What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) - Page 73

meizzwang · 08-02-2017, 12:04 PM

First off, thank you crazybanana for the opportunity to grow the real deal blue java! I acquired a very healthy sword pup around aug. 2015 and almost exactly 2 years later, that same pup is now producing a flag leaf! Here in Northern California, things take much longer to flower and mature, and if you don't get them to bloom at the right time, they won't make it.

Last year, I had an FHIA-1 american goldfinger bloom mid October and it's now ripening! However, I also had one bloom either late October or November (can't remember) and that one didn't make it at all.

Unless this variety finishes in 60 days, these bananas will need to endure our cold winter, and should they survive that, they'll likely ripen in early summer of next year. From what I've learned, if you live in a cooler climate and light frosts, as long as your bananas have a few months to thicken up, they can survive the winters. Again, this assumes you have mild frosts and not too many of them. Of course, you're also at the mercy of the weather: if we have a cold autumn and very minimal growth from now until winter, it's quite possible the bananas won't develop enough to withstand the cold winter temps. The goal is to get the fingers out of that young, "asparagus" stage and get them thicker/fatter. It appears the thicker and fatter the banana, the more cold they can tolerate.

For sure, this variety leans really hard so it has to be staked or tied up. I have some rope that I can tie to some railing to keep it in place, should be okay. Pretty excited to see the bloom, pictures online suggest this variety is really beautiful when in full bloom.

Photos taken 8/2/17:

(takes a bow) yes, I understand this is an A+ pic with some serious deep, artistic effects, but had to post it just to show you how much this thing leans! The flowering p-stem is to the very right:

To give you perspective, this is the same flowering p-stem Feb. 2017. It didn't start producing a new leaf until end of May this year.

Tytaylor77 · 08-02-2017, 10:32 PM

Congrats! Mine just bloomed also! I mean exact same bud position. I will keep you updated how mine does!

sputinc7 · 08-06-2017, 08:43 PM

My bunch is all filled in. I was away all weekend and came back to 60 new fingers on the Namwah, a new Goldfinger pup and 4 new GM pups...
Here is a pic of the Namwah bunch... 5 hands of 12 each. How long, realistically, before these should be ready?

meizzwang · 08-14-2017, 12:48 PM

Here's Ice Cream starting to bloom in Northern California. There aren't many fingers per hand, but maybe that's a good thing because there doesn't seem to be a lot of leaves on this p-stem to support a full bunch. Photos taken 8/14/17:

Again, thank you Crazybanana!!!!!

crazy banana · 08-15-2017, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meizzwang

Here's Ice Cream starting to bloom in Northern California. There aren't many fingers per hand, but maybe that's a good thing because there doesn't seem to be a lot of leaves on this p-stem to support a full bunch. Photos taken 8/14/17:

Again, thank you Crazybanana!!!!!

Congratulations. Well deserved fruit bunch! Beautiful photos also.

Tytaylor77 · 08-15-2017, 03:09 AM

Mine just finished! 9 hands. On 2nd or 3rd set of male flowers. Such a pretty flower to watch!!! Ours are for sure the exact same!!! For sure 100% blue java!!

Also mine started with not many fingers on the first couple hands. I bet you have more on the rest! I am so surprised how much faster mine developed!!! I'm seriously shocked! I thought you was a little ahead of me!!! It's the heat here I guess been in the 90s daily! Extra high humidity also.

This flower seems to make so much nectar!! Anyone else notice that? Compared to other varieties. I have a picture of mine where 5-6 fingers on the same hand are just pouring nectar all at once.

Yours looks amazing! You always take the best pictures!!

meizzwang · 08-15-2017, 12:05 PM

thanks everyone!

Ty:wow, 9 hands?! Congrats, that's awesome!!!! Sounds like you have a beast of a plant flowering!

