Cpatrikis

thanks!

thats actually what I was thinking. i got it from a greenhouse in VA when i was at school down there. i dug it up but im not sure it was a pup itself or not. possibly, they did have other larger nana plants with pups on them.

i was actually going to transplant it into a bigger pot for the winter with compost to give the roots some space and keep them more insulated in my garage. maybe that'll help em out come spring time.

another question tho, how often should i be watering it over the winter (if at all). last winter i had it steadily (but slowly) growing all year. i have read tho that people even dig them up and cut their leaves and give them no watter at all.

i was thinking just a little water here and there, but not enough to root the roots of have it freeze up.

thanks guys!

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Chris

bananarama2

I haven't been here all that long either, but the consensus seems to be either keep the plant actively growing if you have a warm and sunny spot inside, or dig them up, remove most or all of the leaves, and store in a dry, cool (no freezing temperatures), and totally dark place. The roots are very prone to rot, so must be kept just barely alive (I'd personally endorse packing in a large container of peat moss, check occasionally for problems)until the spring. It tends to be a hit or miss thing with most growers, some apparently having hit upon the right combination of variables. If wintering over inside, minimum water is the rule, and watching closely for tag along spider mites, white flies and the like. You have to "think like the plant" and give it what it needs to survive the conditions you create for it when you take it out of the jungle. Not an easy task for many members here, but we tend to be on the ditch side of mainstream, and enjoying pushing the envelope. Lots of luck with your bananas over the winter, whichever method you chose.

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If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

bananarama2

Hi again Chris! Just did a quick re-read, and realized I forgot a couple of comments. Repot if you want, but don't fertilize or water other than to maintain growth as you did last year. If your garage is not heated, you might think about placing your potted banana inside a second, much larger pot, filled with peat moss or similar insulating material to protect the roots and p-stem (primary) from cold and damp. I'm guessing that whatever you did last year can be repeated, since the results were positive.

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If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

sunfish

Dalmatiansoap

Are these on action sale already?

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https://abnb.me/AXJty518xib

sunfish

Yes they are

Dalmatiansoap

Great collection!
To bad U dont shipp plants overseas .
Any specials?

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Raules

All hello! Recently has separated puppies Helens Hybrid. One of them has already begun the independent growth. Best regards!









One Helens start

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Tropical agriculturist

ladyflyfsh

Hi everyone,

My banana plants didn't handle the winter too well here in Sarasota, FL and they really died back so I cut the main stem on the two red ones (don't know variety..got them from a neighbor down the road) and they have set out several plants where there used to be just one. The tallest one now might be about 2.5 feet high or so.





The largest most mature one is the dwarf Namwah which died way back but I did not cut it. Here is what it looked like after the frost damage:



Now it has two pups that are growing and I have a predicament. I feel like they should be separated but my right hand is in a cast right now post thumb surgery and I am unable to accomplish this right now, not to mention it is super hot and dry right now. Is it ok to leave these as they are or am I doing more harm than good by leaving them this way? These photos shot just now.





Can anyone help me ID the red plants? I have one other dwarf namwah and a couple of Musa rajapuri (came two plants in one pot) should I separate them or leave them?

Thanks,

Mary

sunfish

No problem leaving the pups as they are.

sunfish

Musa Sumatrana (Rojo) - Bananas Wiki

Musa Bordelon - Bananas Wiki

Musa Zebrina X Grand Nain - Bananas Wiki

Maybe one of these

ShearMe

I'm finally getting to the point of needing advice with my Ice Cream pups...

I've got 6 pups left after winter (the mother and it's oldest died) and they're rather tightly packed. Last summer I attempted removing 3 pups, but when I did, none of them had roots and they quickly died. I cut as closely to the mother's corm as possible, and the pups were J shaped on the ends. I think this might have been due to the dense clay soil we have here in Dallas, but I'm no botanist so any other explanation holds just as much weight as mine.

Anyways, question is, how do I break up this pack of pups without killing them? The mother and it's oldest's remains can be seen in the pictures below; I'm not sure how far down their rot goes...

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sunfish

Time to separate the pups for the Spring

ShearMe

You just linked me to this very same thread... what does the accomplish?

I followed those steps last summer as mentioned, so I really just need advice on whether or not I should even attempt separation.

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bananarama2

Hi Zak, my name is Rik, and this is my first time back on the site since before Christmas so I'm not sure if you've had other feed back on your questions regarding separating pups. I have an almost identical cluster of pups that I'm going to separate this week. I would suggest separating into two clumps first (as indicated by your excellent overhead shot). Initially, these pups are just clones of the parent plant, forming off a common root mass, very much like bulbs or corms. Once old enough, they develop and independent root system, at which time they can be carefully separated from one another. I would suggest anything after about a foot and a half of height and a month of independent growth would allow for safe separation. As much as possible, think along the lines of cutting a pizza, where the mother plant is at center, the pups radiating outward, to avoid cutting off the vital feeder roots that the pup has developed. You should be able to lift out the clumps, wash off any soil to reveal the exact structure of each pup, separate to ensure root integrity, then replant as desired. Hope this was some help and that you now have a whole new "family" of bananas. Best Regards, Rik

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If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

sunfish

WELL that's how it's done .

Kostas

These pups are certainly old enough to have their own corms and roots and not dying from separation. If you feel uncomfortable removing them,you can gently remove the soil between the pup to be removed and the mother plant,find the connection of the pup to the motherplant and generally see its corm,roots,etc before removing. Pups that have developed corms of their own dont need roots to survive,although they will certainly start growing earlier and retain some of their leafs if enough roots are preserved during removal and potting up. But they survive anyway,with their only lethal enemy being overwatering and cool weather,both of which can lead to rot...

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Cpatrikis

Hey All!

Just a quickie question for all you seasoned pup pros out there! I just separated 4 pups off my main cormb and repotted into a compost mixture about 48 hours ago. ive given them water both days (not too much), mulched the pots, and made sure to keep them out of direct sunlight however sat least a couple leaves on each plant seem to be flopping over and creasing the leaves stems. I trimmed off some of the "bad" leaves towards the bottom, but on one of the pups that was separated, it was the two newest leaves that folded over as well.

Is this just a preliminary shock to the plant/ root system that will shoot back in a few days? right now i kind of wish i didnt cut back the dying leaves seeing they were still green... rookie mistake?

thoughts anyone?

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Chris

sunfish

I think it's best to go ahead and soak the soil when you first pot them. This settles all the soil around the roots. Then after that go easy on the water.They should be fine.

Bradford

I've grown bananas for several years, but this thread has a lot of good information and ideas. Thanks everyone!

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God grows bananas.