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Main Banana Discussion This is where we discuss our banana collections; tips on growing bananas, tips on harvesting bananas, sharing our banana photos and stories.


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Old 02-02-2012, 10:54 PM   #141 (permalink)
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Default Re: Gros Michel

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Originally Posted by Yug View Post
Well, first it needs some size, then once the little buggars pop up, first dibs is to the folks here in the islands - for two reasons: close proximity helps to increase the local supply of these (in case mine gets bbtv) should I need to ask for a pup back, second reason is ease of sending since inter-island is far less complicated. After that, it depends on health of the plant, availability of pups, and expressed interest on the part of fellow 'nanner aficionados.
I'm pretty sure some members in California have this plant.
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Old 02-03-2012, 12:02 AM   #142 (permalink)
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Default Re: Gros Michel

I just want one fruit to taste!
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Old 02-03-2012, 12:28 AM   #143 (permalink)
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Default Re: Gros Michel

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I'm pretty sure some members in California have this plant.
I think harveyc doesn't...

Maybe some Californian will hook him up?
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Old 02-03-2012, 12:39 AM   #144 (permalink)
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Default Re: Gros Michel

After this chilly winter, I don't know that I have what it takes to grow these, though I could protect a smaller variety like the Coco strain if I narrowed my focus down a LOT. I'm sort of hoping that some of my bananas don't wake up this spring. Looking pretty ugly right now, so things are looking up!
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Old 02-03-2012, 11:56 AM   #145 (permalink)
 
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Default Re: Gros Michel

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I'm pretty sure some members in California have this plant.
Jon (pitangadiego) has Cocos. I've sampled the fruit. Let's just say this plant needs something it doesn't get in Southern California. The fruit couldn't even be described as good. My guess is that we just don't have the heat and humidity this AAA cultivar needs. Yug doesn't have to worry about that! Maybe Jon can chime in, but I'm pretty certain that he told me it's never made good fruit for him. Maybe someone else in CA should get one from him (no BBTV worries) and give it a try. At least we'd have a spatially replicated experiment.
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Old 02-03-2012, 12:02 PM   #146 (permalink)
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Jon (pitangadiego) has Cocos. I've sampled the fruit. Let's just say this plant needs something it doesn't get in Southern California. The fruit couldn't even be described as good. My guess is that we just don't have the heat and humidity this AAA cultivar needs. Yug doesn't have to worry about that! Maybe Jon can chime in, but I'm pretty certain that he told me it's never made good fruit for him. Maybe someone else in CA should get one from him (no BBTV worries) and give it a try. At least we'd have a spatially replicated experiment.
A member in Riverside has one.Should get hot enough there
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Old 02-03-2012, 12:10 PM   #147 (permalink)
 
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Default Re: Gros Michel

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A member in Riverside has one.Should get hot enough there
But no humidity unless they have misters installed. It'll be interesting to see if their plant makes bigger and tastier fruit than Jon's.
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Old 02-03-2012, 01:54 PM   #148 (permalink)
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Default Re: Gros Michel

The photos of 'Cocos' on Jon's website do not look like the real 'Cocos' to me. Granted, variations in environment can produce variations in morphology, but I'm not convinced it's the real 'Cocos' there in CA.
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Old 02-03-2012, 04:39 PM   #149 (permalink)
 
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Default Re: Gros Michel

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The photos of 'Cocos' on Jon's website do not look like the real 'Cocos' to me. Granted, variations in environment can produce variations in morphology, but I'm not convinced it's the real 'Cocos' there in CA.
I'm sure that Jon would be the first one to admit that it could be misidentified because the person who sold it to him misidentified it. Whatever it is, it isn't a winner in his banana patch.

Gabe, can you describe the flavor of Cocos compared to other common varieties? How different is, really, compared to the standard Cavendish flavor?
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Old 02-03-2012, 08:03 PM   #150 (permalink)
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Default Re: Gros Michel

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Gabe, can you describe the flavor of Cocos compared to other common varieties? How different is, really, compared to the standard Cavendish flavor?
It is just like the other Gros Michel cultivars. As far as bananas go, they are rather similar to Cavendish types, but tend to be more aromatic and with a firmer, creamier textured flesh. They don't normally get mealy as Cavendish sometimes do. Locally grown (fresh) bananas are pretty much always better than the imported ones, so even local Cavendish here in Hawaii can be quite good in my opinion compared with the imported Cavendish.
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Old 02-03-2012, 10:48 PM   #151 (permalink)
 
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Default Re: Gros Michel

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It is just like the other Gros Michel cultivars. As far as bananas go, they are rather similar to Cavendish types, but tend to be more aromatic and with a firmer, creamier textured flesh. They don't normally get mealy as Cavendish sometimes do. Locally grown (fresh) bananas are pretty much always better than the imported ones, so even local Cavendish here in Hawaii can be quite good in my opinion compared with the imported Cavendish.
Thanks Gabe. Since I couldn't track down any Gros Michel fruits in Hawaii, I still haven't had one, but I had guessed that they can't be all that different from Cavendish (though everyone seems to agree somewhat better), given that the average American who was eating bananas in the 1960's when the switch was made from Gros Michel to Cavendish never even knew a switch had been made. I don't mean that one can't tell them apart by flavor, only that the average person probably wouldn't find them to be too different. At least that's how I'm going to rationalize it to myself and give up on this holy grail for many on the org, because I can't imagine that this heat-loving AAA cultivar would fare well in my cool environment. At least judging by my currently pathetic looking Cavendish varieties.
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Old 02-04-2012, 01:47 AM   #152 (permalink)
 
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Default Re: Gros Michel

Couldn't we pool the board's demand for the Gros Michel and ask a tc company to produce some for us? Surely they either have cultures of one in storage or would be able to get their hands on one, and if so, they'd be able to supply all of us with disease-free tc's.