For sure, this blue java will take much longer to develop here in Northern California compared to 90+F, hot, humid Texas! . It's been in the mid 60's to low 70's here during the day, and mid to low 50's at night, much cooler than normal for this time of year. Given our poor weather this year, I'm not even sure this bunch will make it thru the winter, but we'll see. If anything, it'll be a great test on the cold hardiness of blue java: by the time frost hits, should this variety be truly cold tolerant, the bananas should be developed enough to tolerate mild, occasional frosts.

With regards to nectar production, it's difficult to tell because this time, I can't reach the flower for inspection, it's way too high up. Those pictures are taken from 9 or 10 feet below, it's a little bit deceptive.

imclumbi · 08-15-2017, 07:27 PM

New at this so not sure this will work but here is a link to an album that I started. This is whats blooming now. Banana Gallery - Message

robguz24 · 08-15-2017, 10:43 PM

CRBP-39. 11 months to flower. It's a big one! Also one of the more beautiful cultivars I have.

And 9 days later

sputinc7 · 08-17-2017, 01:54 PM

Here is a pic of both my namwah plants flowering together, just a few weeks apart. The first one, in back, has 60 fingers, 5 hands of 12 each. The smaller one blooming now has been leaning since hurricane Matthew and was beginning to fall under it's own weight before blooming. So, I propped it with some wood I had.

Here is a close up of the one blooming now...

Here is the bloom on the one that finished a couple weeks ago, now making males.

meizzwang · 08-23-2017, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tytaylor77

Mine just finished! 9 hands. On 2nd or 3rd set of male flowers. Such a pretty flower to watch!!! Ours are for sure the exact same!!! For sure 100% blue java!!

Also mine started with not many fingers on the first couple hands. I bet you have more on the rest! I am so surprised how much faster mine developed!!! I'm seriously shocked! I thought you was a little ahead of me!!! It's the heat here I guess been in the 90s daily! Extra high humidity also.

This flower seems to make so much nectar!! Anyone else notice that? Compared to other varieties. I have a picture of mine where 5-6 fingers on the same hand are just pouring nectar all at once.

Yours looks amazing! You always take the best pictures!!

You were definitely right Ty, there's more fingers on subsequent hands! Photos taken 8/20/17, to recap, this is Musa Ice Cream aka Blue Java:

katykat · 08-26-2017, 02:24 PM

Here is my little African Red (photo taken yesterday). I took a quick look this morning between rain squalls (we're just west of Houston and Harvey won't leave), and the flower and hands (a second one has appeared) were absolutely covered with ants. Just sprayed Neem on a neighboring hibiscus because it was covered with mealybugs, and my entire garden is full of little black ants (not fire ants). I am worried that they may be herding aphids or something else that I can't see. Is it normal to see a flower and hands covered with ants?

Tytaylor77 · 08-27-2017, 01:10 AM

Ants are very normal around banana flowers. They love the sweet sap. The fire ants are very bad on fruiting varieties.

PR-Giants · 08-27-2017, 03:58 PM

NCBananas · 08-30-2017, 03:56 PM

This was happening during all the rain

Velutina

NCBananas · 08-31-2017, 07:24 AM

NCBananas · 08-31-2017, 04:22 PM

NCBananas · 08-31-2017, 04:26 PM

NCBananas · 09-01-2017, 06:59 AM

geissene · 09-01-2017, 05:30 PM

Very nice portulacas, I also have a patch of them!

How tall did the velutina get before flowering?

