Bunch ripening w/o leaves
 

It's been windy the past few days and broke off 1 of the 4 remaining leaves on my flowering Goldfinger. Will the bunch still ripen properly if there are as few as 3 or no leaves? Or does it go through photosynthesis through the large pups?

Re: Bunch ripening w/o leaves
 

Be patient.

Re: Bunch ripening w/o leaves
 

Well, no harm in giving it a shot! Results might not be optimal, but I would let it do its thing and hope for the best. It still should have some photosynthesis from the pstem. If there are dry/brown parts on the p-stem, cut them just above firm parts to expose as much p-stem as you can to help in the process. Beyond that, as above...be patient.

Re: Bunch ripening w/o leaves
 

Thanks guys, I'll be patient. I was just a little worried about it.

Re: Bunch ripening w/o leaves
 

I have the same problem for the first time due to the 9 days of frost we had. The Goldfinger mat is 5 years old - and also, for the 1st time, ran 2 main pstems instead of one. The older one lost all but one of its leaves and the flag just popped. One big mangy leaf to support 80 to 120 fruit that the gfingr usually delivers. Sounds wrong, right?!

First decision was to cut it down and let the massive mama corm feed the younger one which still puts out leaves. Held off for some input from you guys.

Jon - your advise??

Dan

Re: Bunch ripening w/o leaves
 

I've noticed from years past that the fruit formed on plants with less than 5 healthy leaves will still ripen, but may take as much as 6 or more months, and usually the quality of the fruit will not be optimum. For that reason I cut them down. This year I have already cut down (Ae Ae, Raja Puri, Manzano, Golden Pillow, Datil, and 3640) all with fruit! The leaves that these plants did have were shredded, partially brown, and generally ratty looking. I just could not stand to look at them any more. Now the yard looks much more bare, but not so unsightly. Besides, the remaining pups from these mats will all produce fruit by the end of summer, providing we don't have some freak storms or some more hurricanes this year. For me, the only thing worse than not having bananas, would be to have to look at pathetic, shabby looking plants for up to 9 months, only to find the fruit at the end of my labor, was sub par quality.I guess I'm just spoiled!

I understand that to many on this forum, that may seem harsh or unreasonable, but I can get away with it in my climate. I do feel extremely lucky to live in S. Fl.

My hat is off to all who grow bananas in more temperate places. The stories that I read about peoples efforts are nothing short of heroic! Absolutely Inspiring! Thank you Bananas.org members.

Re: Bunch ripening w/o leaves
 

Thanks Brian. You reminded me of the crappy fruit I harvested in 2008. Insufficient water was the cause. All the equip in that system was replaced and upgraded.

Where's my machete???

Re: Bunch ripening w/o leaves
 

If the plant is just flowering, let it do so, and see what it produces. If the fruit is of usable size, let it be. If the plant was severely stressed (likely) the fruit will probably puny and few, in which case you might as well cut it down. But get all the evidence first. You've come this far - you might as well see it through.

Re: Bunch ripening w/o leaves
 

Commercially you would like to see at least 7 healthy leaves on a plant when you start flowering, at least 10 would be better. At my previous location, I had a lot of problems with black sigatoka and I found that if I had five leaves at flowering one option that I had to fill fruit out was bunch pruning. With 4 remaining leaves you are not going to fill out a 10 hand bunch, but you may fill out a 4-5 hand bunch.

Re: Bunch ripening w/o leaves
 

Thanks for the tips guys. The flower popped and it's really small in diameter. Will wait till it opens up and see how many hands form. It's good the main follow-on pup is 5 ft already.