Can a 1/2 chopped of plant make bananas?

Eric · 07-17-2009, 05:29 PM

I've never grown from corms or from banana plants that were chopped in half. Can 2 feet be chopped off a 5 foot banana & still have a mother plant that could grow & make bananas?

LilRaverBoi · 07-17-2009, 06:00 PM

Hmmm....that's a great question! I don't have a definitive answer for you....but I would think, theoretically, yes. I'm sure it would stress the plant a lot, but it shouldn't kill it. Hell, you can chop the entire top of, uproot it and chop the corm into pieces and it'll probably still live. If you do chop the top off, only the bottom part is going to be any good, though. You can't just cut the plant in half and get both parts to grow....the top portion won't root and will just end up dying, but I'm pretty sure the bottom part will keep growing just fine. As for the effect of this on fruiting, I really don't know for sure.

Let's hope we get some good responses in here...I'd like to hear what the experts have to say!

turtile · 07-17-2009, 06:07 PM

As long as the flower isn't within the pseudostem, it will be able to flower.

banfan · 07-17-2009, 06:23 PM

The first five bananas that I planted came from a friend who had cut the plants in half.....they all looked miserable when I planted them. Four of them have fruited at least once in the last 18 months. The fifth has just fruited and has 10 hands on its first bunch and the mat is overpopulated.

Eric · 07-17-2009, 06:29 PM

Quote:

Hmmm....If you do chop the top off, only the bottom part is going to be any good, though. You can't just cut the plant in half and get both parts to grow.......
Let's hope we get some good responses in here...I'd like to hear what the experts have to say!

Then it's Definitely Not related to purple cabbage

.
Thanx for the help, guys

!!!!

BTW, has anyone ever shipped a banana pup? If so, do you ship it with or without dirt around the corm & roots?

LilRaverBoi · 07-17-2009, 08:33 PM

All the ones that have been shipped to me were either in a pot or with moist soil (and the roots/soil was in a baggy to keep it from drying out). I would say you'd have better luck with keeping some soil on there and moisture.

Eric · 07-17-2009, 08:50 PM

Thanx, RaverBoi

! That completes the circuit! Will make my 1st attempt ever, Monday, at shipping a live plant! BTW, can't link just now... Any great music at those links of yours

?

Gabe15 · 07-17-2009, 11:13 PM

I would recommend shipping without soil, and if it is a pup (not TC), then without roots as well. It does not hurt the plant and you can reduce or eliminate the accidental transfer of pathogenic critters and fungi that may be in the soil. In general, its not a good idea to ship soil unless its absolutely necessary, in the case of banana pups, it is not needed at all. I usually wash off all the soil, cut off the roots, trim the leaves and wrap the corm in moist paper towels and put a plastic bag around the corm only and tie it off around the pseudostem.

buzzwinder · 07-18-2009, 04:02 AM

Every plant I've gotten via mail, has had the dirt washed off and most of the leaves and roots cut, wrapped in moist paper and they have all done fine and grown great.

Eric · 07-18-2009, 04:17 AM

Thanx

. Hadn't even considered the pathogenic angle. Microbial elements controlled in this environment could go unchecked in an entirely new environment.

banfan · 07-19-2009, 10:07 PM

I attended a banana workshop on Saturday and the preferred method taught was to wash off all of the soil from the sword sucker, trim off the roots, peel back a few layers of the lower P-stem (The P-stem peels off in layers like an onion.), then soak the lower portion of the plant in a 20 to 1 water/Clorox solution for about 5 minutes.

The P-stem should then be left exposed to the air for a few days to harden off before re-planting.

Re-plant about 5 to 6 inches deeper than it was previously growing.

I hope this helps.

07-17-2009, 05:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
Eric Banned Eric's Photo Gallery Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 2,759 BananaBucks : 138,304 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,364 Times Was Thanked 855 Times in 421 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 163 Times	Can a 1/2 chopped of plant make bananas? I've never grown from corms or from banana plants that were chopped in half. Can 2 feet be chopped off a 5 foot banana & still have a mother plant that could grow & make bananas?

07-17-2009, 06:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
LilRaverBoi Nanner Time! LilRaverBoi's Photo Gallery Location: Cedar Rapids, IA Find me on the map! Zone: 5 Name: Bryan Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,937 BananaBucks : 114,217 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 534 Times Was Thanked 2,243 Times in 1,245 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 855 Times	Re: Can a 1/2 chopped of plant make bananas? Hmmm....that's a great question! I don't have a definitive answer for you....but I would think, theoretically, yes. I'm sure it would stress the plant a lot, but it shouldn't kill it. Hell, you can chop the entire top of, uproot it and chop the corm into pieces and it'll probably still live. If you do chop the top off, only the bottom part is going to be any good, though. You can't just cut the plant in half and get both parts to grow....the top portion won't root and will just end up dying, but I'm pretty sure the bottom part will keep growing just fine. As for the effect of this on fruiting, I really don't know for sure. Let's hope we get some good responses in here...I'd like to hear what the experts have to say! __________________ BANANA RAVE! Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top! lilraverboi@genxglow.com RIP Tog Tan. We love you and will always remember you! I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN!

