harveyc

I heard recently about an older guy that had grown some bananas in the area and I asked a relative of his recently if he knew if he still had any bananas which he had brought from Madeira, Portugal. Unfortunately, they had died several years ago. Anyways, the relative was giving me advice about growing bananas in our climate. He suggested that I not grow them in an area that receives morning sun. He said it is better for the them to warm up slowly in the morning after a frost, etc. I'm trying to figure out why this might be the case. Any ideas?

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mskitty38583

as with regular plants, if you thaw them out quickly it can cause tissue damage in the leaves and or stems. this will cause them to rot and die. it could be the same for the nanas.

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the flying dutchman

I think, and think, and think, the more sun the better, morning sun, evening
sun, better both, whatever.

I personally think he is wrong, but i could be mistaken.



Ron

bencelest

I am with you Ron. I think the morning sun is better on any living plants than noon or late afternoon sun but the more sun the better for the bananas or other plants for photosynthetic activity except of course for shade loving plants. But then of course each plant has a threshold of accepting sunlight for their maximum food production.

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harveyc

I've heard this before, but have never seen any rationale on why thawing out quickly can cause damage. The expansion of the cells during the freezing is what I would think causes all of the damage. Please explain if you have any information to explain this claim. Thanks!

Ron and Benny, I'm with you. Morning sun would help keep the soil warmer it seems.

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mskitty38583

i had a philodendrum that was outside and we had a freeze. i couldnt get to it cause i had to go to school, but i saw it on the way out. ive always heard and i quote," if your plant freezes use cool water to rinse it off so it dosent cause tissue damage- cell damage, what ever you want to call it when it thaws and to remove it out of the sun. doing this will increase the healing rate of the plant." i have never dumped cool or cold water on my plants( it could throw them into shock. i know id go into shock!) i also found out first hand (my own plant) that if it was left outside after a freeze and it thawed in the sun, it would turn the plant to mush. it did. i have not left a plant outside after sept.7 since. i dont know if this happens to "tender plants" and or house plants.so this is based on what happened to my plant and the tragic death of a beautiful 5 yr. old plant.

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D_&_T

it could be compared to freezing then to boiling, plus the ice crystals break and tare / cut the cells open
when I'm on the ambulance we slowly rewarm frostbite, when you warm to fast can cause ice crystals to get in blood stream and cause even more damage

Dan

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klemmthamm

I can see both sides of the discussion.... personally I don't know which would be better but hopefully someone can fill us in with some legitimate research.

Dan, I didn't know you were an EMT... I just recertified EVOC on ambulance and fire apparatus.

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natedogg1026

I'd say sun after a frost. How long does it take frost to melt off your windshield in the morning? I'd say that is gradual enough for a plant.

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Banana's are a safe addiction. Right?Maybe I need classes.

harveyc

I'm not convinced of either side yet, but I think it's interesting how we have different idea on the matter. Let's have a IBS meeting and discuss it over a beer or glass of wine, or two!

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klemmthamm

Deal!

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jason

They say that the first 4 hours of light are the most important to plants and their growth!!

jason

But I do agree with the whole needing to warm up slowly,,to fast is what really damages the plants tissue not so much the frost! Just my outlook on this post!

mskitty38583

if your buying i want to go to margaritaville. jimmy buffet is my hero!

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klemmthamm

I think morning sunlight is definately a good thing... one of my fastest growing plants this year was my grand naine and it had good early morning sun and evening sun but was shaded during the middle of the day...

my slowest growing was my herans and it got just mainly middle afternoon sun with little or no morning or evening light.

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bencelest

Jason



These are proof that the morning sun is best for your plants and this is what I am trying to convey on my statement above.

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bencelest

More

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inkcube

when plants are cold the photosythetic machinery is slow to utilize the free electrons generated by the protein that cleaves water as well as dispose of hydroxly radicals that are generated by this action. these radicals in turn punch holes in membranes and any other protein structure they come in contact with and cause cell death - when suffciently warm a plant can handle the free electrons through photosynthesis as well as the radicals.

a great experiment done in the 30's to the first step in proving this by placing tropical house plants on the edge of the Black Forest. one set was left in the open and another set was covered by black boxes - temperature was 29F (-1C). the covered plants showed no damage, uncovered were dead. for plants not hardy to the region you are growing in it is always best to give them morning shade so that they can warm up as opposed to bright sun.

in general morning sun is best because it is the "coolest" light, the day has not had a chance to warm up to the point where the plant slows down from heat build up and photoinhibition (photosynthesis shuts down in excessive heat and light). by the time the day is hot the plant has had a chance to ramp up its metabolism and the processes that can deal with radicals created during the heat.

plants that are hardy to the region have ways of shuttling water into extracellular spaces (the space between cells) and at the same time keeping nucleating agents free of that water so freezing is not an issue. more cold damage is done by desiccating breezes and winds more than anything else, there are always exceptions.

klemmthamm

Inkcube you my friend are awesome.... Thank you for sharing you knowledge with us... I am now smarter than when I woke up this morning (afternoon whatever).

-James-

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magicgreen

Inkcube you....you....you....you are .....BABABA--BAD!!!!!!! See people we gotta have have a BANANA CONVENTION!!!!!!!!!!!! CHECK IT OUT!!!!
We probably could have it in the "Virgin Islands", Florida, Quatamala, Spain, London, Quebec or New York City!!!!!!!! RIGHHHTTTT!!!!!!! Just Squirrel that around in your minds for 6 weeks, and lets make it happen!!!!!! WHOOOSSSS GAME? LIFES SHORT, GOTTA PLAY HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!wHERES OUR ORGANIZERS???????????????

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(Started growing bananas July 2007)
(Zone 6)