LukeSkyWRX

I am planting out my property here with a variety of bananas to see what can survive and thrive in the harsh environment here. We have a range of conditions from blazing hot summers to occasional freezes every few years.

Some of these are known to do well here, others are total guesses to see how they handle the environment here. I have the space so I figured that it is worth trying a few longshots to see how they do and maybe find a few new varieties that work down here.

If anyone has any experience growing in a desert environment or is in Phoenix feel free to drop a line with some ideas or suggestions.


List of Varieties already established for a year
-Goldfinger
-Blue Java
-Dwarf Namwah

New varieties this year
-Full Size Namwah: Locally sourced and known to fruit here
-Raja Puri: Supposed to do really well here
-Dwarf Orinoco
-Pisang Raja
-Pisang Ceylon
-Super Dwarf Cavendish
-Sweetheart FHIA-03
-Gros Michel


Gonna be a busy spring with lots of digging.

Best day

Sounds exciting. Once established they should grow quick will all of the heat you receive in the summer. I would suggest trying to give them shade in the summer late afternoons.

Bill

LukeSkyWRX

Here are two of the locals I obtained by asking strangers if they wanted to share a pup. going to start digging and building the soil after Christmas.


Full size Namwah, the fruiting trees were in the 15-20ft range, this pup is around 10ft tall.


Another unknown local that has been established for 20 years. Some kind of dwarf variety. Any ideas are welcome as I would like to figure out what it is.

sddarkman619

take a look at what I have and see if you need anything.

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edwmax

Bananas don't do well in high radiant heat of the sun (above 100 deg F). So locations that provide afternoon shade for the radiant heat of the sun would be best. Also, provide misting to help cool the plants when needed and for watering.

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LukeSkyWRX

I actually got a few of them from you, my Pisang Ceylon has just stalled and I think it might just be dying. Everything else looks fine and I was going to order a replacement for the Ceylon in addition to a Brazillian to try.


Do you have any larger plants (corms, pups, or more grown tissue cultures) I would like to get as big as I can.

Jwirtjes

I can comment on a few of your new varieties that I have been growing near Phoenix. Keep in mind I did not provide any cold protection this year.

-Tall Namwa - South facing, full sun does just fine
-Raja Puri - it will be this guys first summer so we will see but did just fine with the cold, the spot I have this one in gets sun until about 1pm
-Dwarf Orinoco - South facing, full sun, tough as nails
-Pisang Ceylon - Full sun, leaves take more damage than say Orinoco but it did fine last summer
-Sweetheart FHIA-03 - first summer coming up, handled cold fine
-Gros Michel - with no protection did not survive our lows (didn't seem to care for full sun either)

When I say handled the cold fine what I mean is there was only leaf damage. I just trimmed all back last week and all have great new growth already.

LukeSkyWRX

Cool, nice to hear some positive results, you in Phoenix area?

Gros M. Isn’t even liking our cold now and has fallen way behind. My little corner of Tempe tends to get colder than other areas so it lags in spring and gets hit harder in the winter.

You have any pups from P. Ceylon or sweetheart you would be interested in selling? I prefer them to the tissue cultures I have now as they will need to be babied for a year.

Grow on!

sddarkman619

I don't, easier to ship the smaller ones.

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sddarkman619

The gros michel are a rather tropical banana, several of us here in San Diego area have had them for a few years. Still waiting for mine to fruit. I have to move it though, It's in a shaded corner and almost dies every year in winter because of it.
Richard has one form me for about 5 years now. still hasn't fruited. Likes it warmer but I think a moist warmer. Hates the cold.

I know you are looking for corms but I do still have some ceylons and a new batch of sweethearts that are nicely rooted.

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Jwirtjes

Yes I am in Phoenix area, out by Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. I have two pups on the Ceylon now but they are small yet, so give it a couple of months and I should have something. I will also have Matoke, Tall NamWah and Dwarf Orinoco pups for sure. I do not have any on the Sweetheart yet.

I just received a few more TCs that I ordered from sddarkman619 (mona lisa, pisang keling, mekong giant, another sweetheart). Highly recommend anything from both sddarkman619 and Tytaylor77 both have awesome starter plants and always the correct variety.

LukeSkyWRX

I’ll probably order another set at the end of March if I can’t find some more developed. We are still having nights in the low 40s and days in the 70-80s so the TCs need Extra care until our temps stabilize. The sweetheart is growing nicely but it is on a seed heating mat in bright window sunlight to pump it up before going outside. My larger TCs are outside in my winter greenhouse but the corms and pups are already in the ground and happy.

LukeSkyWRX

I was trying to get them in the ground in March so the can adjust to the heat. The Mysore/Ceylon is on my list and I really want to try Saba our here in the desert.

I have tried to contact Tytaylor77 on his site and on here but can’t get any response. Maybe he will get more active as spring rolls around.

sddarkman619

I 've got some ceylons/mysores.

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LukeSkyWRX

It has been around 3 months since most of these plants went into the ground. currently we are over 110F most every day and it really shows what varieties like the heat. Most of these came from sddarkman619 and Going Bananas, along with some from local gardens and one from Ty


On the right is a generic icecream banana that I will probably have to move to a more shady spot as it just can't handle the heat. The left is a tall Namwah that I got from a local grower and it is really doing well, with almost no heat stress until temps started hitting +115F. Thinking of replacing the Ice cream with an Indian Hill Banana from Ty after seeing how well the Brazilian is doing, but that will have to wait till after peak summer heat.


Mostly smaller varieties in this group, left to right: D Brazilian, Goldfinger, Sweetheart, a small California Gold is in the back) all started as TCs indoor around January. D. Brazilian seems to really be doing well with the high heat and started stretching in the last weeks.


Front to back is Pisang Ceylon, Monthan, and Pisang Raja. the Raja is really impressing me as it started as a 6in tissue culture that went into the ground in March and quickly took the lead in growth. This might be a real winner in the hot climate here. The interplanted watermelons are also loving the heat and taking over providing some ground cover. All the plants in this planting started as the same height so it is interesting to see the difference after 3 months.



A separate planting in a different micro climate with a large shade tree nearby and a wall to the west to block late afternoon sun. These are doing really well and you can tell the stress level on them is lower in the high heat time. They grow slower in the milder times of year but more in the summer heat so it is interesting to see the difference. Left to Right: Local assumed D. Orinoco, D. Cavendish and Raja Puri. The RP was a corm in march with only 2inches of growth so it has really taken off and I think is also another strong variety for the area. I will likely move the Ice Cream over to this planting area in early fall so I can put a stronger plant in its current spot.