07-17-2009, 06:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
turtile Junior Member turtile's Photo Gallery Location: Delaware Find me on the map! Zone: 7a/b Name: John Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 235 BananaBucks : 46,291 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 34 Times Was Thanked 181 Times in 108 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Can a 1/2 chopped of plant make bananas? As long as the flower isn't within the pseudostem, it will be able to flower. __________________ http://www.unusualplants.net/

07-17-2009, 06:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
banfan banfan's Photo Gallery Location: Miami, Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 10-11 Name: Sigi Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 130 BananaBucks : 13,965 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 413 Times Was Thanked 85 Times in 47 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 132 Times	Re: Can a 1/2 chopped of plant make bananas? The first five bananas that I planted came from a friend who had cut the plants in half.....they all looked miserable when I planted them. Four of them have fruited at least once in the last 18 months. The fifth has just fruited and has 10 hands on its first bunch and the mat is overpopulated. __________________ Sigi

07-17-2009, 08:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
LilRaverBoi Nanner Time! LilRaverBoi's Photo Gallery Location: Cedar Rapids, IA Find me on the map! Zone: 5 Name: Bryan Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,937 BananaBucks : 114,217 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 534 Times Was Thanked 2,243 Times in 1,245 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 855 Times	Re: Can a 1/2 chopped of plant make bananas? All the ones that have been shipped to me were either in a pot or with moist soil (and the roots/soil was in a baggy to keep it from drying out). I would say you'd have better luck with keeping some soil on there and moisture. __________________ BANANA RAVE! Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top! lilraverboi@genxglow.com RIP Tog Tan. We love you and will always remember you! I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN!

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07-17-2009, 08:50 PM	#7 (permalink)
Eric Banned Eric's Photo Gallery Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 2,759 BananaBucks : 138,304 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,364 Times Was Thanked 855 Times in 421 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 163 Times	Re: Can a 1/2 chopped of plant make bananas? Thanx, RaverBoi ! That completes the circuit! Will make my 1st attempt ever, Monday, at shipping a live plant! BTW, can't link just now... Any great music at those links of yours ?

07-17-2009, 11:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,339,827 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,237 Times in 2,200 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: Can a 1/2 chopped of plant make bananas? I would recommend shipping without soil, and if it is a pup (not TC), then without roots as well. It does not hurt the plant and you can reduce or eliminate the accidental transfer of pathogenic critters and fungi that may be in the soil. In general, its not a good idea to ship soil unless its absolutely necessary, in the case of banana pups, it is not needed at all. I usually wash off all the soil, cut off the roots, trim the leaves and wrap the corm in moist paper towels and put a plastic bag around the corm only and tie it off around the pseudostem. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

07-18-2009, 04:02 AM	#9 (permalink)
buzzwinder buzzwinder's Photo Gallery Location: Loves Park, Il. Find me on the map! Zone: 5 Name: Bill Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 871 BananaBucks : 11,836 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,043 Times Was Thanked 846 Times in 354 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,155 Times	Re: Can a 1/2 chopped of plant make bananas? Every plant I've gotten via mail, has had the dirt washed off and most of the leaves and roots cut, wrapped in moist paper and they have all done fine and grown great. __________________ Bill for my friend

07-18-2009, 04:17 AM	#10 (permalink)
Eric Banned Eric's Photo Gallery Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 2,759 BananaBucks : 138,304 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,364 Times Was Thanked 855 Times in 421 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 163 Times	Re: Can a 1/2 chopped of plant make bananas? Thanx . Hadn't even considered the pathogenic angle. Microbial elements controlled in this environment could go unchecked in an entirely new environment.

07-19-2009, 10:07 PM	#11 (permalink)
banfan banfan's Photo Gallery Location: Miami, Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 10-11 Name: Sigi Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 130 BananaBucks : 13,965 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 413 Times Was Thanked 85 Times in 47 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 132 Times	Re: Can a 1/2 chopped of plant make bananas? I attended a banana workshop on Saturday and the preferred method taught was to wash off all of the soil from the sword sucker, trim off the roots, peel back a few layers of the lower P-stem (The P-stem peels off in layers like an onion.), then soak the lower portion of the plant in a 20 to 1 water/Clorox solution for about 5 minutes. The P-stem should then be left exposed to the air for a few days to harden off before re-planting. Re-plant about 5 to 6 inches deeper than it was previously growing. I hope this helps. __________________ Sigi

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