Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX
 

Hi,
Happy to have this forum! Our home "came with" a small area of bananas 40+ yrs old. In 2 years they have never fruited. Though some similar looking ones accross the road from me did. Bright green. Plants grow 12+ feet high, provide great shade and the trunks can get up to 10" across.

I want to enjoy all the fruiting varieties that I can grow. Lady Fingers are listed as one for our zone 8-9. Love small sweet bananas.

Can you guys reccomend some? As well as terms? What the heck are pups? I have about 6 to transplant, but as I want fruiting varieties there really is no reason to do so.

Thanks

Re: Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX
 

Someone else will have to advise on varieties suitable for your area. However, fruiting can be suppressed my inadequate watering, fertilizing, etc. Too many plants in a "mat" (the term for a clump) means too much competition for nutrients, etc. which can also suppress growth and fruiting. You may need to thin out the mat. Another idea: The fellow across the street has a variety which is tolerant of and seemingly suitable for your climate and has fruited. Maybe you should get a pup from him, and start a new patch with a proven performer.

A word of caution, in general, the red bananas (anything with red in the names, plus a few others) are much less cold tolerant that other varieties.

Re: Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX
 

Hi JewelBaby,

Here's a good thread about pups and transplanting.
http://www.bananas.org/showthread.php?t=208
Worth a read!

Welcome to the forum. Keep us posted!

:drum:

Re: Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX
 

Hey Jewel, one possible reason as to why they are not fruiting is that they may have already produced fruit. Bananas will only produce fruit from one pseudostem. You can remove the pups that it produces and grow them as well seperately. Good fruit producing bananas in your area would be the Goldfinger, Dwarf Cavendish, Ice Cream, Mysore and Orincino. I hope you enjoy this, but I will let you know it's addicting.

Re: Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX
 

It sure is addicting.:ha:

Re: Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX
 

Wow you guys, thanks for the input. We moved here from Oregon 3 years ago and are starting to get a feel for the climate here which is Warm/Hot/Hot:ha: Truly! So we're learning about tropical landscape.

I do cut the bananas totally back to the ground in the winter, it actually does get cool enough a couple of times for them to die back. So if I'm getting this, where each "clump" is there really should be just one in order to bear fruit?

These plants provide awesome shade where they are and look great, so I can happily transplant "pups" to other areas for fruiting purposes.

Re: Newby to bananas N of Houston, TX
 

It is standard to leave about 3 stems per corm. Die backs aren't usually that serious a problem- think of it as a tree losing its leaves during the winter.
You might also consider some fertilizer or Black Cow compost, if that patch is 40 years old!

Paul