Question on the fruiting process
 

My third banana year. I live in North central Florida, which does freeze, so I've had blossoms and fruit before that didn't make it before freeze.

This year, however, one of my ice cream banana plants put out a flag and subsequent fruit in late April.

Now, however, four months later, the fruit doesn't seem to me like its grown at all. They look like stubby green cigars, but not getting any larger or turning any other color.

Is that normal?? I mean, I had heard it takes four months, so I figured I'd have plenty of time before freezing weather, but I did rather expect larger fruit by this time.

Am I doomed yet again??

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

Try to post a pic, to let us see how much time they need.

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

Here it is:

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

Something is not seem right. here is a pic of mine two months apart
7/27/09





Today



Today

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

Well, I'm bummed!!!! Mine have looked just exactly the same for months now. They get hot sun, plenty of water, food, humidity. Don't know what else I can do.

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

It would be interesting to know whats going on. I have no idea. Could they be something other than Ice Cream

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

Nope, they're ice cream, blue java.

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

Can you post a photo of the whole plant? How tall is it (without leaves)?

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

It's about 8 feet tall. I can't take a photo of the whole plant because there's a fence in the way.

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

Is it just my monitor. or is that ice on the plant? if so would that be a reason?

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

No, it's 85 degrees. It was raining.

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

guess I need a new monitor.....

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

I have had Hawaiian Apples do that and then slightly plump about a month before ripening. That paticular bunch took 7 months from bloom to harvest. The fruit quality was ok, but not as good as the others. I have no idea why it happened.

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

No, I thought there was some on the newest forming hand on the last photo too.

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

Well, again, that would be RAIN. It's 85 degrees outside with 1,000% humidity in north central Florida. The only ice around here is in one's refrigerator.

It was actually pouring down rain when I went out to take that photo, per request. I can't help it if looks like ice, but believe me, it's RAIN water.

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

Now that's some damn bad luck, if it's the first bunch in a long time that could have been edible. :(

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

It wasn't so bad, I had others that were normal from the same stand and some of those were ready for harvesting before the "bad" bunch was. :ha:

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

Bud I meant that it's bad luck for Nana Nut. :D

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

:03:

Re: Question on the fruiting process
 

Seven months would put it into November. It normally doesn't freeze until late December, early January here, but who knows what "normal" is these days.

So I guess there's still a chance, but I don't understand what stunted this thing. It's been an extraordinary growing season here this year, lots of warmth, sunshine and moisture.

That said, I DID have quite a time earlier with the stupid squirrels biting off the new leaves. They were SO bad that they killed two of my larger plants that wintered over. I now have the squirrel problem solved, but I do wonder if maybe all that leaf-biting stunted the plants somehow. Guess I'll never know for sure.