Originally Posted by Richard

Here's some of my experiences with growing bananas in southern California - San Diego specifically zones 9b and 10b. Other SoCal members please chime in!

The maturation times are from pup to harvest and only for buds emerging spring-summer. For buds emerging other times (and fruit maturing through winter) add about 6 months.

• Namwa -- tall, medium, and dwarf: 18 mo., large bunches, fruity flavor.
• Brazilian -- tall, medium, and dwarf: 18 mo., small bunches, mild subacid flavor.
• Orinoco -- dwarf: 18 mo., medium bunches, strong subacid flavor.
• African Rhinohorn -- 2 years, small bunch, good cooking in green stage but difficult to ripen to fresh eating stage.
• Cavendish -- dwarf & super dwarf: 18 mo. medium bunches, bland flavor. The SDC fruit size is tiny, hardly any flesh within peel.
• 1000 Fingers: 18 mo. 1000's of tiny fingers with negligible flesh between the peels.
• Pisang Ceylon: 18 mo., medium-large bunch.
• "Temple Banana": 2.5 years, small bunch.

Originally Posted by Going Bananas

PRG
This site is for SoCal growers.
I guess Richard made this thread
to exclude your comments & opinions...unfortunately!

Great idea for a thread!
Ill be keeping an eye on this as more
SoCal members chime in.

Thank you!

Originally Posted by Going Bananas

PRG ... I guess Richard made this thread to exclude your comments & opinions...

Originally Posted by momoese

Here in West LA I have lost several tall plants over the years to the Santa Ana winds, broken in half like toothpicks. Check my gallery for Red Jamaicans and you'll see the damage.

Originally Posted by momoese

Here in So Cal it takes 6-7 months from bloom to ripe fruit.

Originally Posted by Richard

Here's momoese again, talking about his experiences in West Los Angeles.

Originally Posted by sunfish

I'll have to go back and check when my bananas bloomed. I am pretty sure I've got some that have taken 8 months or more.

Originally Posted by venturabananas

In Southern California, 2-3 years from TC is good, from my experience and what I've heard and seen from others. In fact, that's what I'd expect from plants started from pups, too. In good conditions (e.g., not too close to other plants). Without a greenhouse, you can't expect tropical rates of growth in our climate. Most varieties grow extremely slowly, if at all, during our winters, especially those with all A genomes like the Cavendish varieties.

Don't expect estimates of time to flower from plants grown in different climates to apply to yours. And don't even expect relative differences among cultivars to apply, because different genes can respond to climates differently. But experiment and tell us which do best for you.

Of course, PR-G makes good points about all the kinds of things that can affect growth. I think you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who gets bananas to fruit faster or make bigger bunches, regardless of climate.

Originally Posted by PR-Giants

GB
Growth rates depends on more than who
can dump the most fertilizer and hormones
on their plant, aeration plays a major role.


This pup was planted in a pot of river sand (a.k.a. clean course sand) and after 14 days it shows good root development. Only water was added as needed, no fertilizer, no growth hormones, no magic. Roots need the proper amount of air & moisture to maximize growth. When these roots reach an area high in organics the above ground growth takes off. .


Now some folks will point to my climate in the tropics as the reason for the quality roots and that 14 days of temps in the 80's is rare in the States or wherever.


Williams pup - April 26, 2013



Williams pup - May 10, 2013

Originally Posted by Zacarias

Richard, I see you mentioned that post Cavendish and Brazilian or Namwah are 18 months. Yet I know Cavendish don't do that well in San Diego compared to Namwah and Brazilian. So, how come they are all 18 mo? Do you protect Cavendish more?