Removing Bloom Flower

BackyardBananaCA · 10-06-2009, 09:32 AM

Does anyone know if removing the bloom flower helps speed up banana growth and ripening? Do I cut it just below the bottom hand?

island cassie · 10-06-2009, 10:22 AM

I don't know the facts on this - but I always assume that the energy that would have gone into producing endless male flowers, is better directed into the fruit that have set. So, when there is a clear length of stalk of about a foot or more below the last fruit, I cut the stalk next to the bud. Leaving this length lessens the chance of rot spreading up to the fruit if the stalk should rot, gives you something to hang the bunch by when ripe, and stops the mess on the ground that the male flowers and bracts leave behind. Others may have other ideas but this works for me.

momoese · 10-06-2009, 10:48 AM

I think leaving 6 inches or more is a good idea. I usually leave them on if they are in an area that I'm not worried about having a mess so that the humming birds can continue to feed on them, but I do cut them when they hang over my driveway. I think it does make the fruit just a little plumper when you remove the buds.

pitangadiego · 10-06-2009, 01:20 PM

Leave 6-12" of blank stem below the bananas. If the stem dries up (they some times do), pas the bananas, it will ruin the bananas, as they are cut off from the sap flow.

Patty in Wisc · 10-06-2009, 01:48 PM

Hey Benny, isn't this when you cut off the flowers to cook them???!!! Didn't you say your wife would rather eat the flower than a banana??

planetrj · 10-06-2009, 02:53 PM

I agree.. The flower is awesome. But, don't let anyone tell you it's easy, because depending of the size of it, the boiling time can go up to 2 or more hours. I recommend salting the water to help softening it up more as well. I serve it on toast or added to a good old fashioned roast beef. Yum!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patty in Wisc

Hey Benny, isn't this when you cut off the flowers to cook them???!!! Didn't you say your wife would rather eat the flower than a banana??

Gabe15 · 10-06-2009, 05:35 PM

You will often read that cutting off the bud helps the fruit develop because it is using more energy from the plant, but studies have shown this is not the case. The size of the bunch and fruit are predetirmined well before flowering ever takes place, and in the paper I remember reading there was no difference found in fruit development time between buds left on and buds cut off. That being said, there is at least one very good reason to cut the bud and that is because it adds excess weight and if its continuously growing it can be too much for the plant to physically support and you may have fruiting plants topple easier. If you want to keep the bud and the plant is sturdy, that is fine too. I personally like keeping some of them for breeding purposes, but thats a whole different issue.

planetrj · 10-06-2009, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe15

You will often read that cutting off the bud helps the fruit develop because it is using more energy from the plant, but studies have shown this is not the case. The size of the bunch and fruit are predetirmined well before flowering ever takes place, and in the paper I remember reading there was no difference found in fruit development time between buds left on and buds cut off. That being said, there is at least one very good reason to cut the bud and that is because it adds excess weight and if its continuously growing it can be too much for the plant to physically support and you may have fruiting plants topple easier. If you want to keep the bud and the plant is sturdy, that is fine too. I personally like keeping some of them for breeding purposes, but thats a whole different issue.

I agree with this train of thought. Nevertheless, I always make sure there's at least 1 foot of space between the last edible banana and the cut, and don't use anything to cut it, just bend and break, because it tends to weep less. I also use copper powder on the tip to keep from getting fungus in the cut tip.

island cassie · 10-06-2009, 08:05 PM

Totally agree Gabe but I didn't put it so well - and I forgot the weight problem!

Scott · 10-07-2009, 09:06 AM

I cut mine back 4 weeks ago and am running a personal test on fruit development. The one I kept the male flower on still has skinny fruit and all the rest are getting plump.
I cut with about 1 foot of stem remaining then held a candle under it to stop the bleeding. Dug a hole next to tree and stuck the flower in there.

