Buy now or later?
 

New to the forum and wanted to get some advice. I’m just moved to zone 8b (Pensacola) and would really like some fruit a year from now. I brought 2 D. Cavendish with me in the move, planted in July and will do my best to protect them this winter . What I’d like to know is when is best time to purchase plants… I’m thinking of buying Raji pura and Dwarf Nawah now, keeping them inside until early spring, then in the garden. Does that give me a leg up? Or would it just be better to wait until early spring and purchase/plant them then? If Raji Pura can flower early (my goal is to get fruit next year!) is it better to have them aged or is growing conditions better? I have florida room that gets 4 hrs. direct sun a day (lots of difused ligh). I’m growing seeds now for landscaping but dog-gone, I’d like some fruit. Suggestions?

Re: Buy now or later?
 

okay lets do this! :) first namwah and puri both take a while to get bananas not saying you could speed up its cycle but if you want bananas this year your going to want to get veinte cohol , or gran nain those are the two fastest growers by far! but don't let me change your mind theres a huge difference in each variety its just how tasty you want your bananas! and second for shopping you should look at the forum for wellspring vs greenearth. geenearth ships huge plants so you can get a really good head start and its only like 2 bucks more defiinatly worth it. but again you can purchase from all over I live in Idaho so I have to get mine mailed to me but if you live in florida you can go on craigslist and try to find full grown bananas to plant and they will be much bigger than any person mailing to you.....I hope I helped :ukkibannana:

Re: Buy now or later?
 

Age of the plant has relatively little to do with when bananas fruit. Growth rate, i.e., rate of leaf production is what matters. After a certain number of leaves have been produced (roughly 40, varies among cultivars), the flower stalk will emerge. You can grow two identical clones, one in optimum conditions and one in poor conditions, and the one in optimum conditions might flower 3 times faster. So you need to decide what is the best way for you to get a plant to maturity at the right time of year for a bunch to have enough time to ripen in your climate. If you can get them to grow rapidly indoors over winter by using a heat mat, lots of lights, etc., great. But if they are just going to sit there and not grow, there's no real advantage to buying them now.

Re: Buy now or later?
 

Welcome to Bananas and welcome to Pensacola.

Fortunately you living in the Pensacola area you will be able to obtain some bananas for free.

Unfortunately you just missed the free barbecue and banana lovers get together!

You're still welcome to come by my house and see the bananas we have growing I believe that I have three varieties that have hanging bunches and one that is starting to turn yellow. By next month you should be able to sample all of them.

Re: Buy now or later?
 

Tease! Since I don't live near the Pensacola motherload (which is why I missed the festivities last month and am still dreaming of 'cue) BUT IF I had a great inside space to grow plants, I'd purchase them and many more now. I'd pot them in MG potting dirt (just for the winter!), give them some coffee grounds along with some weak fertilizer every now and then so they got going. (Who am I fooling? This Yankee transplant loves natural winter green!)

Since I don't have extra inside space for more than my new pink lemon and a few other preciously tender young plants, I'm holding off. I have 2 tarps which will be used as needed--didn't think to bring my warm blankets down south--for the rare times we get really chilly here. I'm in 9a and have a fairly protected area--I'll chance it. Leaving 6a (they lied--it was a 4!) is so sweet!

Re: Buy now or later?
 

I go through pensacola alot due to having family there. I would love to try a few non-store bananas. Is that possible and what varieties do you have ripening.

Re: Buy now or later?
 

Nothing special. Tall Namwah is turning yellow. Orinoco and Goldfinger will be soon maybe next month.

Re: Buy now or later?
 

Generally, plant in the spring when the weather is warming up and banana plants are ramping up their metabolism.

Re: Buy now or later?
 

Thanks everyone for the info! There is a lot to digest on the site (yeah!) but seems everyone's experience growing over the winter is quite varied. I can't do the grow lights right now but can keep seedlings warm, humid in sunroom (4 hrs. direct). I'm hoping to push forward as much as I can over the winter with my light (and budget) limitations. My goal is still eating bananas from my garden by December 2014. Just wanted to get a feel for banana strategy (is it realistic)... If folks here have successfully brought a Rajipura to fruit in 12 months with some of my limitations. I think that what I like about growing bananas, the uncertainty but with potential tasty payoff (plus driving your kids crazy)

Darkman, I'll definitely touch base with you if i can. I'm sorry I missed the get together earlier this month but just discovered this site.

Thanks!

Re: Buy now or later?
 

Rajapuri is not particularly fast to produce fruit. You'd be hard pressed to harvest fruit from it in 12 months or less in good tropical conditions. Veinte Cohol may be your best chance at 12 months or less given its short 2-months to ripen. Aside from winter, you ought to have the heat and humidity to make it grow fast.

Re: Buy now or later?
 

I looked at the Tall Namwah bunch and it is all yellow. I will take the bunch tomorrow. I'll try to take some pictures.

Re: Buy now or later?
 

I'm off tomorrow and I think the rain will be gone by noon. I'm off the first half of Saturday.

My address is 530 Chadwick St.

IF you can call me and let me know something I'll try to hold off on taking the Tall Namwah till you can see it. It has fruited two years in a row. I think you are way over thinking the Winter treatment here but we can discuss that face to face if you can make it.

I also had a P-stem with a bunch of bananas break with some wind today. That is something that would be good for you to see. Again If I am sure you can come by I can wait to cut it.

791-2336

Charles