Extemely stupid noob questions

Kat2 · 12-14-2013, 07:14 PM

Preface with what I think I know: after a banana blooms you cut off the P-stem because it's done. Hack up your trimmings and compost them or use them to mulch other bananas.

Am I right so far?

Do you next dig up the corm? Or leave it where it is? Will it continue to produce pups or will it merely die? I've read about people cutting corms and replanting sections. Are they using past fruiting corms or ones where the plant was damaged before fruiting? Did any of my questions make sense?

caliboy1994 · 12-14-2013, 07:19 PM

Well, you could leave the stem to die too if you want. The theory is that the energy will return to the plant, but this hasn't been proven. When my Raja Puri was finished flowering I just cut the stem off halfway and slowly cut it bit by bit as it dried out. Either way works. After the stem is cut, leave everything as is and the pups will mature and flower again perpetually.

Kat2 · 12-14-2013, 07:28 PM

What if a tidy gardener has already removed and transplanted the existing pups? Would the corm put out more at that point or is it used up? My questions revolve around the goal of producing the maximum number of pups from one corm.

servatusprime · 12-14-2013, 08:38 PM

The corm should send up another pup just to stay alive. If you want it to continue making more pups you'll have to leave some healthy p-stems.

Richard · 12-14-2013, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kat2

...

Here's a guide I wrote that answers those questions: Guide To Growing Fruiting Bananas In Temperate Climates.

And less than a decade ago I knew zero about growing bananas and learned it from Jon (pitangadiego) who gives regular talks on the subject: Bananas, Festival Of Fruit 2007

PR-Giants · 12-15-2013, 10:33 AM

Different cultivars pup differently, so the proper technique should be used accordingly.

Some cultivars can easily produce 1000 pups & some can't, some pups can be separated w/out roots & some need roots,
some pups can be split in half to produce 2 pups & some can't.

I've recently been learning about ae ae's & presently have over 60 pups, but my goal is much higher.

In general, the sooner you remove pups the sooner the plant produces more.

If you do nothing, you'll probably have more pups than you'll want.

Kat2 · 12-15-2013, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PR-Giants

Different cultivars pup differently, so the proper technique should be used accordingly.

Some cultivars can easily produce 1000 pups & some can't, some pups can be separated w/out roots & some need roots,
some pups can be split in half to produce 2 pups & some can't.

I've recently been learning about ae ae's & presently have over 60 pups, but my goal is much higher.

In general, the sooner you remove pups the sooner the plant produces more.

If you do nothing, you'll probably have more pups than you'll want.

Apparently we have similar goals; I'm not interesting in a mat but more plants so will be removing 5 pups (3 are peepers now and it's winter) this spring in the hopes of forcing my young DC to produce more.

Have you tried cutting up a corm? I see people cutting them into sections but can't tell if it's a spent one or one where the P-stem was damaged. I understand (or think I do) that corms are much like seed potatoes; to get a plant you need an eye or 2. (Except it's possible to grow spuds from peelings--I've had some in my compost bin.) I'm seeking ways to maximize pups without getting into TCing.

Richard · 12-15-2013, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kat2

Apparently we have similar goals; I'm not interesting in a mat but more plants so will be removing 5 pups (3 are peepers now and it's winter) this spring in the hopes of forcing my young DC to produce more. ...

I could understand growing more DC's for foliage but certainly not for fruit.

I agree with PR-Giants that different cultivars produce pups at different rates. I've also noticed that if you grow the corms in a cramped situation (e.g., a 25-gallon pot) they will pup more rapidly.

Kat2 · 12-15-2013, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

I could understand growing more DC's for foliage but certainly not for fruit.

I agree with PR-Giants that different cultivars produce pups at different rates. I've also noticed that if you grow the corms in a cramped situation (e.g., a 25-gallon pot) they will pup more rapidly.

Which is precisely why I'm willing to experiment with her. (My much more desirable 4 pups are off limits until I learn more. I have already had to separate a conjoined Dwarf Namwa (didn't save both I think because I waited too long to act) and saw off a Goldfinger that had failed to thrive; fortunately, they're doing fine.)

