small bunches last couple years, why?

sddarkman619 · 07-19-2017, 07:27 PM

I lanted my gold fingers about 4 years ago and had large bunches first year, maybe 2 years.

Seems like last couple years have had small bunches and wondering what it could be?
Lack of watering?
Lack of fertilizer?
too many pups?

I know I cut back on watering last year and then this year I started watering again several times a week and immediately had new flower and then the bunches formed but now the bunches aren't putting out the bananas anymore it's Male Part(?) of the flower?

So again I started watering more, fertilizing almost weekly, and I have pups.

Just wondering how to get larger bunches again.

Richard · 07-19-2017, 07:31 PM

http://growingfruit-images.s3-us-wes...11a1825ad1.pdf

sddarkman619 · 07-20-2017, 02:43 AM

thanks Richard!

edwmax · 07-20-2017, 04:34 AM

Can high temps be stressing the plant during fruit development?

sputinc7 · 07-20-2017, 10:02 AM

The part explaining about the large root canopy may be something to look into. When you water, do you water everything for ten feet around the plant? Also, watering leeches nutrients, so keep that in mind. I recently had a similar issue and found the problem to be a combination of the two. I tended to only water close to the plant, 2-3 feet radius around it, as well as utilizing fresh horse manure then not fertilizing for several months to let it fade, causing a double whammy effect, I wasn't keeping the root canopy alive during the drought simply because I was watering by hand and didn't have the time but eventually I got a sprinkler head for my hose that did good enough. Too little too late, though. Either lack of fertilizer or widely available water or possibly both contributed to me having a plant that normally fruits at about 11 feet flowering at 9 feet with a short bunch. Both problems have since been rectified.

Gabe15 · 07-20-2017, 10:39 AM

When you actually see the fruit bunch emerging from the plant, it has already been growing hidden inside for months, 3-6 months in the tropics, and I would assume longer in colder climates. What this means is that the total number of fruit is predetermined way before you ever see them, and that adequate water and fertilizer is required for the entire duration of the growth cycle, not just towards when you see the flowers emerge. The size of the fruit can still be influenced to some degree, but the number of hands and number of fingers per hand cannot change. It has been shown that lack of water and nutrients in the first 3 months of growth will have negative effects on productivity when it fruits, even if water and fertilizer increases afterwards.

sddarkman619 · 08-02-2017, 12:27 PM

Gabe, what is your opinion on cuttiing all pups down except for 1 when the plants are growing?

Gabe15 · 08-02-2017, 02:00 PM

Not sure exactly what you mean, aren't they always growing? Are you talking about thinning an old mat or managing a new mat?

Botanical_Bryce · 08-02-2017, 02:33 PM

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cigy-hOgp2o

sddarkman619 · 08-02-2017, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe15

Not sure exactly what you mean, aren't they always growing? Are you talking about thinning an old mat or managing a new mat?

plantations I believe only let 1 pup grow per mat so as to potentiate the growth of larger bunches. From what I've read. True?

They take all the pups off except for 1 so that the energy goes to the adult plant that will produce a bunch. then when it's done they cut it downa dn let the one pup grow from there.

Botanical_Bryce · 08-02-2017, 03:41 PM

ECHO Global claims they they found one parent three pups optimum

sddarkman619 · 08-02-2017, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botanical_Bryce

ECHO Global claims they they found one parent three pups optimum

that video was pretty cool but they don't explain the WHY of some of the things they do.

Tytaylor77 · 08-02-2017, 10:53 PM

I see it as less pups = more energy for mom to put into fruiting. On my fruiting plants I remove ALL pups as fast as possible.
On cold hardy types I plan to keep a pstem over winter I let 1 pup grow around this time of year.
On Single season/short cycle varieties I keep NO pups all year to get mother to bloom/fill as fast as possible! I'm not in the tropics. I have a deadline called winter coming. So I need that mom at full speed for any chance at fruit.

07-19-2017, 07:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
sddarkman619 Banana Man Find me on the map! Name: Larry Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 1,162 BananaBucks : 224,803 Feedback: 14 / 100% Said "Thanks" 341 Times Was Thanked 1,233 Times in 542 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	small bunches last couple years, why? I lanted my gold fingers about 4 years ago and had large bunches first year, maybe 2 years. Seems like last couple years have had small bunches and wondering what it could be? Lack of watering? Lack of fertilizer? too many pups? I know I cut back on watering last year and then this year I started watering again several times a week and immediately had new flower and then the bunches formed but now the bunches aren't putting out the bananas anymore it's Male Part(?) of the flower? So again I started watering more, fertilizing almost weekly, and I have pups. Just wondering how to get larger bunches again. __________________ Ca Licensed Nursery - Snail/Disease Free and Inspected: Bountiful Garden Nursery - A1469.001 Banana Plants for Sale https://www.bananatreesforsale.com Sign up to the Newsletter for Updates: Sign Up Here

07-19-2017, 07:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
Richard un-Retired Richard's Photo Gallery Location: Vista, CA Find me on the map! Zone: USDA 10b Name: Richard Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 9,674 BananaBucks : 756,847 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3,636 Times Was Thanked 12,537 Times in 4,719 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,685 Times	Re: small bunches last couple years, why? http://growingfruit-images.s3-us-wes...11a1825ad1.pdf __________________ Back in business at plantsthatproduce.com

