Will removal of a Pup negatively impact the mother plant?
 

I am hoping for my almost 6 feet (5 close to 6) Goldfinger to bloom and fruit this summer. At the same time I really like the plant and since I have three pups coming from it I would like to get some more of it. Will removing any of these pups have a negative impact on the mother and potentially push out any flowering etc?

Sorry for all the questions but I am just getting into this and becoming more and more active.:03:

Re: Will removal of a Pup negatively impact the mother plant?
 

I clip pups all the time from mother's. I loosen the dirt in & around the pup so I can make sure I'm not cutting roots. Sometime's I use a garden spade to lossen dirt slightly so once propping the pup the roots on it don't break. I pot the pups in a non direct sun spot for a week to recoop (grow some roots, and so leaves don't burn either). Then I transition into more light. :^)

Re: Will removal of a Pup negatively impact the mother plant?
 

If you do it carefully, as Michael described, and you don't sever a lot of roots, it shouldn't have a significant impact on the mother. I would leave 1-2 of the pups on there to replace the main plant after it fruits, though.

Re: Will removal of a Pup negatively impact the mother plant?
 

I won't worry about leaving pups on until the mother is a least 5-6ft. Then I'd leave one or two. :^)

Re: Will removal of a Pup negatively impact the mother plant?
 

Yes/No.

The more you disturb the parent plant's roots, the more affect there will be. Each variety is different. Some are not very sensitive (Misi Luki, etc). Others are very sensitive, e.g. the Cavendish varieties. The affect is more pronounced if you do it very close to flowering.

Re: Will removal of a Pup negatively impact the mother plant?
 

I removed a pup from this Dwarf Brazilian to send to another member and as you can see 3 leaves have died since the removal. The other almost mature plant in the same stand suffered no damage as it was on the other side of the removed pup. So yes it can affect the health of the mother.

This is the plant the pup was removed from showing damage.


The area where the digging bar meets the soil is where the pup used to reside.


And this is the unaffected plant on the other side of the stand.