Just picked first bananas - Page 2

Dalmatiansoap · 10-30-2009, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbl

I have had these bananas (reg Orinocos) around for many years --maybe even 20, but never knew you had to get them thru the winter to get a bloom until last yr. A friend told me to wrap them, so I did and two of them bloomed early last summer. I did get a bloom once before when we had a winter without a bad cold spell, but the bloom was in the fall.

I will be wrapping a couple more stems this fall.

This is a very good tip! THX for sharing.

Bama Banana · 10-31-2009, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbl

I have had these bananas (reg Orinocos) around for many years --maybe even 20, but never knew you had to get them thru the winter to get a bloom until last yr. A friend told me to wrap them, so I did and two of them bloomed early last summer. I did get a bloom once before when we had a winter without a bad cold spell, but the bloom was in the fall.

I will be wrapping a couple more stems this fall.

sbl, I would try just cutting your Orinocos off at about 4 or 5 feet - That's what I do each year up here in Enterprise AL. They slow down and grow VERY slowly around January, but they always keep pushing out new growth. I have never seen an Orinoco pseudostem die from cutting the pseudostem.

I've got about 13 different clumps of them in my back yard. Each year I just cut them off and don't wrap anything. It has never failed...not one pseudostem has died. Each of the last two years I have had 8 blooms and bananas, bananas, bananas. The largest bunch each year has had over 30 bananas. Last year we got down to 19F at the coldest. The year before we got down to 20F. I am pretty sure you don't even get that cold in Pensacola! My time to ripen is also at about 4 months. They are best when fully ripened, and they make good banana nut bread. Orinocos are very TOUGH!

Bob · 10-31-2009, 07:44 AM

Congrats for sure. I think the point of wrapping may be a really good clue for a lot of us. Figs up here that are wrapped way out produce those that aren't. Hmmmmmm?

sbl · 10-31-2009, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bama Banana

sbl, I would try just cutting your Orinocos off at about 4 or 5 feet - That's what I do each year up here in Enterprise AL. They slow down and grow VERY slowly around January, but they always keep pushing out new growth. I have never seen an Orinoco pseudostem die from cutting the pseudostem.

I've got about 13 different clumps of them in my back yard. Each year I just cut them off and don't wrap anything. It has never failed...not one pseudostem has died. Each of the last two years I have had 8 blooms and bananas, bananas, bananas. The largest bunch each year has had over 30 bananas. Last year we got down to 19F at the coldest. The year before we got down to 20F. I am pretty sure you don't even get that cold in Pensacola! My time to ripen is also at about 4 months. They are best when fully ripened, and they make good banana nut bread. Orinocos are very TOUGH!

So you cut them off in the fall? I have for years cut the stems off in the spring to get them to grow, but I have never tried cutting them off in the fall.

Our low last winter was 23 F. All of the wrapped stems came out at the top without being cut back. I left 2 unwrapped, one of them was under a tree canopy and came out first without being cut back--it is the one I just harvested. The other one was more exposed and died to the ground even after being cut off in the spring. The pup from that stem however is the biggest stem in my yard now.

momoese · 10-31-2009, 10:16 AM

So what's the verdict, how did they taste and how was the texture?

sbl · 11-03-2009, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momoese

So what's the verdict, how did they taste and how was the texture?

The first one I ate was just good yellow--it was pretty firm but tasted OK to me--my wife liked it, but she likes green bananas and won't eat one with spots. The next one I eat will be more ripe--I think it will be better than store bought.

Here is a picture of the bunch now:

I just ate a second one--it was medium ripe and better, but for my taste I think I want it even more ripe.

Eric · 11-03-2009, 07:18 PM

Congratulations, totally

!! And thanx for the info on the "4 months" thing! Got 2 big Orinoco corms (from Bob in New Jersey), myself. Can't wait to see how they do!
Happy eating, U lucky guy!!

bikoro child · 11-04-2009, 03:43 AM

Congrats really a good Job...Orinoco seems to be the good fruiting banana for Zone 8...I have to try it absolutely!!A Pup was given to me as an orinoco but I'm not sure it is one cause it has no wax ...For the moment it looks like a Basjoo except that it grows very slowly...

PennyG · 11-04-2009, 08:06 AM

Congrats to you, well done.

10-31-2009, 07:44 AM	#23 (permalink)
Bob Orang Puteh Bob's Photo Gallery Location: Washington Twp N.J. Find me on the map! Zone: 6a Name: bob Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 3,528 BananaBucks : 229,514 Feedback: 12 / 100% Said "Thanks" 9,537 Times Was Thanked 4,058 Times in 1,694 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 565 Times	Re: Just picked first bananas Congrats for sure. I think the point of wrapping may be a really good clue for a lot of us. Figs up here that are wrapped way out produce those that aren't. Hmmmmmm? __________________

10-31-2009, 10:16 AM	#25 (permalink)
momoese Banana grower momoese's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Zone: zone 10 Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 7,593 BananaBucks : 24,768 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,757 Times Was Thanked 10,894 Times in 3,314 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 730 Times	Re: Just picked first bananas So what's the verdict, how did they taste and how was the texture?

11-03-2009, 07:18 PM	#27 (permalink)
Eric Banned Eric's Photo Gallery Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 2,759 BananaBucks : 158,090 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,364 Times Was Thanked 855 Times in 421 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 163 Times	Re: Just picked first bananas Congratulations, totally !! And thanx for the info on the "4 months" thing! Got 2 big Orinoco corms (from Bob in New Jersey), myself. Can't wait to see how they do! Happy eating, U lucky guy!!

11-04-2009, 03:43 AM	#28 (permalink)
bikoro child bikoro child's Photo Gallery Location: south-west of France Find me on the map! Zone: zone 8 Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,026 BananaBucks : 305,292 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 381 Times Was Thanked 578 Times in 208 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 56 Times	Re: Just picked first bananas Congrats really a good Job...Orinoco seems to be the good fruiting banana for Zone 8...I have to try it absolutely!!A Pup was given to me as an orinoco but I'm not sure it is one cause it has no wax ...For the moment it looks like a Basjoo except that it grows very slowly... __________________ Ivan

11-04-2009, 08:06 AM	#29 (permalink)
PennyG Location: Ontario, Canada...zone 5b Zone: 5b Name: Penny Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 301 BananaBucks : 8,108 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 379 Times Was Thanked 306 Times in 201 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Re: Just picked first bananas Congrats to you, well done.

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