Iowa

Now we have 4 Orinoco bloom's in a row.

edwmax

Congratulations .... In Iowa, too. ... Great looking plants. Contrary to some other opinions, there is not a damn thing wrong with Orinoco bananas!


When is your first frost date? You might get a couple of hands to mature. Soak some potassium sulfate and a little nitrogen fertilizer in a bucket of water. Pour a gallon of this around the roots of each plant every 5 days. If the days are beginning to be cool, put a clear or white trash bag over the bunches. This will be a mini green house and keep the bugs off. I don't think you will have time to mature a full bunch, so about 8" to 10" below the 4th or 5th hand cut the bud off. Then cut off all the finger but one on the last hand. Orinoco takes about 90 days to mature a bunch, but you can push it to about 60 to 70 days.

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HMelendez

[quote=Iowa;317990]Now we have 4 Orinoco bloom's in a row.






Congrats Mike!......

Iowa

When is your first frost date? You might get a couple of hands to mature. Soak some potassium sulfate and a little nitrogen fertilizer in a bucket of water. Pour a gallon of this around the roots of each plant every 5 days. If the days are beginning to be cool, put a clear or white trash bag over the bunches. This will be a mini green house and keep the bugs off. I don't think you will have time to mature a full bunch, so about 8" to 10" below the 4th or 5th hand cut the bud off. Then cut off all the finger but one on the last hand. Orinoco takes about 90 days to mature a bunch, but you can push it to about 60 to 70 days.[/quote]

Mid October for a frost date, but here you never know. I will be watching the forecast.

kaczercat

Finally I am able to post in this thread!
Musa Manzano

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Matt

edwmax

Mid October for a frost date, but here you never know. I will be watching the forecast.[/quote]


About 45 days. You might get the top two hands to maturity and then ripen inside after the first freeze.

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mari@adams.net

What does the potassium sulfate and nitrogen fertilizer do?

edwmax

Make plants grow! At least those that require extra potassium such as bananas, citrus, and grapes.


The roots of banana plants reduce their take up of nutrients when the plant buds. The fruit production then depends on the stored nutrients of the leaves and pstem. Thus the general recommendation and practice to stop all fertilizer when the plant buds. ... However, it has been shown by controlled research, that foliar spraying of the leaves and bunch with potassium along with a little bit of nitrogen will benefit fruit production.


While the banana roots uptake is reduced, it hasn't stopped completely. My recommendation to use liquid form of potassium is for quicker up take by the plant.


Our member TyTaylor has attested to these benefits of extra potassium several times to push the banana bunch to mature faster some as little as 45 days.

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edwmax

My preference for potassium sulfate is because the added sulfur will acidify the soil around the banana root and help with the break down of fertilizers.


The cheaper Murate of Potash (potassium chloride) had chlorides or chlorates. The extra chlorides can build up to toxic levels in soils and be a problem for chloride intolerant banana plants. This is a problem in soils which already have a high content of chloride or chlorate.


For most banana growers on the forum Murate of potash can be used without any problems. Just know how much chloride is already in your soil.

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mari@adams.net

Where do you buy Potassium Sulfate? Big box stores? I have a Schultz brand of soluble 14-24-24 and a 24-8-16 Expert brand of fertilizer, also a 15-30-15. I'm assuming that the 14-24-24 would be best for foliar spraying. Granular 10-10-10. I am limited as to where I can find fertilizers....big box stores. How often would I foliar spray? Probably too late in my season to think about doing this.

edwmax

yes, the big box stores and your local garden center should have these or at least the Murate of Potash. .... Check to see if there is a local Farm Center (other than Tractor Supply) dealing fertilizers or a local manufacturer. You should be able to get the best pricing from these. ... Walmart ... Use what ever is the most economical. You can easily calculate quantity and cost for the season and adjust as needed per the NPK.



... Those high phosphate & potassium fertilizers (usually special purpose) you named above tend to be very expensive when low cost triple NPK and supplement potassium is more economical.



Use a water soluble fertilizer or a liquid for foliar. I use Miracle Grow. Timing depends on the strengths of the mix. But every 2 weeks is normal farm field application.

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mari@adams.net

Thanks for your expert reply.....I am assuming the 14-24-24 would be best to spray.....1 tablespoon per gallon of water every two weeks. Does it make any difference what time of day to spray this? I could also apply this to the soil and spray it at the same time?

Nicolas Naranja

Williams


Pisang Raja

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Some people go bananas, I went plantains.