Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

I just bought a Goldfinger that had originated from LaVerne, but then I read about at least one person's plant producing only male flowers, or being slow and unproductive. Has anyone had success with a Goldfinger from this source?

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

LA Verne mistakenly propagates Namwa as Goldfinger.

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

Isn't it better? Except for the fact that you don't get what you paid for...

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

The consensus in Southern CA is yes. And in my own experience it is the most productive producer of good tasting bananas in San Diego near-coastal environments.

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

Well that sucks. I read Goldfinger is more wind-resistant and less likely to need propping, both of which are very important to me. Here are photos of it, just in case.

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

Namwa is equally wind resistant - a very stout plant. However, no fruiting banana grown outdoors in San Diego is a match for Santa Ana winds, and once you get 60+ pounds of fruit hanging on it you're going to need propping.

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

If you are looking for a wind resistant plant that does not require any propping in Southern California, I would consider a dwarf Brazilian.

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

I was considering DB and Jon's nice DB clump has done just fine, but he reports that it is really unproductive compared to his other bananas. One of his stems was producing fruit when I visited but sparsely; there only looked to be a dozen or so fruit on it. Also my understanding is Goldfinger grows taller, and certainly his FHIA-18 (which he says is almost identical) was much taller than his DB and also without any wind damage.

I'll probably buy a pup of his FHIA when he's ready to separate it.

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

The most productive varieties I've grown in So Cal are all Pisang Awak varieties ("Namwah"). They do fine with wind, but tend to need some propping when they have big bunches.

FHIA-18 is not dramatically more productive than Dwarf Brazilian for me, and I like the fruit less (too soft when fully ripe). It also has very droopy leaves that are more prone to wind damage than DB. It may depend on how much wind you get. I get Santa Anas that really crank.

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

I wanted something that does not need propping (admittedly secondary to wind resistance) which is why I wasn't looking for Namwah. Do you think this one from LaVerne is the dwarf one or the tall?

How does FHIA-18 compare to Goldfinger? I prefer firm fruits for sure; I hate mushy bananas.

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

Why?

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

It's in a small dirt area 3.5 feet per side, surrounded on three sides by a sidewalk, my driveway, and the alley my house is on. There'd be little room in the dirt to stick a propping device once it starts creating numerous pups, and no possible way to stick it on any of the paved surfaces because it could interfere with people or cars. And also it just looks ugly.

Because of the cramped space, a somewhat taller plant would definitely be best, but it has to be fully resist any wind we get and also not need propping. Since I like firm fruits and don't like typical banana flavor, the Dwarf Brazilian was high on my list. But I've read great things about Goldfinger and it apparently gets taller, and Jon said 18 was similar but with smaller bunches.

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

The banana plants discussed in this thread so far will produce leaves 3 to 5 foot in length extending in nearly all directions.

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

I'm aware. That's fine, and pups' leaves are smaller. When the stems are tall enough to have full-length leaves it's not an issue at all. I had a young palm tree at this spot beforehand, and a Mysore in the backyard.

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

I've never eaten FHIA-18 and Goldfinger fruits side by side, and I haven't had a lot of Goldfinger fruits, but those two are similar, and both are softer than DB fruits. They taste and have the texture of Dwarf Brazilian mixed with Cavendish, to me. I enjoy them, but prefer DB fruits to either of them.

The Goldfinger I got from LaVerne was the short version, but it was a tissue culture off-type that made no female flowers when it flowered, and so made no fruit -- multiple times before I got rid of it.

I can't say I'm all that impressed with FHIA-18. It's tall enough that it's annoying to harvest, especially in a tight space, the leaves are droopy and get in the way, the fruit aren't as good as Dwarf Brazilian (to me), and it's not a much faster producer than DB. I'm considering removing it from my yard.

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

Because the leaves are more erect, DB would be better in a narrow space than either Goldfinger or FHIA-18, even if they are a bit taller.

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

Thanks for your feedback. Sounds like DB would suit me best.

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

About 8 years ago I purchased a DB from Jon and grew it in the western Rancho Penasquitos area of San Diego. It's a hardy plant and produced 4 or 5 hands each year. I really enjoyed the flavor and it contrasts nicely with Mysore (Pisang Ceylon cultivar).

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

You are welcome. If possible, get ahold of some of the fruit of DB, FHIA-01, and FHIA-18 and see how you like them since taste is such a personal thing. Although a couple of influential members here don't think much of DB fruits, that contrasts with my experiences of sharing them to dozens of friends and colleagues who really like that variety -- it's the fruit to which I get the most enthusiastic responses. I'd say the main knock against DB is that it isn't that productive, in terms of bunch size or cycle time -- but it's way better in those regards than some varieties I grow, plus more tasty, more sturdy, more problem free, etc. If I could grow only one variety, it would be DB. If I could only grow only two varieties, they would be DB and one of the Pisang Awak varieties (for productivity).

Re: Experiences with Goldfinger from LaVerne Nursery?
 

Could be a difference my climate and Richard's or something else, but I typically get 8-11 hand bunches on DB. About one per year on a muti-stem mat.