Sword vs Water Suckers

Patty in Wisc · 06-12-2009, 01:05 AM

I asked the question "what's the difference between growing a sword & water sucker" on a thread at the citrus forum, and Dr. Malcolm Manners gave a real good explanation. I have his permission to quote him here & if Lorax wants, to put it in the quarterly.

"Sword suckers grow like elongated cone-shaped things with no real leaves (just a few curly bracts) for the first month or more after emerging from the ground. By the time they make their first leaf, they may be several feet tall. Water suckers tend to be thinner from the start, and they make broad (albeit small) leaves while still very young -- within a couple weeks of emerging from the ground. You can use either, and ultimately, you'll get a good tree from a water sucker. But for the first generation, a sword sucker will give you a much stronger, faster-growing tree, which will ultimately produce a larger bunch of larger bananas, in less time, than would a water sucker."

Malcolm M. Manners, Ph.D.
John and Ruth Tyndall Professor of Citrus Science and
Chairman, Department of Horticultural Science
Florida Southern College
Lakeland

I just learned the diff between the 2 but did not know sword pups give a stronger, faster growing tree w/ bigger nanas!

austinl01 · 06-12-2009, 08:23 AM

I wonder if this is true for non-edible bananas like Musa basjoo? Does one worry about sword and water suckers with ornamentals?

Magilla Gorilla · 06-12-2009, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by austinl01

I wonder if this is true for non-edible bananas like Musa basjoo? Does one worry about sword and water suckers with ornamentals?

I don't worry about either water or sword suckers. I am just happy to get a new pup!

lorax · 06-12-2009, 12:32 PM

Cool, Patty! With permission, for issue 3?

john_ny · 06-12-2009, 02:17 PM

Austin - I would imagine it doesn't make as much of a difference with ornamentals, but I also think that everyone would want the strongest plant they can get, no matter what variety. Then, if you're looking to collect seeds from the ornamental, you'd want as much fruit as you can get.
BTW, all of the pups I mentioned from '07 and '08. in my posting, "New basjoo pup" were swords. Lets hope the '09 one(s) are also.

conejov · 06-12-2009, 03:48 PM

Im with Magilla Im usually just happy that I've got a new pup!
but then again I might just not understand wha tthe difrence is between the too.

Patty in Wisc · 06-13-2009, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lorax

Cool, Patty! With permission, for issue 3?

You got'er hot rodder

pitangadiego · 06-13-2009, 11:45 PM

See pix at Water suckers

Patty in Wisc · 06-14-2009, 12:52 AM

I don't know how I missed that . Thanks Jon!
Now, what's the diff between a sword pup. & a tissue cultered plant?

06-12-2009, 01:05 AM	#1 (permalink)
Patty in Wisc tropical nut Zone: 5 Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,261 BananaBucks : 12,134 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 1,873 Thanked 1,434 Times in 714 Posts Welcomes: 59	Sword vs Water Suckers I asked the question "what's the difference between growing a sword & water sucker" on a thread at the citrus forum, and Dr. Malcolm Manners gave a real good explanation. I have his permission to quote him here & if Lorax wants, to put it in the quarterly. "Sword suckers grow like elongated cone-shaped things with no real leaves (just a few curly bracts) for the first month or more after emerging from the ground. By the time they make their first leaf, they may be several feet tall. Water suckers tend to be thinner from the start, and they make broad (albeit small) leaves while still very young -- within a couple weeks of emerging from the ground. You can use either, and ultimately, you'll get a good tree from a water sucker. But for the first generation, a sword sucker will give you a much stronger, faster-growing tree, which will ultimately produce a larger bunch of larger bananas, in less time, than would a water sucker." Malcolm M. Manners, Ph.D. John and Ruth Tyndall Professor of Citrus Science and Chairman, Department of Horticultural Science Florida Southern College Lakeland I just learned the diff between the 2 but did not know sword pups give a stronger, faster growing tree w/ bigger nanas! __________________ Got a lite? Patty

06-12-2009, 08:23 AM	#2 (permalink)
austinl01 Got ripe pink bananas? austinl01's Photo Gallery Location: Little Rock, AR Find me on the map! Zone: 8a Name: Austin Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,154 BananaBucks : 32,155 Feedback: 12 / 100% Thanks: 1,377 Thanked 629 Times in 290 Posts Welcomes: 489	Re: Sword vs Water Suckers I wonder if this is true for non-edible bananas like Musa basjoo? Does one worry about sword and water suckers with ornamentals? __________________ Austin Arkansas River Valley Average January Low: 31°F, Average August High: 92°F Extreme Winter Lows: 12-15°F, Extreme Summer Highs: 105-112°F, Annual Precipitation: 52 inches

06-12-2009, 12:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
lorax Katoi Farang lorax's Photo Gallery Location: Ecuador, South America Find me on the map! Zone: USDA 13 / Köppen-Geiger BSh Name: Lorax Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 2,527 BananaBucks : 19,224 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 740 Thanked 2,874 Times in 1,155 Posts Welcomes: 464	Re: Sword vs Water Suckers Cool, Patty! With permission, for issue 3? __________________ I speak for the trees. Bananas Quarterly - The Magazine of the International Banana Society. Subscribe Today!

06-12-2009, 02:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
john_ny Member john_ny's Photo Gallery Location: Staten Island, NY - southernmost county in NY State. Find me on the map! Zone: USDA7- Sunset34 Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 945 BananaBucks : 50,582 Feedback: 5 / 100% Thanks: 178 Thanked 804 Times in 313 Posts Welcomes: 20	Re: Sword vs Water Suckers Austin - I would imagine it doesn't make as much of a difference with ornamentals, but I also think that everyone would want the strongest plant they can get, no matter what variety. Then, if you're looking to collect seeds from the ornamental, you'd want as much fruit as you can get. BTW, all of the pups I mentioned from '07 and '08. in my posting, "New basjoo pup" were swords. Lets hope the '09 one(s) are also. __________________ John

06-12-2009, 03:48 PM	#6 (permalink)
conejov Rabid Nanner Location: Houston, Tx Zone: 9 Name: Alex Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 530 BananaBucks : 7,684 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 37 Thanked 310 Times in 192 Posts Welcomes: 105	Re: Sword vs Water Suckers Im with Magilla Im usually just happy that I've got a new pup! but then again I might just not understand wha tthe difrence is between the too. __________________

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06-13-2009, 11:45 PM	#8 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 655 BananaBucks : 11,729 Feedback: 7 / 100% Thanks: 0 Thanked 545 Times in 185 Posts Welcomes: 0	Re: Sword vs Water Suckers See pix at Water suckers __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

06-14-2009, 12:52 AM	#9 (permalink)
Patty in Wisc tropical nut Zone: 5 Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 2,261 BananaBucks : 12,134 Feedback: 0 / 0% Thanks: 1,873 Thanked 1,434 Times in 714 Posts Welcomes: 59	Re: Sword vs Water Suckers I don't know how I missed that . Thanks Jon! Now, what's the diff between a sword pup. & a tissue cultered plant? __________________ Got a lite? Patty

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