An Experiment
 

Before frost I dug up this large banana plant, I knew the frost would kill it and protecting from the cold by cutting it down I feared would be a flop. So I dug it up and put it in the greenhouse, the greenhouse was not high enough so I lay them sideways, how can it hurt to try if it would have died anyway? and just perchance it might make its fruit. The greenhouse got down to low 40s on really cold nights, one day recently I decided to chop of the top of the plant so that it fits and plant it beside the stove where I had another plant that was doing great down there.
This is now that picture, the interesting thing was the stem I left sticking out turned at the angle it was when I had layed it sideways, even tho it was straight when I cut it!

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picture taken 12-30-18

After a few days I started messing with the leaf that was coming out and found out the center was rotten shortly below the leaf that was coming out, so I thought "I guess I'll have to cut it down till I find a healthy middle"
I got out my knife and cut it down carefully about a 1 1/2 feet. the next day I started chopping slowly away inch by inch so if there was a flower there I would not cut into it. but sometimes I got tired and would cut 1/2 foot sections. I was about at 3 foot off the floor when I did that once and as I peeled away the trunk I saw pink "Flower!" but I had cut the into the bulb :(
As you can see it was a choke, I thought "well its just an experiment we\'ll see what happens"
So here is the picture how it looked the day I cut into it, now all I am going to do is wait and see what happens.

It\'s already been growing since this picture, I\'ll keep it updated what happens with it.

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picture taken 1-11-19

Re: An Experiment
 

The flower is growing quite fast, I can see I cut some of the tips if the flowers off on the fisrt and second hand, don't know what other damage I did or how it'll turn out. I think since I don't have any leaves I'am going to cut off the most of the bananas anyway and see if any will fill out.

I'll keep updating how it is going.

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picture taken 1-13-19

Re: An Experiment
 

now that's making dwarf's thehard way there sarah brubaker/Dr. Frankenstein.

Re: An Experiment
 

I don't know if they will grow, but they are quite small bananas. I'am curious what will happen. Will it just rot? or is there enough energy in the p stem? I guess this is what I"ll find out!

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picture taken 1-16-19

Re: An Experiment
 

I would rather not do it this way :)

Re: An Experiment
 

Over the years I have a few choke low and bust out the side. This one I cut to the choke.

Eventually it did rot.

Re: An Experiment
 

Interesting! Was the fruit normal size? I'm hoping if i cut most of the hands off they might fill out? But time will tell.

Re: An Experiment
 

Re: An Experiment
 

This is the first hand.
[IMG][/IMG] picture taken 1-18-19

Re: An Experiment
 

Yes prune a lot! If it was me I would leave the first hand and 1 finger on the last hand. 2 hands max. If it only ends up with the first hand, I would remove those 3 smaller bananas also. Just pluck em off. It’s better to have a few slowly fill than have lots of nothing. I’m interested in seeing what it does also. Good luck!

Re: An Experiment
 

When is a good time to remove the other hands? Do you wait till they all open than remove what you don't want? Or remove them now? Also the first hand has more bananas than the picture shows so wasn't sure if I should leave on all of the first hand either.

I am learning my lesson about pruning. If you don't prune, the bottom ones won't do anything! Had one with 300 bananas. I pruned 2 hands off? (Can't remember) but in the end only around a 100 filled out, maybe a little more. So now I need to be more generous and cut off a lot. But this one doesn't even have leaves so I really need to prune!

Re: An Experiment
 

I removed everything except the first hand (and one on the end) I think these have grown alot since I saw them the first day, so I'm hoping they'll fill out before the stem rots.
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picture taken 1-21-19

Re: An Experiment
 

I guess now I need to update.
The first bad thing that happened was they were close to the stove and in really cold snaps I really had to heat it. And they got burned lightly, so I decided I'd put a protection up and tie the bunch up against the stem that still stood. I pulled it back and started tying when I realized with horror that it felt lose. I looked down and the bunch stem had snapped! I was very disappointed to say the least. They had definitely been filling out. The inside was actually orange. I believe they would have filled out.
But I have another neat experiment I'll put on here of the sister of this plant. I'll try not ruin this one. And its not close to the fire so we'll see. Need to go take some pictures and than I'll post them.

Re: An Experiment
 

Here is the last photo before I broke it off.
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Re: An Experiment
 

This one I figured was rotten as well so I cut down till about a foot. where it was fine, I let the leaves on top in hopes it might make it better.

picture taken 1/16/19
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It was the flower bulb but super tiny!
picture taken 1/31/19
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It's getting bigger fairly fast, still has one green leaf and the entire stem. hope this one will make it.

picture taken 2/13/19
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Re: An Experiment
 

Very cool!

I’m expecting no female flowers. But please keep us updated!!

Re: An Experiment
 

I was gone two weeks in Belize and Mexico when I got back this is what I found. The flower is fairly big by now! ( That pot its crushing is 1/2 gallon pot ) I need to start pruning it, I'll keep the first hand.... I think. If I can keep from breaking off the stem.

Picture taken 3/10/2019

Re: An Experiment
 

This is how I trimmed it. Now I need to wait and see what will happen! I'm curious what other people do but should I take off the flower? I normally do because that's how the commercial people do, and I figured they do it because it makes them fill out faster.



Pictures taken 3/16/19

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Re: An Experiment
 

Looking good! Very smart to prune it! It will help a lot!

There is a technique that has been used in Asia where they leave the top leaves and cut into the lower pstem to allow the flower to escape just as yours has! The top leaves are still connected so they will still power the filling of the fruit. If I remember right it is done for religious reasons.

By cutting the male bud has been proven to speed up filling of the fruit! India has done a lot of research on it!

Re: An Experiment
 

Thanks! I will remove it then! Than I'll wait and see what will happen.
This kind of weather makes me want to plant out my young plants but... I know I'd better wait or they'll really get set back :)