07-20-2017, 02:43 AM	#3 (permalink)
sddarkman619 Banana Man Find me on the map! Name: Larry Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 1,162 BananaBucks : 224,803 Feedback: 14 / 100% Said "Thanks" 341 Times Was Thanked 1,233 Times in 542 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: small bunches last couple years, why? thanks Richard! __________________ Ca Licensed Nursery - Snail/Disease Free and Inspected: Bountiful Garden Nursery - A1469.001 Banana Plants for Sale https://www.bananatreesforsale.com Sign up to the Newsletter for Updates: Sign Up Here

07-20-2017, 04:34 AM	#4 (permalink)
edwmax Location: Cairo, Ga Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 2,891 BananaBucks : 100,256 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,740 Times Was Thanked 4,437 Times in 2,093 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 414 Times	Re: small bunches last couple years, why? Can high temps be stressing the plant during fruit development? __________________

07-20-2017, 10:02 AM	#5 (permalink)
sputinc7 Location: Palm Bay, Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Steve Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,394 BananaBucks : 117,168 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 352 Times Was Thanked 2,430 Times in 971 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 295 Times	Re: small bunches last couple years, why? The part explaining about the large root canopy may be something to look into. When you water, do you water everything for ten feet around the plant? Also, watering leeches nutrients, so keep that in mind. I recently had a similar issue and found the problem to be a combination of the two. I tended to only water close to the plant, 2-3 feet radius around it, as well as utilizing fresh horse manure then not fertilizing for several months to let it fade, causing a double whammy effect, I wasn't keeping the root canopy alive during the drought simply because I was watering by hand and didn't have the time but eventually I got a sprinkler head for my hose that did good enough. Too little too late, though. Either lack of fertilizer or widely available water or possibly both contributed to me having a plant that normally fruits at about 11 feet flowering at 9 feet with a short bunch. Both problems have since been rectified. __________________ If you lose your head and give up, you neither live nor win. https://sputinc7.wixsite.com/covwc Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel. What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

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07-20-2017, 10:39 AM	#6 (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 : 13,421,495 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,244 Times in 2,201 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: small bunches last couple years, why? When you actually see the fruit bunch emerging from the plant, it has already been growing hidden inside for months, 3-6 months in the tropics, and I would assume longer in colder climates. What this means is that the total number of fruit is predetermined way before you ever see them, and that adequate water and fertilizer is required for the entire duration of the growth cycle, not just towards when you see the flowers emerge. The size of the fruit can still be influenced to some degree, but the number of hands and number of fingers per hand cannot change. It has been shown that lack of water and nutrients in the first 3 months of growth will have negative effects on productivity when it fruits, even if water and fertilizer increases afterwards. __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

08-02-2017, 12:27 PM	#7 (permalink)
sddarkman619 Banana Man Find me on the map! Name: Larry Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 1,162 BananaBucks : 224,803 Feedback: 14 / 100% Said "Thanks" 341 Times Was Thanked 1,233 Times in 542 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: small bunches last couple years, why? Gabe, what is your opinion on cuttiing all pups down except for 1 when the plants are growing? __________________ Ca Licensed Nursery - Snail/Disease Free and Inspected: Bountiful Garden Nursery - A1469.001 Banana Plants for Sale https://www.bananatreesforsale.com Sign up to the Newsletter for Updates: Sign Up Here

08-02-2017, 02:00 PM	#8 (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 : 13,421,495 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1 Times Was Thanked 8,244 Times in 2,201 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 8 Times	Re: small bunches last couple years, why? Not sure exactly what you mean, aren't they always growing? Are you talking about thinning an old mat or managing a new mat? __________________ Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

08-02-2017, 02:33 PM	#9 (permalink)
Botanical_Bryce Location: Inverness, Florida Zone: 9a Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 881 BananaBucks : 86,227 Feedback: 4 / 100% Said "Thanks" 7 Times Was Thanked 1,459 Times in 636 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: small bunches last couple years, why? https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cigy-hOgp2o

08-02-2017, 03:41 PM	#11 (permalink)
Botanical_Bryce Location: Inverness, Florida Zone: 9a Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 881 BananaBucks : 86,227 Feedback: 4 / 100% Said "Thanks" 7 Times Was Thanked 1,459 Times in 636 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: small bunches last couple years, why? ECHO Global claims they they found one parent three pups optimum

08-02-2017, 10:53 PM	#13 (permalink)
Tytaylor77 Banana Plants for Trade Location: East Texas Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Name: Ty Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 1,367 BananaBucks : 52,964 Feedback: 11 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,608 Times Was Thanked 3,726 Times in 1,185 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 424 Times	Re: small bunches last couple years, why? I see it as less pups = more energy for mom to put into fruiting. On my fruiting plants I remove ALL pups as fast as possible. On cold hardy types I plan to keep a pstem over winter I let 1 pup grow around this time of year. On Single season/short cycle varieties I keep NO pups all year to get mother to bloom/fill as fast as possible! I'm not in the tropics. I have a deadline called winter coming. So I need that mom at full speed for any chance at fruit. __________________ 150+ Varieties!!. See profile for list. Help me add more! CLICK HERE TO SEE PICTURES OF MY MUSA COLLECTION! www.bananapups.com

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