smc67

Howdy Folks, add me to the list of newbee growers. I am growing the Ice Cream Bananas; Im in my second year. Im from SC in Zone 8

Allow me to add a few pictures of mine.
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I my fruit is showing for the first time after the rains last nite, 9.26 I wonder what I should to do to protect them going forward. ANy chance?

momoese

Welcome!

CValentine

Welcome from Zone 8a, Central Texas!

Lucky you having fruit SMC67...I can't give advise to that effect as I've only been raising bananas for 3 monthes.
There are some knowledgable people here - I'm sure they'll pop in anytime now! ~Cheryl

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planetrj

Hope for an indian summer!!!

Ice Cream is pretty durable, and if you can watch the nighttime temps, just make sure it doesn't get below 36 without tarping them. Of course, you'll need to have daytime temps go above 70 for the bananas to develop and mature, but if all goes well at this point, you should be okay, as long as you don't have frost in the next 2 months. You could always try wrapping them loosely in bubble wrap if you get below 36, but that's really about the best chance you have without getting stony fruit syndrome from the cold.

Good luck!!

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smc67

yeah not much chance in that, the clear nights allow for the temps to drop pretty good going forward. we get frosty here right about Halloween. Low 60's and mid 50's at night until then. The house keeps them warm and protected to get pasted the first couple hits. The sun come up behind them then comes high over head, then the setting sun sets as the house block the sun- except on the ones in front.

I will be speeding them all over the property to see which area is best overall. These trees went thru a lot of water and tons of mulched debris yard clippings, bags of black Cow and Chicken. It looks now as if -I didn't even put that stuff out. we got a fair amount of rain and I still watered alot. I slow dripped 200 gals over the weekend several times this year. they are 16 mons old this month. I have pure sand all the way down 5 ft then it gets dark gray as the moisture darkens the sand. I need to pull some soil sample in a bad way.
Started off with 2 corn sized plants from eBay. put them in pots in march08 Pulled them out of pots in June/July and planted them where they are now. They both have about 5 to 6 pups going well along with them. I will need some tropical birds and a Bamboo hut soon.
I left the stalks last year and covered them. I soon wished I had just cut them down. They had a lot of dead mush that looked like it needed to be cut away for the core to get larger.. very messy and inconsistent way to grow. I may just cut them down this time and cover with dung. I hope to have them flaging in July next time. I will need much more food for them I belive.

kaczercat

Welcome ! from Ont Canada hope you enjoy it here, i know i do

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Matt

smc67

wished i had more to share but this is all.
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Simply Bananas

Welcome from the LowCountry!!
Where in Sakerlina are you located?

I've got one nice bunch of Ice Cream that flagged in late July.
Sadly, I will be in your same predicament with a beautiful Dwarf Namwah that is up to 3 hands of about 35 finger now. Since its short I may try to design a contraption for the winter.

Good Luck and welcome to the .org!

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damaclese

Blooming out a blue Jave in 16 months is quite a accomplishment they normally take 24 months but theres always exceptions like your self but i think it speaks highly of your management technique sad about the fruit but don't despair you have a nice sized clump and you should get Bananas ever year if you take care of them the first year for blooming is almost always erratic but ones the clump gets established it will sink with the climate in your neck of the woods mostly as always with Bananas there are exceptions
if you rap black frost cloth on the Bananas they mite make it in to the winter long enough to fill out to the point were you could cut them but no promises on that

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smc67

Im in a small town near New Ellenton/SRS plant Zone 8a.

Simply Bananas

I know that area fairly well. I got a ticket in New Ellenton once while going to visit a girlfriend at USC-Aiken.

I've also made several trips to the Savannah River Ecology Lab inside SRS and we did some field research.

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Afterall...doesn't everyone want a bigger Banana?

Our Banana Videos On YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCii..._p_tJVXZOHAdRA

justjoan

Greetings from Minnesota

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LilRaverBoi

Very nice looking plants! You look like you're doing a good job with them. Congrats on getting them to fruit! I just hope they make it to maturity (I've heard IC fruit takes a while to fill out/ripen) before it gets cold.

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smc67

yup this area loves to write tickets, pricey ones too. We have some wacked drivers though. Yup I know a few of them SRS Lab rats. I Went to School at USC Aiken to finnish, but ended up parting too much.

I going to try to heat up the ground with compost next spring. I will put up some Plastic sheeting to get aN early pup growth. I have a few other tricks I going to try. If i can make it flag in July I believe I can harvest Fruit before frost comes.

frog7994

looks good

smc67

Thanks damaclese, That makes me feel better about my efforts. Trees are too large and tall to try to rap up as it would look horriable being it would show from the road. I would need a Tent or some way to hold up the material. That side of the house gets compressed winds; where wind speeds can get higher than normal during storms. Although it sheltered from the Cold North winds as it is on the east side of the house. I trying to get early pup growth; Im Thinking it would be easier to cover and warm up. I had early pups last year but didnt cover with plastic. Then we got a cold snap and I lost a Month I belive. well keep trying.. Thanks for the reply