond about 6 ft away I wonder if I should worry about it?!?!? Did it come down only in wind or was it frosts too? I can't wait for mine to get that big Very excited about it! Chris's are amazing, his whole yard is amazing!

__________________

Kat

Check out my website
http://www.ilovemyplants.com

Intellectual property has the shelf life of a banana.
Bill Gates

hydroid

The Saba that fell was because of the hard winter and it just could'nt bounce back during the spring, I kept thinking it would pull through but when they are that big, they loose the elasticity of being fully green. It looked pretty brown and too brittle.
Bo

oakshadows

Some rain coming your way, hope it is enough and not too late. Good luck.

__________________
"What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."

Willow87

Thank you it rained quite a bit this morning and I think there is more on the way hopefully

Rmplmnz

No, not expensive (in my opinion).

In Florida the county extension office offers free classes and provides each participant with a very nice complimentary starter drip irrigation kit.

Good luck!

Rmplmnz

Kudos to you Bo for doing such a great job with the Saba's, EE's and other Tropicals!!

Thanks Kat!

You have done and amazing job (in a very short period of time) as well!!

Willow87

Thank you! I'll try to look into drip irrigation.

Darkman

Chris your spreading of the banana love rolls on. Bo gave me a Saba and I anticipate next year I can start passing them on.

__________________
Darkman in Pensacola

Looking for Bananas that I can grow and eat in Pensacola.

Life - Some assembly required, As is no warranty, Batteries not included, Instructions shipped separately and are frequently wrong!

Kentucky Bourbon - It may not solve the problem but it helps to make it tolerable!

Statistics - Opinions that analyst twist to support the insanity of those that pay them.

Rmplmnz

Awesome!

I have made many friends on this board.

Those Sabas (acquired from Going Bananas in 1992 from Bill Lessard's original stock that he got in the Philippines) have traveled far and wide:-)

Darkman

Wow!!! That is awesome that I can trace my Saba back to the Philippines. No wondering on the correctness of that one!

Thanks again Chris!

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Darkman in Pensacola

Looking for Bananas that I can grow and eat in Pensacola.

Life - Some assembly required, As is no warranty, Batteries not included, Instructions shipped separately and are frequently wrong!

Kentucky Bourbon - It may not solve the problem but it helps to make it tolerable!

Statistics - Opinions that analyst twist to support the insanity of those that pay them.

Rmplmnz

Thank you!!

I still have a copy (somewhere) of Bill Lessard's Going Bananas catalog....with Fehi in it..imagine buying a Fehi domestically these days:-)

Following is another link within the board discussing Bill:

Scanned Pics (old by my resoning)....

Unfortunately I had to remove the pictures for personal reasons; an interesting read all the same.

Lessard had traveled the globe accumulating over 100 different species planted on 5 acres in Homestead, Fl.

This article references the sale; but only mentions 35 banana varieties:
Miami Food and Drink Examiner: Going Bananas grows bananas.
Going Bananas grows bananas - Miami Food and Drink | Examiner.com

Article excerpt:

Learning from Lessard

The Chafins bought their property in 1994. Also that year they purchased most of the banana stock – some 35 varieties – from William O. Lessard, a nearby grower who was retiring. Lessard had been growing bananas in a converted squash field he purchased in 1968.

Lessard and his wife, Suzie, were among the first vendors to participate in the Coral Gables Farmers Market, which began in 1991. That’s where I met them. My yard still has banana trees I bought from them.

In 1992, Lessard wrote and self-published a 119-page book, The Complete Book of Bananas, that is still one of the best available books on bananas. It’s now out of print, but Amazon.com and bookfinder.com sometimes offer it. The supply always was limited, and today it is very expensive. Lessard says that he intends to update and reprint it.

Dreaminofthetropics

Chris that is awesome! I want to go down to going bananas sometime! I always have to stop at a few nurseries everytime I come back from the keys! I'll have to keep an eye out for the book for sure. It's really neat that you have it signed!

__________________

Kat

Check out my website
http://www.ilovemyplants.com

Intellectual property has the shelf life of a banana.
Bill Gates

oakshadows

You won't be sorry. Here is where we get a lot of supplies and they are inexpensive. Most everything we got from them did as described, only one or two of the hundreds didn't work properly exactly. Good luck

Drip Irrigation System Supplies Irrigation Direct

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"What this country needs is dirtier fingernails and cleaner minds."

Willow87

Thank you Oakshadows for the link I bookmarked it. I've never done drip irrigation before but it would be an interesting thing to learn