Erik

08-02-2017, 12:04 PM	#1441 (permalink)
meizzwang Zone: 9b Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 235 BananaBucks : 69,001 Feedback: 4 / 100% Said "Thanks" 647 Times Was Thanked 1,031 Times in 218 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) First off, thank you crazybanana for the opportunity to grow the real deal blue java! I acquired a very healthy sword pup around aug. 2015 and almost exactly 2 years later, that same pup is now producing a flag leaf! Here in Northern California, things take much longer to flower and mature, and if you don't get them to bloom at the right time, they won't make it. Last year, I had an FHIA-1 american goldfinger bloom mid October and it's now ripening! However, I also had one bloom either late October or November (can't remember) and that one didn't make it at all. Unless this variety finishes in 60 days, these bananas will need to endure our cold winter, and should they survive that, they'll likely ripen in early summer of next year. From what I've learned, if you live in a cooler climate and light frosts, as long as your bananas have a few months to thicken up, they can survive the winters. Again, this assumes you have mild frosts and not too many of them. Of course, you're also at the mercy of the weather: if we have a cold autumn and very minimal growth from now until winter, it's quite possible the bananas won't develop enough to withstand the cold winter temps. The goal is to get the fingers out of that young, "asparagus" stage and get them thicker/fatter. It appears the thicker and fatter the banana, the more cold they can tolerate. For sure, this variety leans really hard so it has to be staked or tied up. I have some rope that I can tie to some railing to keep it in place, should be okay. Pretty excited to see the bloom, pictures online suggest this variety is really beautiful when in full bloom. Photos taken 8/2/17: (takes a bow) yes, I understand this is an A+ pic with some serious deep, artistic effects, but had to post it just to show you how much this thing leans! The flowering p-stem is to the very right: To give you perspective, this is the same flowering p-stem Feb. 2017. It didn't start producing a new leaf until end of May this year. Last edited by meizzwang : 08-02-2017 at 12:08 PM.

08-02-2017, 10:32 PM	#1442 (permalink)
Tytaylor77 Banana Plants for Trade Location: East Texas Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Name: Ty Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 1,367 BananaBucks : 47,594 Feedback: 11 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,612 Times Was Thanked 3,726 Times in 1,185 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 424 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) Congrats! Mine just bloomed also! I mean exact same bud position. I will keep you updated how mine does! __________________ 150+ Varieties!!. See profile for list. Help me add more! CLICK HERE TO SEE PICTURES OF MY MUSA COLLECTION! www.bananapups.com

08-06-2017, 08:43 PM	#1443 (permalink)
sputinc7 Location: Palm Bay, Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Steve Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,394 BananaBucks : 101,591 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 352 Times Was Thanked 2,430 Times in 971 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 295 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) My bunch is all filled in. I was away all weekend and came back to 60 new fingers on the Namwah, a new Goldfinger pup and 4 new GM pups... Here is a pic of the Namwah bunch... 5 hands of 12 each. How long, realistically, before these should be ready? __________________ If you lose your head and give up, you neither live nor win. https://sputinc7.wixsite.com/covwc Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel. What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more. Last edited by sputinc7 : 08-06-2017 at 08:46 PM.

08-14-2017, 12:48 PM	#1444 (permalink)
meizzwang Zone: 9b Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 235 BananaBucks : 69,001 Feedback: 4 / 100% Said "Thanks" 647 Times Was Thanked 1,031 Times in 218 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) Here's Ice Cream starting to bloom in Northern California. There aren't many fingers per hand, but maybe that's a good thing because there doesn't seem to be a lot of leaves on this p-stem to support a full bunch. Photos taken 8/14/17: Again, thank you Crazybanana!!!!!

08-15-2017, 03:09 AM	#1446 (permalink)
Tytaylor77 Banana Plants for Trade Location: East Texas Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Name: Ty Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 1,367 BananaBucks : 47,594 Feedback: 11 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,612 Times Was Thanked 3,726 Times in 1,185 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 424 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) Mine just finished! 9 hands. On 2nd or 3rd set of male flowers. Such a pretty flower to watch!!! Ours are for sure the exact same!!! For sure 100% blue java!! Also mine started with not many fingers on the first couple hands. I bet you have more on the rest! I am so surprised how much faster mine developed!!! I'm seriously shocked! I thought you was a little ahead of me!!! It's the heat here I guess been in the 90s daily! Extra high humidity also. This flower seems to make so much nectar!! Anyone else notice that? Compared to other varieties. I have a picture of mine where 5-6 fingers on the same hand are just pouring nectar all at once. Yours looks amazing! You always take the best pictures!! __________________ 150+ Varieties!!. See profile for list. Help me add more! CLICK HERE TO SEE PICTURES OF MY MUSA COLLECTION! www.bananapups.com Last edited by Tytaylor77 : 08-15-2017 at 03:11 AM.

