Stem broke on fruiting banana
 

One of my fruiting Orinoco's stem broke today.
We've been having high winds paired with extreme heat which likely contributed to this. The brown material on the stem is just leftover from winter.
Perhaps one day I'll have a stem break due to a huge rack of bananas instead XD

Anyone have experience with fruit still filling out with a broke/bent stem?
Looks like something already started eating one of the fingers too.
Thinking of just cutting my losses and harvesting now.

Re: Stem broke on fruiting banana
 

That has happened to me. Very frustrating.

If the stem is not completely severed and there are leaves the fruit can continue to fill. Taking into account that squirrels are taking an interest and its even more accessible for the tree rats, I would probably harvest it and call it a day.

Re: Stem broke on fruiting banana
 

My mother just told me one of her fruiting Orinoco did the exact same thing earlier this week.
We're convinced that it's due to the extreme heat.

Re: Stem broke on fruiting banana
 

losing the outer layers of the p-stem from freezing and frosts took alot of strength away from the p-stem. didnt help it either.

Re: Stem broke on fruiting banana
 

Fair point... but I'm sure it still could have supported my massive bunch :ha:

On the bright side I already have another one flowering nearby

Re: Stem broke on fruiting banana
 

:ha:

i have this banana i got from a friend, i have to get pics working here so i can get it identified. she is just north of tampa. quite an interesting banana when fruiting. know i have nothing like it.

anyways, i brought a few home. one had a 6ft. p-stem, so i decided to peal the layers on it to living flesh. :ha: i kept pealing... and pealing and eventually i had a 2 or 1 1/2 inch p-stem from 4 inches at the top. well it was that diameter 2inches or less all the way down. picked it up and it immediately snapped in half. better off anyways, a strong wind would have broke it in half later.

Re: Stem broke on fruiting banana
 

Leave it. It will still fill out and ripen.

Re: Stem broke on fruiting banana
 

It happened to me today! I checked the plant in the morning and thought to myself that it looked like it was about to collapse and I didn't prop it up. Well, mowing the yard in the afternoon and bam! It crashed! LOL. I'll leave the bunch up until the four remaining ratty leaves turn yellow.

I propped up my remaining two big namwa bunches immediately after the discovery!

Re: Stem broke on fruiting banana
 

Ouch! Yeah I also ended up leaving mine on to fill out some more if possible.

At least they'll be super easy to harvest for the both of us! :ha::ha::ha:

Re: Stem broke on fruiting banana
 

My praying hands is blooming at about 8 ft so I went out and tied it to the fence just now. Not riskin' it!

Hope you all get some ripe bananas!