I'm still trying to figure out whether a spent corm will continue to send out pups. If so, would potting it up help the cause? (She hasn't bloomed yet and digging her up now would be a Herculean task if I could even find a pot that big.)

sunfish · 12-15-2013, 11:43 AM

Corm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kat2 · 12-15-2013, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunfish

Corm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Well, I've grown lots of flowers with corms though it's infinitely easier to start liatris via seed IME. Maybe it's because I was gardening up north but I don't recall any of them sending out "pups". (Perhaps the additional foliage each year was such and I missed it?) When they got too crowded, I dug them up and spread them out in the fall. New "bulbs" were not married to the parents; they did not need to be cut away.

Richard · 12-15-2013, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kat2

...
I'm still trying to figure out whether a spent corm will continue to send out pups.

Your corm is not spent if it has a live stalk that is growing and yet to bloom.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kat2

...
If so, would potting it up help the cause? (She hasn't bloomed yet and digging her up now would be a Herculean task if I could even find a pot that big.)

Sorry, I was thinking about small corms -- from tennis ball to softball size, just removed from a mother plant.

Kat2 · 12-15-2013, 12:01 PM

I'm still asking this all wrong; I'll try again. Your banana fruits; you cut her P-stem down in stages (why?). Does the corm still send out pups? If so, for how long? And if so would continually removing them increase the number? Would cutting up that corm into sections and planting into pots (small I assume) be beneficial?

Abnshrek · 12-15-2013, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kat2

I'm still asking this all wrong; I'll try again. Your banana fruits; you cut her P-stem down in stages (why?). Does the corm still send out pups? If so, for how long? And if so would continually removing them increase the number? Would cutting up that corm into sections and planting into pots (small I assume) be beneficial?

Only if you like the banana's, the plant produces.. :^)

PR-Giants · 12-15-2013, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kat2

I'm still asking this all wrong; I'll try again. Your banana fruits; you cut her P-stem down in stages (why?). Does the corm still send out pups? If so, for how long? And if so would continually removing them increase the number? Would cutting up that corm into sections and planting into pots (small I assume) be beneficial?

What cultivar are you growing?

These are some ARH photos, each corm is ringed by hundreds of GP's and each GP can produce many pups.

Kat2 · 12-15-2013, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abnshrek

Only if you like the banana's, the plant produces.. :^)

I fully expect my banana project to follow my ficus adventure. I despise figs (mushy) so I had no problems propagating 1" sticks that often bloomed the next year. I dropped a twig in the leaf mulch path of my garden fall of 2004; of course I didn't notice her until weeding the next year. And she did produce that fall - 2 little flowers.

While we're on the subject...
Some of the types I once grew...all unnamed...the large green was palatable. Made great ice cream!

Worried about some new babies, I put them in my bathroom when for winter. The flowers did drop off but proved to me that figs in February, given proper conditions, are possible even up north. (Sharpie is for size comparison.)

Kat2 · 12-15-2013, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PR-Giants

What cultivar are you growing?

These are some ARH photos, each corm is ringed by hundreds of GP's and each GP can produce many pups.

Cool! I'm playing with a DC since the fruit is not up to standard; I plan to let her bloom next year. Is that a corm that already bloomed?

PR-Giants · 12-15-2013, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kat2

Is that a corm that already bloomed?

NO.

I would recommend a Williams over a DC.

DC are very easy, keep it in a very small pot and remove the pups often.

This is a DC

Kat2 · 12-15-2013, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PR-Giants

NO.

I would recommend a Williams over a DC.

DC are very easy, keep it in a very small pot and remove the pups often.

DC is in ground and not coming out; next spring I'll pot a pup in a little pot and have at it.

I can't tell what is in this picture; I assumed it's a corm but now I'm confused. (Is something like that lurking under the mulch on my DC?)

Richard · 12-15-2013, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kat2

I'm still asking this all wrong; I'll try again. Your banana fruits; you cut her P-stem down in stages (why?).

When I cut the pstem after fruiting, I cut it at ground level the 1st time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kat2

Does the corm still send out pups? If so, for how long? And if so would continually removing them increase the number?

The time to collect pups from the mother plant is before it fruits. In most situations, you'll have too many pups and be throwing them away before the mother fruits.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kat2

Would cutting up that corm into sections and planting into pots (small I assume) be beneficial?

It's not a potato.
If it has roots developed along one or more edges, you can try cutting it in half so that both halves contain roots, and plant them. This has worked for me about 75% of the time when I accidentally (i.e., clumsily) cut a corm in half while pruning pups from a mother stalk.