Am I correct in thinking that the reason tc companies don't currently offer Gros Michel is that there's a lack of demand for it, as opposed to an inability for the companies to obtain starting material?
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Old 02-04-2012, 02:29 AM   #153 (permalink)
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Default Re: Gros Michel

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Couldn't we pool the board's demand for the Gros Michel and ask a tc company to produce some for us? Surely they either have cultures of one in storage or would be able to get their hands on one, and if so, they'd be able to supply all of us with disease-free tc's.

Am I correct in thinking that the reason tc companies don't currently offer Gros Michel is that there's a lack of demand for it, as opposed to an inability for the companies to obtain starting material?
I think the demand is the key - if a demand is known, there is always someone willing to fill it for a profit. How many folks (like I used to be) are ignorant of any other type of banana besides the Grand Nain they see in the grocery stores?
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Old 02-04-2012, 04:54 AM   #154 (permalink)
 
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Default Re: Gros Michel

I just emailed Agri-Starts to see if they could custom tc some GM's for us. Here's the email:

Quote:
Hi Heather,

Many of us at Bananas.org - International Banana Society want to grow Bluefields banana plants (Musa Gros Michel, Musa Dwarf Michel, Musa Cocos). Can you tc some trays of Gros Michel (or preferably Dwarf Gros Michel) for us? What would be the minimum number of trays that we'd need to order? How soon could we receive them? And how much would it cost?

Thanks for your time. I sure hope you can help us out

Best,
Hopefully we'll get some good news!
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Old 02-04-2012, 10:54 AM   #155 (permalink)
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Default Re: Gros Michel

GreenFin,
If you are trying to gauge interest you can count me in.

Thank you,
Ray
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Old 02-04-2012, 12:09 PM   #156 (permalink)
 
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Default Re: Gros Michel

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I just emailed Agri-Starts to see if they could custom tc some GM's for us. Here's the email:



Hopefully we'll get some good news!
Even if they told you they had this banana, I wouldn't trust their identification. They have misidentified other bananas they are propagating, e.g., Ice Cream. You'd probably need to provide them with with one you know to be the real deal.
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Old 02-04-2012, 12:35 PM   #157 (permalink)
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Default Re: Gros Michel

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You'd probably need to provide them with with one you know to be the real deal.
That's still no guarantee they won't mislabel or mix up plants.
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Old 02-04-2012, 01:12 PM   #158 (permalink)
 
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Default Re: Gros Michel

Got a very positive reply from Agri-Starts:

Quote:
Hi James,

How coincidental that your email came to me! We had explanted the Gros Michel a year ago, and just a few weeks ago planted out the first crop of it in the greenhouse. I believe we may have between 3-5 trays (216 to 360 plants), which should be ready by Wk 8 (Feb 20) to ship out.

We have a minimum of any 2 trays. All rae grown in 72 cell pack trays. I do not know the cost yet on these, since it’s brand new. I’ll check & get back to you on the price. For shipping, we have 2 box sizes: 2 tray & 4 tray boxes, and each cost $5.00 (smaller box is a ‘winter pack’, for milder climates we use a $3.00 box that is not as heavy). Depending on where you are, I can get an estimate from Fed Ex Express or UPS for you.

Let me know if you’d like to place an order. If so, please include:

Nursery name
Address—both billing & shipping
Phone/FAX
Copy of Resale license
Method of payment (Visa, MasterCard, company check)

Thank you,
Heather

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So shall we pool our demand and have a member with a resale license order a couple of trays and distribute them out? Anyone volunteer to be the resaler?

Maybe start a new thread for the endeavor (something like "Who wants in on a Gros Michel order?")?
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Old 02-04-2012, 02:00 PM   #159 (permalink)
 
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Default Re: Gros Michel

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Even if they told you they had this banana, I wouldn't trust their identification. They have misidentified other bananas they are propagating, e.g., Ice Cream. You'd probably need to provide them with with one you know to be the real deal.
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That's still no guarantee they won't mislabel or mix up plants.
I doubt we'll find a perfect nursery that never makes mistakes. We have to play the odds.

Do you think there's some huge risk (25%? 50%?) that Agri-Starts will screw up the order, or do you think it's more of a tiny 1% or 0.1% chance?
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Old 02-04-2012, 03:11 PM   #160 (permalink)
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Default Re: Gros Michel

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I doubt we'll find a perfect nursery that never makes mistakes. We have to play the odds.

Do you think there's some huge risk (25%? 50%?) that Agri-Starts will screw up the order, or do you think it's more of a tiny 1% or 0.1% chance?
That's why it's best to find a pup from a known source.

I've never ordered from them but have read many posts about their mislabeling of plants.
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