BackyardBananaCA · 10-07-2009, 11:22 AM

Thanks everyone for your replies. I have some CA Gold, Dwarf Namwah, and Nino bananas which I'm trying to figure out how to accellerate before my N. CA winter.

planetrj · 10-07-2009, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BackyardBananaCA

Thanks everyone for your replies. I have some CA Gold, Dwarf Namwah, and Nino bananas which I'm trying to figure out how to accellerate before my N. CA winter.

I know I've heard of some people who had solarized the plant by covering it in huge sheets of clear plastic to maintain a higher temp on the whole plant, but that may be a mountainous effort, in my mind.

djmb74 · 10-07-2009, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe15

I personally like keeping some of them for breeding purposes, but thats a whole different issue.

Ya know there are few good jokes that could come from that comment! Not that I know of any or would I have someone as helpful as gabe be the but of any....but ya that's a whole different issue! lol

cvining · 10-07-2009, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BackyardBananaCA

Does anyone know if removing the bloom flower helps speed up banana growth and ripening? Do I cut it just below the bottom hand?

Yes, I want to know also.

Nicolas Naranja · 10-07-2009, 11:32 PM

Depending on the state of the plant at flowering I may take the male bud and some of the fruit. Sometimes I will get a plant that shoots that only has 4 functioning leaves and frankly 4 functioning leaves are never gonna fill out ten hands. Bananas just don't have the mechanism to abort fruits like other plants do when conditions are poor. I have zero evidence to support that theory but it seems to apply to other fruits and vegetables. I think my avocados must have aborted hundreds of fruits as the drought this spring drug on.

DisneyButterfly1 · 09-24-2016, 05:35 PM

A lot of AWESOME info!! Thanks for posting it! I am a newbie & really appreciate all of this!

Scott · 09-25-2016, 01:21 PM

This is different. It seems the ladies at my local Thai/Sushi love the banana flower.
Apparently you can cut it super thin and use it to make a salad. So now those go to them.
Just another idea...

10-06-2009, 09:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
BackyardBananaCA Junior Member BackyardBananaCA's Photo Gallery Location: San Ramon, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 51 BananaBucks : 58,671 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 10 Times in 6 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Removing Bloom Flower Does anyone know if removing the bloom flower helps speed up banana growth and ripening? Do I cut it just below the bottom hand?

10-06-2009, 10:22 AM	#2 (permalink)
island cassie island cassie's Photo Gallery Location: Dominican Republic Find me on the map! Zone: 11+ I guess Name: Island Cassie Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3,170 BananaBucks : 439,286 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,708 Times Was Thanked 2,079 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 416 Times	Re: Removing Bloom Flower I don't know the facts on this - but I always assume that the energy that would have gone into producing endless male flowers, is better directed into the fruit that have set. So, when there is a clear length of stalk of about a foot or more below the last fruit, I cut the stalk next to the bud. Leaving this length lessens the chance of rot spreading up to the fruit if the stalk should rot, gives you something to hang the bunch by when ripe, and stops the mess on the ground that the male flowers and bracts leave behind. Others may have other ideas but this works for me.

10-06-2009, 10:48 AM	#3 (permalink)
momoese Banana grower momoese's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Zone: zone 10 Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 7,593 BananaBucks : 9,418 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,757 Times Was Thanked 10,893 Times in 3,314 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 730 Times	Re: Removing Bloom Flower I think leaving 6 inches or more is a good idea. I usually leave them on if they are in an area that I'm not worried about having a mess so that the humming birds can continue to feed on them, but I do cut them when they hang over my driveway. I think it does make the fruit just a little plumper when you remove the buds.

10-06-2009, 01:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,489 BananaBucks : 155,233 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 2,732 Times in 930 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Removing Bloom Flower Leave 6-12" of blank stem below the bananas. If the stem dries up (they some times do), pas the bananas, it will ruin the bananas, as they are cut off from the sap flow. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

10-06-2009, 01:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
Patty in Wisc tropical nut Patty in Wisc's Photo Gallery Zone: 5 Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,115 BananaBucks : 374,456 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2,946 Times Was Thanked 2,510 Times in 1,203 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 69 Times	Re: Removing Bloom Flower Hey Benny, isn't this when you cut off the flowers to cook them???!!! Didn't you say your wife would rather eat the flower than a banana?? __________________ Got a lite? Patty ____ Patty in Wisc has sadly passed away 9/05/11. We will miss you Patty.

