Protecting bunches

AnnaJW · 11-30-2007, 09:07 PM

I'm sure this has been covered here somewhere, but I can't find anything. I now have three bunches (2 IC's and 1 Orinoco), and one (Thousand Fingers) flower opening. It's been raining steadily to hard all day, and temps could be in the high 30's for a couple of nights. Should I cover the fruit and flowers with something?

BTW, I am very grateful for this rain. I haven't seen it rain like this in YEARS. We really needed it!

Thanks for any advice!

momoese · 11-30-2007, 10:35 PM

Anna, I think they will be fine unless you actually get a freeze which will harm the skins and make the fruit take forever to ripen. It also hurts the texture and flavor. I tried to bag some of my bunches and it didn't seem to help during the last Arctic blast.

AnnaJW · 11-30-2007, 10:43 PM

Thank you Mitchel!

I would have never given it a thought if not for last winter. At least the Thousand Fingers bloom is by the south facing side of the house, with a light very close. It's not far from the dryer vent either. I'm thinking if it's gets REALLY cold, I'll just do laundry all night.

mike · 12-02-2007, 08:46 PM

Anna try and protect your leaves. If you lose your leaves your fruit want ripen. It is amazing that our plants like to flower at the wrong time of the year. I guess that is part of the excitement and the challenge of growing nanas. You can go crazy and do what I have done.

Good luck.

STEELVIPER · 12-02-2007, 08:55 PM

I would not worry about it Anna till we get into the lower 30's. We should be back into the high 40's again after tonight. Might get to 80 by this week. When it does get to frost(hope not this year) wrap your p-stems with some tarps and cover your bunches with some 40 gallon black trash bags.The air inside the bags will keep the bunch warmer then the air outside. Also use x-mas lights . I hear that it keeps the frost off.

AnnaJW · 12-03-2007, 03:38 AM

Thanks Mike and Mark! After last winter, I guess I'm being over-protective.

I'm sooooo excited about my new bloom that's opening. I want to see it open! NEVER plant a banana close to a window. I stand there more than I can say just waiting for the bloom to open...

11-30-2007, 09:07 PM	#1 (permalink)
AnnaJW AnnaJW's Photo Gallery Location: Riverside, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Anna Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,310 BananaBucks : 214,111 Feedback: 6 / 100% Said "Thanks" 20 Times Was Thanked 120 Times in 89 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Protecting bunches I'm sure this has been covered here somewhere, but I can't find anything. I now have three bunches (2 IC's and 1 Orinoco), and one (Thousand Fingers) flower opening. It's been raining steadily to hard all day, and temps could be in the high 30's for a couple of nights. Should I cover the fruit and flowers with something? BTW, I am very grateful for this rain. I haven't seen it rain like this in YEARS. We really needed it! Thanks for any advice! __________________ -Anna Banana - Living my life in MMORPG's

11-30-2007, 10:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
momoese Banana grower momoese's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Zone: zone 10 Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 7,589 BananaBucks : 12,413 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,747 Times Was Thanked 10,886 Times in 3,310 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 728 Times	Re: Protecting bunches Anna, I think they will be fine unless you actually get a freeze which will harm the skins and make the fruit take forever to ripen. It also hurts the texture and flavor. I tried to bag some of my bunches and it didn't seem to help during the last Arctic blast.

11-30-2007, 10:43 PM	#3 (permalink)
AnnaJW AnnaJW's Photo Gallery Location: Riverside, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Anna Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,310 BananaBucks : 214,111 Feedback: 6 / 100% Said "Thanks" 20 Times Was Thanked 120 Times in 89 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Protecting bunches Thank you Mitchel! I would have never given it a thought if not for last winter. At least the Thousand Fingers bloom is by the south facing side of the house, with a light very close. It's not far from the dryer vent either. I'm thinking if it's gets REALLY cold, I'll just do laundry all night. __________________ -Anna Banana - Living my life in MMORPG's

12-02-2007, 08:46 PM	#4 (permalink)
mike More bananas less stress mike's Photo Gallery Location: Savannah Georgia Find me on the map! Zone: Zone 9 Name: Mike Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 289 BananaBucks : 14,638 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 57 Times in 40 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Protecting bunches Anna try and protect your leaves. If you lose your leaves your fruit want ripen. It is amazing that our plants like to flower at the wrong time of the year. I guess that is part of the excitement and the challenge of growing nanas. You can go crazy and do what I have done. Good luck.

12-02-2007, 08:55 PM	#5 (permalink)
STEELVIPER Mechwarrior STEELVIPER's Photo Gallery Location: Riverside,CA Find me on the map! Zone: 9B Name: Mark Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 724 BananaBucks : 74,659 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 44 Times Was Thanked 102 Times in 62 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 169 Times	Re: Protecting bunches I would not worry about it Anna till we get into the lower 30's. We should be back into the high 40's again after tonight. Might get to 80 by this week. When it does get to frost(hope not this year) wrap your p-stems with some tarps and cover your bunches with some 40 gallon black trash bags.The air inside the bags will keep the bunch warmer then the air outside. Also use x-mas lights . I hear that it keeps the frost off. __________________

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12-03-2007, 03:38 AM	#6 (permalink)
AnnaJW AnnaJW's Photo Gallery Location: Riverside, CA Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Anna Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,310 BananaBucks : 214,111 Feedback: 6 / 100% Said "Thanks" 20 Times Was Thanked 120 Times in 89 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: Protecting bunches Thanks Mike and Mark! After last winter, I guess I'm being over-protective. I'm sooooo excited about my new bloom that's opening. I want to see it open! NEVER plant a banana close to a window. I stand there more than I can say just waiting for the bloom to open... __________________ -Anna Banana - Living my life in MMORPG's

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