Clare_CA

I've been so busy that I didn't even notice this bloom until today. It's huge! I had no idea that the flower could be so big. The ones that I see around town are much smaller. If anyone knows how long until the fruit matures, please let me know. It will be getting colder soon, and all my bananas are in the ground. I so hope that the cluster will hang on through the winter. It doesn't get much below 40 here.

My husband was cutting off dead or dying leaves, and I came over to see what he was doing when I saw it. I made him pose for the picture next to it for scale.







A couple of my ornamentals are blooming too:

conejov

OOh purdy!

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Raules

My congratulations! A fine garden, beautiful flowers, best regards!

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Tropical agriculturist

venturabananas

Congrats Clare. I hope that by next year my Rajapuri looks half a good as yours and produces fruit. Looks like yours will have a big bunch. Is this the first edible that you will get fruit from? Did your Sweetheart end up producing any edible fruit?

My neighbors' bananas overwinter with fruit just fine. It'll probably take this bunch longer to ripen than if it had been produced in early summer. Several months at least, I'm guessing.

I hadn't tasted rajapuri fruit until a couple weeks ago. The one I had was delicious and tasted very much like dwarf Brazilian.

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bananimal

It's 4 months till first ripe fruit, more or less.

Most of mine will be ready to eat around late December.

sunfish

I've had bunches ripen anywhere from 5 to 9 months.

NANAMAN

Congrats!!

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Clare_CA

Thanks, all, for your comments and for the info. on maturity. I hope it's earlier than later! LOL!

Thanks, Mark. Yes, this is the first edible bunch that I will have. I just checked my records, and I bought it and planted it in September of '09. So it's been just over a year to fruit. I'm surprised that you remember that my Sweetheart bloomed. Good memory! No, I never did get fruit from that. Gabe was right that it was just a stress bloom before dying back, but several pups came up in its place. Thanks for the info. about the taste!

Here are some pictures to show what a difference a year can make. As you can see, I've done very little pup removal. I don't really like removing the pups, but I guess I will have to eventually.

This is the Rajapuri in September 2009 (in front):



This is the Rajapuri in September 2010:



Here is Ice Cream in September 2009 (front):



And Ice Cream in September 2010:

Worm_Farmer

Thats great news! Raji Puri is a good one (IMO)
It stays short, harvest is always good, and does OK in the cold for me. You will def enjoy the fruits!

kaczercat

Congrats Clare ! I have to say form the plain yard you started with in a year it has become a beautiful tropical garden every one's enjoying those pictures thanks and good luck !

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Matt

Rmplmnz

Nice job...awesome yard conversion!!!

I am sure Doctor Steve will also appreciate the great pictures:

Pisang Raja

Bananaman88

Very nice!

Clare_CA

Thanks, everyone, for your comments. It took a lot to even get this area ready for planting. When we bought the house at the end of 2008, there was ivy, plumbago, a bougainvillea, and lots of weeds on it, and there were rocks and cement and bricks buried below it. Here's a picture of it in August, 2008:



These were some of the rocks that I had to dig up in June, 2009, to get ready to start planting:



Here is how it looks now:

Clare_CA

Here's a few updates on the Raja Puri:





Red Iholena is sending up a flower bud. This worries me a bit because I think this is one of the most cold senstitive ones that I have. I hope it makes it through the winter. It's taller than the Raja Puri and more exposed to the elements.



Has anyone else had Red Iholena flower yet?

figafita

Congratulation ! You've done a great job with your yard.

stumpy4700

That is one impressive oaisis you have there.

Greenie

congrats!

musaboru

WOW! Amazing what a difference there is in the before and after pics.
Can I ask what fertilizer you use Clare?

Dar

Caloosamusa

Congratulations Clare!!

Kevin

Clare - Wow! Unbelievable growth you have there, and nice yard! Where do you live? I'm still just atarting with bananas, and I can see that they grow pretty fast, but wow, that looks great!