Ablessed

My indoor banana plant decided to fruit after three years! It began in July with our warm and humid weather. It is doing wonderfully, but I am wondering what will happen as the temperatures are dropping fast. Outdoors it gets to -35 C (-31 F) in winter. Indoors it might be 17-21 C (62-70 F). Will that be too cold? Will they stop growing? Will they slow down? Just wondering...

cincinnana

Congratulations.....
My plants in Ohio flower also. My season is not long enough to grow the plant out for fruit, but I am rewarded with some flowers.

Do exactly what you have been doing in the past three years that you have had the plants and see what happens.

Your plants will slow down ....just like they have done in the past when you bring them indoors.
The only difference is ....you have a flower.

What have your plants done in the past?

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Ablessed

Flowers, but no bananas? What a bummer!
Have you tried bringing one indoors?
The first couple of years I battled spider mites. I used homemade concoctions, which were not that effective. Every two weeks I would spray it and trim dry edges off the leaves. Then, last September, I bought Bug B Gon and I only had to spray it once. I didn't have to trim dried edges off the leaves all winter. By spring it looked more healthy than ever and I guess I didn't realize that it was ovulating!
In summer, I usually fertilize it every two weeks with half strength 20-20-20. I wonder, should I keep fertilizing through the winter since it is fruiting?
Will the bananas suffer if it slows down over the winter?

JP

Where are you located?

cincinnana

Ablessed is in Manitoba

I get small green fruit which never ripens, and by December the fruit falls off.

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JP

If you don't have a greenhouse, you'll need plenty of artificial light...

Ablessed

I am in southern Manitoba. It is in a turret of the house with lots of windows around. But the turret faces west, unfortunately. There is a chandelier with five 120V/60Hz bulbs right above it. Could that help? That and a small heater at its base for the coldest days? Humidity will be around 35.

Ablessed

I get small green fruit which never ripens, and by December the fruit falls off.[/quote]

That is a shame!

Ablessed

What are your temperatures in winter?

cincinnana

Here is a snapshot of my weather.
My grow season is a short 170 days+- frost to frost.

Climate Cincinnati - Ohio and Weather averages Cincinnati

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siege2050

I would just bring it in like you always do, seems to be working for you so far. You might not spray the fruit with bug be gone though if you want to eat them, not sure if that one is for edibles. Maybe they will finish producing indoors. Its a job if you have a lot of plants, but I just spray the leaves with water in a spray bottle and wipe them down with paper towels, it can help to control spider mites.

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chris_zx2

Keep us updated, I'm in Montreal so I know how it is. Temperatures getting down around 55 in the night already....

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--Chris
So far:
Dwarf Cavendish -- Basjoo -- Bunch of Truly Tiny

JP

I think you'll need something way stronger than that if you want it to fruit inside...

cincinnana

Probably not..however if you switched out the bulbs to 300 watt output 6500k full spectrum cfls and moved your plant about two feet under the light you might have a chance to grow your plant.
You will need to keep the lights on for 15 hours a day every day for7-9 months
Cost so far to do this will be with utilities could be in the 250.00 range.
This is just a guess.

To get a good understanding on technique with the use of grow lights go to the Youtube website and use keyword "grow lights" marijuana /bananas and watch some of the videos that are posted.


This is just enough light to sustain a few small plants.
.

Grow lights 3x 68 watt spiral cfl
by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr

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Ablessed

This is helpful.
I've begun looking for grow lamps on amazon. Not sure which bulb is the right one. Too bad our chandelier has the bulbs facing upwards. The most I think I could do is two bulbs on lampstands.
I am going to try to upload a picture here:
Did it work? (Not sure how to do it.)
E:\DCIM\110NIKON\DSCN4299.JPG

cincinnana

When you get a chance check this Amazon site out; they have items you could use .
Is it the best stuff......no, but it will give you a good idea of what your options are.
Amazon.com : CowboyStudio Photo and Video Studio Umbrella Continuous Lighting Light Kit- 27 feet Stands, 1 Mini Stand and Carry Case : Photographic Studio Equipment : Camera & Photo
Do check out those youtube videos.

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Ablessed

I have replaced four of the five bulbs above the plant with 5000k 13W compact fluorescents. The chandelier faces the bulbs upwards, unfortunately, but it hangs only 14" from the tip of the tallest leaf. I am also counting on the white ceiling to act as an umbrella to reflect light back to the plant.
A baseboard heater will eventually be placed at the base to keep the temp. above 70. I am spraying the plant with water daily.

chris_zx2

A 13w CFL is equivalent to 60 watts. In terms of cost effectiveness I strongly recommend a minimum of 23w. If you can afford the big ones it would better.
I also suggest half 2700k and half 6500k. Although CFL's are full spectrum you want most of the light to be red and blues. Plants use the red and blues most effectively.
To make it clearer a 5000K bulb may put out 25% blue (6500K) and 10% red (2700K) but the remaining 65% will be in the unusable range. If you use the 6500K and 2700K you will be much more efficient.
Also keep in mind reds (2700K) simulate lower sun for fruiting and blues (6500K) simulate middle of summer for vegetative growth.
As well a distance of 6-8" is ideal for growth.

I know all this is hard to accomplish aesthetically, that is why I build my 10 bulb systems (1000W) in spare rooms and I install track lighting with spot bulbs for public areas.

Here is the color charts showing the spectrum's; keep an eye on the reds and blues:
***sorry couldn't find 5000K but it will be mid range greens to blues.

6500K:


2700k:

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--Chris
So far:
Dwarf Cavendish -- Basjoo -- Bunch of Truly Tiny

lmswayne

I would keep giving them food and pollinate the flowers with a paint brush give them stronger light and you may get to eat the fruit. It worked for me.

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Kat2

I was under the impression that flowers were only for show on non viable seed producing bananas--the ones you eat without breaking your teeth chowing down. Am I wrong? Common figs are essentially virgins; the "fruit" is inverted flowers. But this is not about the sex life of ficus...

Am I supposed to be playing bee if my DC ever flowers?

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