Scott

So I understand that I can put a 'bag' on the bananas to help the gases ripen the fruit. Body bag? Plastic bag? Paper bag? Need specifics here. My babies bloomed 2 months ago. Wondering if they'll ever turn yellow.
Like your input if you have the time.
Oh yes, by the way...Mediahound really helped me out last year with all of my questions.
Thanks Jarred for your help and advise for growing my trees and seperating pups.
Here is where I am with the Manzanos:




My Dwarf mat:



Of course those are my best Apple/Bananas right now. The other 3 trees are fruiting skinny nanaz for now. I still feed them every Sunday, keep pups to a minimum, keep yellow leaves removed...I spoil them
Thanks
-Scott (with 2 'T's)

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island cassie

Hey Scott - nice plants and congratulations on the fruit! Your Manzanos will take 4-5 months minimum to ripen and I would forget about the bag idea and be patient. When the first finger turns yellow (and they don't all change colour at the same time) - time to cut the bunch down!

I have just cut a bunch of Manzanos this week and they are delicious - so you have a treat in store in November/December.

Gabe15

I agree with Cassie that you should not worry about the bagging unless you are having problems with critters getting at the fruit. The bagging of bunches in the field is just for protection, it does not help with development or ripening. Once they are harvested, bagging them can speed up ripening buu you need to wait until they are fully developed.

On another note, the plants you have do not look like 'Manzano' (common 'Apple', Silk subgroup, AAB), but rather 'Brazilian' (which is sometimes also called 'Apple', but is Pome subgroup, AAB). It is still a great cultivar and highly prized for its fruit. In fact members of the Pome subgroup are some of the most popular dessert bananas grown anywhere.

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Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

Scott

I'm onboard with you Gabe...These aren't the 'Apple-Banana' plants we had when I was younger in Hawaii... Lived on Oahu's windward side of the island and always had fresh fruit for my drive to work. These plants grow into the Oak trees here stretching for sun and exploding with huge solar panel leaves.
If someone wanted to sell me a pup from the islands...hit me up and I'll arrange UPS to drop by your place shhhh to F-L-A Mediahound said to be patient ....and I have been....and will continue to be till #1 turns yellow, then down they come We use to hang the bunch in the garage. Every few days I would bring in another 20 to work. They loved it
No bag...thanks for the advise. 1st tree flagged around the end of June. Hope to harvest in the next 6 weeks then.
Thanks again Island and Gabe

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momoese

Scott, the banana Gabe is referring to is the same banana that's commonly grown in Hawaii. It's called Hawaiian Apple or Tall Brazilian. If this is actually what you have your lucky because in my humble opinion its better tasting than Manzano.

Gabe15

Whats more confusing is that in Hawaii, there are 2 different varieties that are both called 'Apple'. The one you might remember as a kid may have been the dwarf one, of which the plants and flowers look different but the fruit is almost identical. I think you have the tall one, which would taste the same as the dwarf, its just a much larger plant.

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Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.

Scott

Probably so Gabe.
We lived Lanikai and had trees all over. I can't reach the fruit from my current plants. The ones on island were in reach from the ground. I don't even think they were 12' at the highest leaf, 7-8 foot to the flag leaf. Just loved making peanut butter and nana sandwich....food of the surf gods.
Hopefully these will bring us back to the islands when we take our 1st bite.

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planetrj

I just asked my friend Keali'i in Manoa, and he said that the one that Hawai'ians usually eat that is what he knows as apple is called Hua Moa, because of the shape of it, and it supposedly has the Green Apple flavor that's even slightly tangy. Manzano being Spanish for Apple, I think maybe that's the difference. He said that they do have "Baby Bananas" and he thinks that's Manzano. All this said, he's just Hawai'ian, and not an arborist.

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you will never have enough bananas ^_^

capthof

I have a Brazilian and a Manzano or apple banana; Hawaiian Apple may not be same, I don't know.
The Brazilian is very different, mats like crazy and takes For...ev....er to ripen.
The Manzano bloomed the first of August and in starting to plum up.
The Brazilian bloomed the first of July and has not shown any signs of getting thicker, except around the base where I am constantly thinning the pups out.
As far as harvesting the fruit, Island Cassie is right.
The only thing I do different is sometimes I will remove the upper hands as they ripen without cutting into the stalk. This spreads my harvest over several weeks instead of all at once.
Enjoy;
Scott Hof

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momoese

Yep, you have to stay on top those pups or they will over run your yard real quick. Typically mine take 6-7 months to to ripen here in So Cal.

Gabe15

'Hua Moa' is a completely different variety, I don't know of anywhere that its common or called 'Apple', especially in Manoa (where I live too). 'Hua Moa' is a Hawaiian traditional variety, a Popo'ulu, which is rarely grown. 'Manzano' is also rare here, sometimes you will see it growing in peoples yards, but its not sold anywhere. People usually call it 'Amorosa' or 'True Apple' here. 'Apple' in Hawaii is either 'Brazilian' or 'Santa Catarina Prata' which is a type of Dwarf Brazilian, both belong to the Pome/Prata subgroup and have very similar fruit. "Baby Bananas" that are sold in the grocery store are not 'Manzano' either, but a type of Sucrier (AA).

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Growing bananas in Colorado, Washington, Hawaii since 2004. Commercial banana farmer, 200+ varieties.