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08-15-2017, 12:05 PM	#1447 (permalink)
meizzwang Zone: 9b Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 235 BananaBucks : 69,001 Feedback: 4 / 100% Said "Thanks" 647 Times Was Thanked 1,031 Times in 218 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) thanks everyone! Ty:wow, 9 hands?! Congrats, that's awesome!!!! Sounds like you have a beast of a plant flowering! For sure, this blue java will take much longer to develop here in Northern California compared to 90+F, hot, humid Texas! . It's been in the mid 60's to low 70's here during the day, and mid to low 50's at night, much cooler than normal for this time of year. Given our poor weather this year, I'm not even sure this bunch will make it thru the winter, but we'll see. If anything, it'll be a great test on the cold hardiness of blue java: by the time frost hits, should this variety be truly cold tolerant, the bananas should be developed enough to tolerate mild, occasional frosts. With regards to nectar production, it's difficult to tell because this time, I can't reach the flower for inspection, it's way too high up. Those pictures are taken from 9 or 10 feet below, it's a little bit deceptive.

08-15-2017, 07:27 PM	#1448 (permalink)
imclumbi Location: Davie, Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 10b Name: John Join Date: Aug 2017 Posts: 440 BananaBucks : 50,923 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 511 Times Was Thanked 693 Times in 228 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 6 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) New at this so not sure this will work but here is a link to an album that I started. This is whats blooming now. Banana Gallery - Message __________________ The Musa Muse - an all things banana and plantain forum. https://www.facebook.com/groups/Them...epa=SEARCH_BOX John

08-15-2017, 10:43 PM	#1449 (permalink)
robguz24 Rob Location: Kalapana, Hawaii Find me on the map! Zone: 11 Name: Rob Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,506 BananaBucks : 260,658 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,320 Times Was Thanked 4,961 Times in 1,080 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 204 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) CRBP-39. 11 months to flower. It's a big one! Also one of the more beautiful cultivars I have. And 9 days later __________________ My micro-farm Stay on my Big Island banana farm cottage Last edited by robguz24 : 08-25-2017 at 03:34 AM.

08-17-2017, 01:54 PM	#1450 (permalink)
sputinc7 Location: Palm Bay, Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Steve Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,394 BananaBucks : 101,591 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 352 Times Was Thanked 2,430 Times in 971 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 295 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) Here is a pic of both my namwah plants flowering together, just a few weeks apart. The first one, in back, has 60 fingers, 5 hands of 12 each. The smaller one blooming now has been leaning since hurricane Matthew and was beginning to fall under it's own weight before blooming. So, I propped it with some wood I had. Here is a close up of the one blooming now... Here is the bloom on the one that finished a couple weeks ago, now making males. __________________ If you lose your head and give up, you neither live nor win. https://sputinc7.wixsite.com/covwc Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel. What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more. Last edited by sputinc7 : 08-17-2017 at 02:15 PM.

08-26-2017, 02:24 PM	#1452 (permalink)
katykat Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 64 BananaBucks : 22,321 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 43 Times Was Thanked 58 Times in 20 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) Here is my little African Red (photo taken yesterday). I took a quick look this morning between rain squalls (we're just west of Houston and Harvey won't leave), and the flower and hands (a second one has appeared) were absolutely covered with ants. Just sprayed Neem on a neighboring hibiscus because it was covered with mealybugs, and my entire garden is full of little black ants (not fire ants). I am worried that they may be herding aphids or something else that I can't see. Is it normal to see a flower and hands covered with ants?