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10-06-2009, 05:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
Gabe15 Moderator Gabe15's Photo Gallery Location: Oahu, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 12 Name: Gabe Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 3,892 BananaBucks : 13,396,766 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,244 Times in 2,201 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: Removing Bloom Flower You will often read that cutting off the bud helps the fruit develop because it is using more energy from the plant, but studies have shown this is not the case. The size of the bunch and fruit are predetirmined well before flowering ever takes place, and in the paper I remember reading there was no difference found in fruit development time between buds left on and buds cut off. That being said, there is at least one very good reason to cut the bud and that is because it adds excess weight and if its continuously growing it can be too much for the plant to physically support and you may have fruiting plants topple easier. If you want to keep the bud and the plant is sturdy, that is fine too. I personally like keeping some of them for breeding purposes, but thats a whole different issue. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

10-06-2009, 08:05 PM	#9 (permalink)
island cassie island cassie's Photo Gallery Location: Dominican Republic Find me on the map! Zone: 11+ I guess Name: Island Cassie Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 3,170 BananaBucks : 439,286 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,708 Times Was Thanked 2,079 Times in 874 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 416 Times	Re: Removing Bloom Flower Totally agree Gabe but I didn't put it so well - and I forgot the weight problem!

10-07-2009, 09:06 AM	#10 (permalink)
Scott Location: Seminole, Fl Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Scott Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 162 BananaBucks : 22,023 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 129 Times Was Thanked 258 Times in 102 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Re: Removing Bloom Flower I cut mine back 4 weeks ago and am running a personal test on fruit development. The one I kept the male flower on still has skinny fruit and all the rest are getting plump. I cut with about 1 foot of stem remaining then held a candle under it to stop the bleeding. Dug a hole next to tree and stuck the flower in there. __________________

10-07-2009, 11:22 AM	#11 (permalink)
BackyardBananaCA Junior Member BackyardBananaCA's Photo Gallery Location: San Ramon, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 51 BananaBucks : 58,671 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 10 Times in 6 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Removing Bloom Flower Thanks everyone for your replies. I have some CA Gold, Dwarf Namwah, and Nino bananas which I'm trying to figure out how to accellerate before my N. CA winter.

10-07-2009, 11:32 PM	#15 (permalink)
Nicolas Naranja Muck bananas Nicolas Naranja 's Photo Gallery Location: Pahokee, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Nick Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 2,217 BananaBucks : 515,625 Feedback: 7 / 100% Said "Thanks" 66 Times Was Thanked 5,665 Times in 1,563 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 7 Times	Re: Removing Bloom Flower Depending on the state of the plant at flowering I may take the male bud and some of the fruit. Sometimes I will get a plant that shoots that only has 4 functioning leaves and frankly 4 functioning leaves are never gonna fill out ten hands. Bananas just don't have the mechanism to abort fruits like other plants do when conditions are poor. I have zero evidence to support that theory but it seems to apply to other fruits and vegetables. I think my avocados must have aborted hundreds of fruits as the drought this spring drug on. __________________ Some people go bananas, I went plantains.

09-24-2016, 05:35 PM	#16 (permalink)
DisneyButterfly1 DisneyButterfly1's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 178 BananaBucks : 6,897 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 180 Times Was Thanked 54 Times in 33 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 9 Times	Re: Removing Bloom Flower A lot of AWESOME info!! Thanks for posting it! I am a newbie & really appreciate all of this!

09-25-2016, 01:21 PM	#17 (permalink)
Scott Location: Seminole, Fl Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Name: Scott Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 162 BananaBucks : 22,023 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 129 Times Was Thanked 258 Times in 102 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3 Times	Re: Removing Bloom Flower This is different. It seems the ladies at my local Thai/Sushi love the banana flower. Apparently you can cut it super thin and use it to make a salad. So now those go to them. Just another idea... __________________

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