With great bias, I again refer you to these guides for more details ... and if you have suggestions on improving the guides, please speak up!

12-14-2013, 07:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
Kat2 Location: Now nesting in Titusville, FL Zone: 10A or 9B ish. Like it matters? Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 2,153 BananaBucks : 240,032 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,921 Times Was Thanked 2,669 Times in 1,322 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 595 Times	Extemely stupid noob questions Preface with what I think I know: after a banana blooms you cut off the P-stem because it's done. Hack up your trimmings and compost them or use them to mulch other bananas. Am I right so far? Do you next dig up the corm? Or leave it where it is? Will it continue to produce pups or will it merely die? I've read about people cutting corms and replanting sections. Are they using past fruiting corms or ones where the plant was damaged before fruiting? Did any of my questions make sense? __________________

12-14-2013, 07:19 PM	#2 (permalink)
caliboy1994 <div style="font-style: italic;"><div style="font-style: italic;"></div></div> caliboy1994's Photo Gallery Location: SFV, California Find me on the map! Zone: USDA zone 10a; Sunset zone 18/19 Name: Andreas Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 2,301 BananaBucks : 251,541 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,474 Times Was Thanked 2,196 Times in 1,148 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 236 Times	Re: Extemely stupid noob questions Well, you could leave the stem to die too if you want. The theory is that the energy will return to the plant, but this hasn't been proven. When my Raja Puri was finished flowering I just cut the stem off halfway and slowly cut it bit by bit as it dried out. Either way works. After the stem is cut, leave everything as is and the pups will mature and flower again perpetually. __________________ "The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings." ~ Masanobu Fukuoka Find me on linktree here as Solarpunk Farmer: https://linktr.ee/solarpunkfarmer

12-14-2013, 07:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
Kat2 Location: Now nesting in Titusville, FL Zone: 10A or 9B ish. Like it matters? Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 2,153 BananaBucks : 240,032 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,921 Times Was Thanked 2,669 Times in 1,322 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 595 Times	Re: Extemely stupid noob questions What if a tidy gardener has already removed and transplanted the existing pups? Would the corm put out more at that point or is it used up? My questions revolve around the goal of producing the maximum number of pups from one corm. __________________

12-14-2013, 08:38 PM	#4 (permalink)
servatusprime Find me on the map! Zone: 10A Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 476 BananaBucks : 98,654 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 446 Times Was Thanked 912 Times in 262 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 24 Times	Re: Extemely stupid noob questions The corm should send up another pup just to stay alive. If you want it to continue making more pups you'll have to leave some healthy p-stems.

12-15-2013, 10:33 AM	#6 (permalink)
PR-Giants Commercial Grower Location: Florida & Greater Antilles Find me on the map! Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 4,551 BananaBucks : 5,022 Feedback: 16 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2,902 Times Was Thanked 12,478 Times in 3,627 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3,204 Times	Re: Extemely stupid noob questions Different cultivars pup differently, so the proper technique should be used accordingly. Some cultivars can easily produce 1000 pups & some can't, some pups can be separated w/out roots & some need roots, some pups can be split in half to produce 2 pups & some can't. I've recently been learning about ae ae's & presently have over 60 pups, but my goal is much higher. In general, the sooner you remove pups the sooner the plant produces more. If you do nothing, you'll probably have more pups than you'll want. __________________ PR-Giants Photo Gallery 15,000+ Varieties

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12-15-2013, 11:43 AM	#10 (permalink)
sunfish Banned sunfish's Photo Gallery Location: San Diego Find me on the map! Zone: 9-11 Name: Tony Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 18,429 BananaBucks : 949,727 Feedback: 8 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,210 Times Was Thanked 20,591 Times in 7,760 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,716 Times	Re: Extemely stupid noob questions Corm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

12-15-2013, 12:01 PM	#13 (permalink)
Kat2 Location: Now nesting in Titusville, FL Zone: 10A or 9B ish. Like it matters? Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 2,153 BananaBucks : 240,032 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,921 Times Was Thanked 2,669 Times in 1,322 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 595 Times	Re: Extemely stupid noob questions I'm still asking this all wrong; I'll try again. Your banana fruits; you cut her P-stem down in stages (why?). Does the corm still send out pups? If so, for how long? And if so would continually removing them increase the number? Would cutting up that corm into sections and planting into pots (small I assume) be beneficial? __________________

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