08-27-2017, 01:10 AM	#1453 (permalink)
Tytaylor77 Banana Plants for Trade Location: East Texas Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Name: Ty Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 1,367 BananaBucks : 47,594 Feedback: 11 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,612 Times Was Thanked 3,726 Times in 1,185 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 424 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) Ants are very normal around banana flowers. They love the sweet sap. The fire ants are very bad on fruiting varieties. __________________ 150+ Varieties!!. See profile for list. Help me add more! CLICK HERE TO SEE PICTURES OF MY MUSA COLLECTION! www.bananapups.com

08-27-2017, 03:58 PM	#1454 (permalink)
PR-Giants Commercial Grower Location: Florida & Greater Antilles Find me on the map! Join Date: Feb 2012 Posts: 4,544 BananaBucks : 2,053 Feedback: 16 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2,900 Times Was Thanked 12,461 Times in 3,620 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 3,204 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) __________________ PR-Giants Photo Gallery 15,000+ Varieties

08-30-2017, 03:56 PM	#1455 (permalink)
NCBananas Location: S.E. NC at the bottom corner, SC NC Border Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 104 BananaBucks : 10,691 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 140 Times Was Thanked 250 Times in 66 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 72 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) This was happening during all the rain Velutina __________________ Dwarf Red, Basjoo , Gros Michel , Truly Tiny, Little Prince FHIA-01, Dwarf Iholena Veinte Cohol Velutina Dwarf Cavindish Dwarf Nam Wa Ensete Maurelii Sikkimensis Plumeria Elephant Ears Cannas Calla's Bougainvillea Hibiscus

08-31-2017, 07:24 AM	#1456 (permalink)
NCBananas Location: S.E. NC at the bottom corner, SC NC Border Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 104 BananaBucks : 10,691 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 140 Times Was Thanked 250 Times in 66 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 72 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) __________________ Dwarf Red, Basjoo , Gros Michel , Truly Tiny, Little Prince FHIA-01, Dwarf Iholena Veinte Cohol Velutina Dwarf Cavindish Dwarf Nam Wa Ensete Maurelii Sikkimensis Plumeria Elephant Ears Cannas Calla's Bougainvillea Hibiscus

08-31-2017, 04:22 PM	#1457 (permalink)
NCBananas Location: S.E. NC at the bottom corner, SC NC Border Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 104 BananaBucks : 10,691 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 140 Times Was Thanked 250 Times in 66 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 72 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) __________________ Dwarf Red, Basjoo , Gros Michel , Truly Tiny, Little Prince FHIA-01, Dwarf Iholena Veinte Cohol Velutina Dwarf Cavindish Dwarf Nam Wa Ensete Maurelii Sikkimensis Plumeria Elephant Ears Cannas Calla's Bougainvillea Hibiscus

08-31-2017, 04:26 PM	#1458 (permalink)
NCBananas Location: S.E. NC at the bottom corner, SC NC Border Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 104 BananaBucks : 10,691 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 140 Times Was Thanked 250 Times in 66 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 72 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) __________________ Dwarf Red, Basjoo , Gros Michel , Truly Tiny, Little Prince FHIA-01, Dwarf Iholena Veinte Cohol Velutina Dwarf Cavindish Dwarf Nam Wa Ensete Maurelii Sikkimensis Plumeria Elephant Ears Cannas Calla's Bougainvillea Hibiscus

09-01-2017, 06:59 AM	#1459 (permalink)
NCBananas Location: S.E. NC at the bottom corner, SC NC Border Find me on the map! Zone: 8 Join Date: May 2017 Posts: 104 BananaBucks : 10,691 Feedback: 2 / 100% Said "Thanks" 140 Times Was Thanked 250 Times in 66 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 72 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) __________________ Dwarf Red, Basjoo , Gros Michel , Truly Tiny, Little Prince FHIA-01, Dwarf Iholena Veinte Cohol Velutina Dwarf Cavindish Dwarf Nam Wa Ensete Maurelii Sikkimensis Plumeria Elephant Ears Cannas Calla's Bougainvillea Hibiscus

09-01-2017, 05:30 PM	#1460 (permalink)
geissene Location: Pennsylvania Zone: 6 Name: Erik Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 489 BananaBucks : 99,002 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 301 Times Was Thanked 983 Times in 317 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 16 Times	Re: What's blooming in your garden? (bananas) Very nice portulacas, I also have a patch of them! How tall did the velutina get before flowering? Erik

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