New PUPs, let them grow? Or take them out?
 

My wife heard somewhere that we are supposed to only leave 2 PUPs, and remove any more than that. What say you (experts)?

Our goal is to have as lush/full area as possible. If they grow fruit, that's awesome. (We have two banana plants, one is ice-cream, this photo). Don't remember the name of the other one.

I am new to growing bananas. It seems to me that we can let them all (all 4 of the pups) grow and fill in. Isn't' that what happens in the wild?

Is it true that after a plant yields fruit, that you have to cut it down? and only the new pups (which become full plants) grow up and then yield fruit.

So, can we lets all the pups grow? or are we supposed to cut them down?

Thanks

Re: New PUPs, let them grow? Or take them out?
 

Re: New PUPs, let them grow? Or take them out?
 

I downloaded and read your PDF. If i read it correctly, I should remove the PUPs before they get knee high. I guess that's what i need to do. (I do have to wonder what happens in the wild...?) Sounds like i remove them, and transplant them elsewhere. Mine are not currently in a pot, so i guess the PUPs can go directly in soil also?

Re: New PUPs, let them grow? Or take them out?
 

it is so late in the year i would leave them in the ground until spring and them remove all but 2 of them. i normally don't remove unless the pup is 1 foot or taller, my prefrence.

happy growing,
Darla

Re: New PUPs, let them grow? Or take them out?
 

By the time they are knee high, saving one for another crop.

You are growing seedless hybrids developed by humans.

Or throw them in the greenery barrel. If for some reason you want to save them, first transplant each into a 10-15 gallon plastic pot.

Re: New PUPs, let them grow? Or take them out?
 

just curious, what happens if i leave the Pups in? I'm not planning to. I just want to better understand the reasoning. Will they adversely affect the main plant (either by space, crowding it out) (or by nutrients, consuming what the main plant requires to survive)?

Thanks,

Re: New PUPs, let them grow? Or take them out?
 

so if we remove the main plant (after it bears fruit) and leave ONE pup. Then why do people do the "prepare for winter" process with huge plants (cutting off leaves, wrapping them up, etc.). My guess is that a PUP might not survive the winter, whereas a full size one will. Then, during nicer weather, and you put them back in the ground. The cycle continues? Meaning, after they bear fruit, cut them down, and leave only a pup?

My apologies if i am beating this into the ground. I just want to better understand the process and the reasons behind it.

Thanks,

Re: New PUPs, let them grow? Or take them out?
 

Because they live in colder climates than you or I.

Re: New PUPs, let them grow? Or take them out?
 

Right now I am leaving all suckers on my plants. I will remove them in the spring. Spring is best for making new plants.

I remove suckers for several reasons. Sometimes it makes a stand look better, sometimes it makes maintenance easier, and some plants I am focused more on fruiting so I keep them with only 2 suckers.

Unless you have a reason there is no problem with letting them grow wild and clump as much as they want. Some bananas do ok in stands and others seem to do better cleaned up. Raja Puri always produces more fruit if I clean them up but Orinoco and Namwah make fruit just fine leaving them alone.

Stands can produce massive corms that can be hard to remove if they need dug out. Keeping them reduced keeps the corms smaller and easier to maintain.

Leaving them alone is not going to hurt them or kill them. It is only what your variety is and what you want to do with it that matters. If my stands get too tight I just thin them but it takes years to get to that point.

Re: New PUPs, let them grow? Or take them out?
 

Here is a stand about 4 years old of Orinoco. The original stand was about 50 years old and in Chinsgut nature preserve they have a stand around 100 years old. I may have removed a couple suckers but that's about it. They are thriving and producing fruit like crazy. The plant laying over was a harvested plant that needs cut off. Leaving the old brown so I have some winter protection since we will be in the 20's here this winter on a few nights.

Re: New PUPs, let them grow? Or take them out?
 

Here's a picture I just took of one of our banana beds. You see a clump of Namwas on the left, a pineapple in the middle, and Gross Michael on the right.

Notice among the Namwas there are two large stalks and 2-3 pups. One of the large stalks is blooming right now. The second large stalk was only knee high in May but I let it grow in hopes of getting fruit next summer.

Re: New PUPs, let them grow? Or take them out?
 

I have too many projects to manage my bananas correctly. I didnt read Richard's PDF but I imagine it's close to the same as my advice. At this time of year in a climate like mine:

You should have a main Pstem with a hanging plumped bunch that has started to yellow. You should also have two minor Pstems about 5 - 6 feet tall. These have grown from pups you let grow from June of this year. All pups prior to June would have been removed early as soon as they started growing. Back to current time as soon as weather dictates cut the bunch and hang in a protected area for finish ripening. Before hard frost or freeze you should take steps to cold protect the two pups. Come Spring stop your cold protection and by late June or July you should have a bloom. Between Spring and and June remove all pups. Repeat cycle.

That's if fruiting is important. I take the attitude it will happen when it's right. I dont cull any pups a most years I get fruiting. Last year I had five bunches on one Orinoco mat. That mat probably had forty Pstems.