Bananas are photoperiod sensitive

Nicolas Naranja · 11-30-2011, 08:57 AM

banana-crop-abundance-linked-to-length-of-day | News | Agriculture and Livestock

pitangadiego · 11-30-2011, 10:23 AM

So, it would seem that a late-summer/fall bloom should produce a bigger, better bunch, than a late-winter/spring bloom which generally seems to agree with my experience. I had assumed that poor spring performance was do to cold and energy loss in the winter..

I am guessing that better nutrition (fertilizer) at a point 2-3 months before flowering, when the photoperiod is most important, might also be important to bunch size. if so, then June/July is the important feeding time for plants expected to have a September/October bloom time.

Nicolas Naranja · 11-30-2011, 11:37 AM

I have noticed over the past 5 years that I typically have more flowering in late September - early October than any other time of year. For me that's always been a good thing since it takes so much longer to mature in the winter. However, my plants that fruit in April typically make the bunches with the heaviest fruit.

Richard · 11-30-2011, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicolas Naranja

I have noticed over the past 5 years that I typically have more flowering in late September - early October than any other time of year. For me that's always been a good thing since it takes so much longer to mature in the winter. However, my plants that fruit in April typically make the bunches with the heaviest fruit.

I have read about commercial groves that apply (truckloads of 50-lb bags) Nitrate in the Spring, Potash in the Summer, and Phosphate in the Fall -- which is an old-school method of feeding fruit orchards. Then there are more modern groves that are on continuous feed of a complete fertilizer.

Nicolas, what does your feeding schedule look like over the course of the year?

venturabananas · 12-01-2011, 01:51 AM

Seems sort of obvious in retrospect -- plants can't photosynthesize without light -- but most things do seem obvious in retrospect. I guess they must have had a pretty impressive data set to separate effects of day length from those of temperature, because they have to be tightly correlated.

Nicolas Naranja · 12-01-2011, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

I have read about commercial groves that apply (truckloads of 50-lb bags) Nitrate in the Spring, Potash in the Summer, and Phosphate in the Fall -- which is an old-school method of feeding fruit orchards. Then there are more modern groves that are on continuous feed of a complete fertilizer.

Nicolas, what does your feeding schedule look like over the course of the year?

I only put out dry potash, because the soil is rich to begin with, but generally speaking 1/4 lb of potash 5x year. January-April-June-July-October. The stuff I am planting at my house will be a whole different scheme with monthly applications of granular fertilizer and lots of foliar sprays. I will almost double the plant population compared with what was at the farm. So I'll need a much more intesive scheme

Iunepeace · 04-24-2012, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicolas Naranja

However, my plants that fruit in April typically make the bunches with the heaviest fruit.

Glad to hear that Nicolas! One of my gram's bananas in one of her mats just started blooming so I'm looking forward to a huge bunch!

11-30-2011, 08:57 AM	#1 (permalink)
Nicolas Naranja Muck bananas Nicolas Naranja 's Photo Gallery Location: Pahokee, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Nick Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 2,217 BananaBucks : 485,355 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 66 Times Was Thanked 5,665 Times in 1,563 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 7 Times	Bananas are photoperiod sensitive banana-crop-abundance-linked-to-length-of-day \| News \| Agriculture and Livestock __________________ Some people go bananas, I went plantains.

11-30-2011, 10:23 AM	#2 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,489 BananaBucks : 138,031 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 2,730 Times in 930 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Bananas are photoperiod sensitive So, it would seem that a late-summer/fall bloom should produce a bigger, better bunch, than a late-winter/spring bloom which generally seems to agree with my experience. I had assumed that poor spring performance was do to cold and energy loss in the winter.. I am guessing that better nutrition (fertilizer) at a point 2-3 months before flowering, when the photoperiod is most important, might also be important to bunch size. if so, then June/July is the important feeding time for plants expected to have a September/October bloom time. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

11-30-2011, 11:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
Nicolas Naranja Muck bananas Nicolas Naranja 's Photo Gallery Location: Pahokee, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Nick Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 2,217 BananaBucks : 485,355 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 66 Times Was Thanked 5,665 Times in 1,563 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 7 Times	Re: Bananas are photoperiod sensitive I have noticed over the past 5 years that I typically have more flowering in late September - early October than any other time of year. For me that's always been a good thing since it takes so much longer to mature in the winter. However, my plants that fruit in April typically make the bunches with the heaviest fruit. __________________ Some people go bananas, I went plantains.

12-01-2011, 01:51 AM	#5 (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 : 248,780 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,752 Times Was Thanked 3,969 Times in 1,713 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 39 Times	Re: Bananas are photoperiod sensitive Seems sort of obvious in retrospect -- plants can't photosynthesize without light -- but most things do seem obvious in retrospect. I guess they must have had a pretty impressive data set to separate effects of day length from those of temperature, because they have to be tightly correlated. __________________

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