Cut old Mother?

Woods · 03-21-2011, 04:14 PM

Hello all,
My Raja puri bloomed last Oct to no avail, of course. Do I cut it back pretty low or just leave it? There are 3 pups doing well.
Thanks, Woods

kaczercat · 03-21-2011, 05:11 PM

cut the mother plant down to the ground you can leave 3 -4 inches of it if you want no harm this will send the energy to the pups.

bigdog · 03-21-2011, 08:30 PM

Research has consistently shown that leaving the mother pseudostem intact helps the pups to grow faster. Since the mother pseudostem isn't growing anymore, the only function it has left is to photosynthesize and make food for the corm. Even if there are only a couple, or even no leaves left on the mother pseudostem, all of the food that it manufactures will go to the corm and help the pups grow.

Frank

pitangadiego · 03-22-2011, 08:54 AM

Haven't seen the research, but that has been my practice. As long as there are green leaves, and/or green pseudostem, I leave them alone. They are not using energy to grow leaves or fruit, so all the photosynthesis capability seems like it would have to benefit the corm and pups.

RAINFOREZT · 03-23-2011, 02:22 AM

YouTube - Zero Budget Farming

watch at 14:50. sorry it's not in English. The comentator talking in malayalam and the farmer talking in Tamil.He is an organic farmer- do not use any chemical or fertilizer.
Basically he is telling only 30% of nutrients in the pseudostem is going to the fruit, and 70% staying in the pseudostem. So if you leave the mother plant after harvest it will supply those nutriets to the daughter plant. leave only one sucker. transplant or crush/cut off all other suckers. By doing this method he is able to harvest 2 months early.

tucsonplumeriaz · 04-05-2011, 11:42 AM

i have a related question. the mother plant pushed out three pups last growing seeing. everything died back this winter. the mother plant started to push out growth. then, the three pups came back from the soil and are growing fast. the mother plant just stalled. it has not flowered, yet. i'd like to see it flower. should i remove some of the pups, so that it starts growing again?

pitangadiego · 04-05-2011, 01:36 PM

No, pup removal will not help.

tucsonplumeriaz · 04-05-2011, 01:41 PM

okay. i will just leave them be and fertilize. thanks!

03-21-2011, 04:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
Woods Location: Tallahassee, Fl Find me on the map! Zone: 8b/9 Name: Woods Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 15 BananaBucks : 18,610 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 13 Times in 10 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Cut old Mother? Hello all, My Raja puri bloomed last Oct to no avail, of course. Do I cut it back pretty low or just leave it? There are 3 pups doing well. Thanks, Woods Last edited by Woods : 03-21-2011 at 04:15 PM. Reason: punctuation

03-21-2011, 05:11 PM	#2 (permalink)
kaczercat kaczercat's Photo Gallery Location: Southern ON Find me on the map! Zone: 5b 9b Name: Matt Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,874 BananaBucks : 210,102 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,116 Times Was Thanked 2,110 Times in 749 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 11 Times	Re: Cut old Mother? cut the mother plant down to the ground you can leave 3 -4 inches of it if you want no harm this will send the energy to the pups. __________________ Matt

03-21-2011, 08:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
bigdog ******* bigdog's Photo Gallery** Location: Gainesville, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Name: Frank Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 2,001 BananaBucks : 695,335 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 211 Times Was Thanked 1,786 Times in 502 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 131 Times	Re: Cut old Mother? Research has consistently shown that leaving the mother pseudostem intact helps the pups to grow faster. Since the mother pseudostem isn't growing anymore, the only function it has left is to photosynthesize and make food for the corm. Even if there are only a couple, or even no leaves left on the mother pseudostem, all of the food that it manufactures will go to the corm and help the pups grow. Frank

03-22-2011, 08:54 AM	#4 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,457 BananaBucks : 122,309 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 2,628 Times in 901 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Cut old Mother? Haven't seen the research, but that has been my practice. As long as there are green leaves, and/or green pseudostem, I leave them alone. They are not using energy to grow leaves or fruit, so all the photosynthesis capability seems like it would have to benefit the corm and pups. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

04-05-2011, 11:42 AM	#6 (permalink)
tucsonplumeriaz tucsonplumeriaz's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 33 BananaBucks : 15,122 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 37 Times in 19 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Cut old Mother? i have a related question. the mother plant pushed out three pups last growing seeing. everything died back this winter. the mother plant started to push out growth. then, the three pups came back from the soil and are growing fast. the mother plant just stalled. it has not flowered, yet. i'd like to see it flower. should i remove some of the pups, so that it starts growing again?

Members currently in the chatroom: 0
	The most chatters online in one day was 17, 09-06-2009. No one is currently using the chat.

04-05-2011, 01:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,457 BananaBucks : 122,309 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 2,628 Times in 901 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Cut old Mother? No, pup removal will not help. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

04-05-2011, 01:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
tucsonplumeriaz tucsonplumeriaz's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 33 BananaBucks : 15,122 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 37 Times in 19 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Cut old Mother? okay. i will just leave them be and fertilize. thanks!

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
N. Fla. winter--to cut or not to cut?	Oblofusc	Main Banana Discussion	16	11-02-2012 09:03 AM
To cut or not to cut that is the question	diloretta	Container Grown Banana Plants	7	01-13-2010 01:08 PM
To Cut Or Not To Cut The Bloom	TommyMacLuckie	Main Banana Discussion	8	10-12-2009 12:50 PM
Mother Nature does it again!	austinl01	Main Banana Discussion	1	05-03-2009 07:03 PM