Jose263

I spotted the 1st yellow nana 2 days ago and the 2nd this morning on Orinoco bunch that bloomed in early July. Weather is cooling and expect few nights in low 50s-high40s F - then will warm up again.
I read the orinoco needs to be really ripe before eating... should I cut the bunch from pstem? what is best way to store indoors while ripening? i.e. with sunlight or is mostly dark ok? I'm thinking of hanging in my garage..
Thanks - I'm so excited to maybe be eating home grown pretty soon

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Growing: Orinoco, Rajapuri, Dwarf Cav, SDC, TT, Dwarf Red, Dwarf Namwah, Tall Namwah (aka Ice Cream), Dwarf Brazilian, Veinte Cohol, California Gold, Double Mohai, NOT-Goldfinger, Gran Nain, Velutina

venturabananas

Congrats. Yours ripened about 3 times faster than mine! There are advantages to living in the hot and humid south!

What you do at this point depends on if you want to spread out the period over which they ripen (so you don't have to eat them all in one week), or if you don't mind if they all ripen more or less at once. Those cooler temperatures coming up aren't a problem for Orinoco, so if you want to leave the bunch on the plant and just harvest a few fingers at a time, that'll be the best way to spread out the harvest. If you want them all to ripen about the same time, chop down the bunch and hang them inside. They don't need to ripen any more on the plant if some are already turning yellow. I don't think whether you hang them in a dark or light spot would really matter much. How warm the place you keep them after harvest will affect how quickly they ripen: warmer will make them ripen faster.

If you want to eat them raw, as a dessert banana, I think they are best if they are really ripe -- no green on the peel at all and they should feel a little soft, otherwise they are too starchy. If you want to cook them, they should be the same ripeness for maduros, and can be less ripe for other preparations.

I've bad mouthed the flavor of Orinoco, but to be fair, they are awesome when cooked. Better than true plantains to my tastes: better flavor with some zing (acidity) and a nicer, less solid/sticky texture. But I wasn't raised on plantains, so they don't hold a special place in my heart. As a raw, dessert banana, eh, I still think a regular old supermarket Cavendish is better, mostly because I don't love the squishy texture of raw, ripe Orinoco.

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Jose263

Ventura - thanks for all the tips you provided about harvesting...
Actualy, the local critters decided for me - Two of the nanas were eaten by something last night - could be coon, opossum, squirrel or some other critter
I've cut the bunch so I can have some too.
Jose

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Growing: Orinoco, Rajapuri, Dwarf Cav, SDC, TT, Dwarf Red, Dwarf Namwah, Tall Namwah (aka Ice Cream), Dwarf Brazilian, Veinte Cohol, California Gold, Double Mohai, NOT-Goldfinger, Gran Nain, Velutina

venturabananas

Yes, I think that's usually how it goes -- once they ripen on the bunch, the wildlife moves in and starts feasting. Gotta chop the bunch at that point if you want any for yourself.

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Jose263

Ate my 1st orinoco yesterday off the bunch - It was better than expected. Wow they ripen fast once they start - they are getting dark spots and alittle squishy - Hope I have still have some edible to take to my folks this weekend.

Yep, the critters always seem to know when the fruit is ripe - coons destroyed a corn field a few years ago-ate every ear in one night - now that
i've removed the nana bunch something is attacking my almost ripe persimmons

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Growing: Orinoco, Rajapuri, Dwarf Cav, SDC, TT, Dwarf Red, Dwarf Namwah, Tall Namwah (aka Ice Cream), Dwarf Brazilian, Veinte Cohol, California Gold, Double Mohai, NOT-Goldfinger, Gran Nain, Velutina