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skybox

08-18-2011 11:01 PM

what should i do with my pup

I noticed my banana plant is putting up its first pup today. the mother plant was bought and planted in a pot this spring and will need to be taken inside over the winter months. It has put on 11 leaves since the first week of june. My goal is to try and get the plant to produce fruit and then cut down the mother and continue the cycle with the next pup.

Basically my question is if I should pinch this pup off and wait another summer before letting a new pup start to grow on its own or let it grow now?

Dalmatiansoap

08-19-2011 01:49 AM

Re: what should i do with my pup

Let it grow, more pups-more chance for overwintering.

tasanas

08-19-2011 11:07 PM

Re: what should i do with my pup

Usually I let the new pup grow. When the mother plant yields fruit and was cut down, the new one will be grown enough. Unless there are too many small pups then I move some of them away.

skybox

08-19-2011 11:34 PM

Re: what should i do with my pup

Quote:

Originally Posted by tasanas (Post 171524)

Usually I let the new pup grow. When the mother plant yields fruit and was cut down, the new one will be grown enough. Unless there are too many small pups then I move some of them away.

Thats basically what i was thinking except i just wonder if it would be better to stop this pup and wait until next summer before i let one start growing, my thought is that i want more energy going to the mother PS until it is larger. (perhaps another growing season larger). I hadn't thought about the overwintering issues because i plan on keeping it indoors so i expect it should live through the winter.

If it is a water sucker pup Vs a sword pup should i remove it to a new pot?
How long does it take before i can tell the difference between the two types of pups?

Maybe the best thing to do is keep one sword pup each growing season? I'm guessing it may take 3 summers before i see any fruit.

thanks for the help

sunfish

08-20-2011 12:16 AM

Re: what should i do with my pup

Quote:

Originally Posted by skybox (Post 171525)

I would leave it and separate in the spring.

skybox

08-20-2011 12:25 AM

Re: what should i do with my pup

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunfish (Post 171526)

I would leave it and separate in the spring.

what is the advantage to separating it from the mother plant? Isn't there more chance of disturbing existing root structures by doing that and then waiting for the plant to overcome transplant shock?

sunfish

08-20-2011 12:34 AM

Re: what should i do with my pup

Quote:

Originally Posted by skybox (Post 171527)

what is the advantage to separating it from the mother plant? Isn't there more chance of disturbing existing root structures by doing that and then waiting for the plant to overcome transplant shock?

In the spring the plant will recover quickly,and you will have two separate plants.You can grow that plant for two or three years only to have it flower to late for the fruit to develop. Why clip it off unless you have more plants then you have room for,like me.:ha:

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