Kostas

Hello!

Inspired from a misinterpretation of something suggested in the European section,i thought i would open this fun thread for everyone in zones 8b/9a to make it a somewhat fair competition climate wise! Nothing to win or loose but some good info will probably be gained from all of us!
Ok,so who's got the first full new leaf on his/her edible bananas? Who's got the first inflorescence of the year? The first mature bananas of the year maybe? Lets all list our first things for the year,edible banana related!

Things are still kinda slow here and have yet to see new growth on my only outdoor banana(Ice Cream/Blue Java) but it has finished compartmentalizing its damaged parts and seems ready to start adding new growth anytime!

Now lets hear from YOU!

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BB73

Hi guys,

I'm in! My CaliGold is ready to join the race. Just yesterday I removed the old dry parts around the pstem and it's looking very good. Considering the small size around 30 - 40 cm stem height it survived the winter (so far) very well. But it has a big corm.
My Rajapuri lost all of its stem and both plants grow (grew?) side by side with mulch around the base and the stems wrapped with cloth. We had 12 times overnight frost up to -4°C this winter.
So that's my status before the race. No growth yet, but the soil is slowly heating up. I have a close by private weather station showing soil temperature and it's between 9 and 10 degrees at 50 cm depth and still a bit lower at 10 cm depth. As soon as the temps rise above 10 degrees growth should start slowly.
I'll post a pic tomorrow.

rick2001

My edible nanas in the groound are still for the moment... only basjoo and Musella Lasiocarpa are slowly growing.
I think my first edible that's ready to start growing again is Orinoco.

It's only a matter of days....

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Dalmatiansoap

OK, im in too
Only edibles, hey?
Does potted ones counts? Not the ones growing inside but the ones from outside?

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Jack Daw

Ante!!! Not fair, you are zone 9b/10a!!!

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Thnx to Marcel, Ante, Dr. Chiranjit Parmar and Francesco for the plants I've received.



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BB73

I might be also 9b, but I don't know for sure. Maps say I'm border 8 to 9, but from climatic data I should be at least 9a, but could be 9b.
But Ante should be more 9b! But anyway: Just rename it to "Mediterranean Banana Contest" and everything is fine

scottu

OKay I'll play but, I have an advantage for now, I kept my first year musa basjoo alive and alert all winter and "they"are growing great. I put them both in the one biggest pot I could find cause they were so new and when having to come inside for the winter, the space I had wasn't good for very :banan as_b many big pots sos I can only hope they have become twins, not advisarys . I hope they can continue at this pace!

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Viva La Banana

Kostas

Its great to see so much interest already!
Lets keep it zone 8b/9a so that everyone has about equal chances and stick to the edibles as there are many cool weather species bananas which will surely start growing sooner and M. basjoo is already growing for many of you! Edibles tend to be more tender and heat needing.

Potted edible bananas that passed the whole winter(including the freezes) outside are ok as well!

Bernd,
I dont think you are 9b when you have multiple -4C freezes in a normal year like this one was. I only got a single -3C this year and 2 nights of 0C only but i can get to -6C every 4 years....In Skiathos,you do must be 9b or better but in Salonica,thats difficult! For determining our zone,we use the record cold temperatures for our area.

Lets keep the Banana Race international and not confined to Med! There are plenty of members living in similar climates around the world!

Ante,i dont know your climate at all so its your call!


Here is my Ice Cream a couple of days ago! Still looks the same unfortunately....



I wish everyone warm growing weather and may we see some leafs out soon!!!!

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BB73

This is my contestent, California Gold. Picture is taken today. I removed only the outer layers on the pstem and the cigar leaf to show how good it survived this winter so far. At the moment I remove the cloth during the day, but there were no freezes in the last time. Still no growth. pstem is 30 cm.



@ Kostas: You may be right, that I'm in 9a here in Thessaloniki and for sure at least in 9b in Skiathos. Skiathos had no freezes this winter. Absolute low was between 1 and 2 °C. Weather History Skiathos 2011 So this year was even more a 10a/b winter there. I think my Ice Cream should have done well. I haven't seen it since the end of October.

Dalmatiansoap

No way Jack, we had -2C this winter. I ll stick to pure 9 .
We all have simmilar climates Kostas, no big differences.

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Kostas

Bernd,
Your California Gold is looking good! Looks ready to grow anytime now!

Its great to hear there were no frosts in Skiathos this past winter! I know many of our islands never get freezing temperatures but just didnt know about Skiathos as its located to far North in the Aegian sea. I knew it would be 9b and up though as there are big Araucaria trees growing to perfection! Have you ever seen freezing temperatures being recorded in Skiathos? I checked the weather station but it only goes as far back as last year...
I think your Ice Cream in Skiathos should be in perfect shape if its planted in a well draining soil and irrigated infrequent!


Ante,
No problem,looking forward to seeing pictures of your contestants!!!


Looking forward to seeing pictures of everyone's contestants,it should be fun to see what we all start this year with!

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BB73

Thanks Kosta, I'm also very happy about the CaliGold and I'm waiting for the day growth kicks in.
Skiathos get's freezing temperatures, but usually very little and not every year. -2°C is the lowest I have found out, but very rare days with even highs below 0° C have been recorded. Two years ago in February I saw snow myself in Skiathos, but only at elevations above 100 - 150 m.
I would say it's in 9b for sure.
My IC should be well enough drained and it's irrigated only when it's really dry (I have a system with a soil humidity sensor).

Dalmatiansoap

Im not going to race with potted plants, they allready push new leaves (at least Ice cream and Hajray does) so it wouldnt be fair. So my contestants are Ice Cream, Orinoco, Saba, Rajapuri and Dhusray for this round.

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BB73

I agree and I just mentioned my plants here planted in the ground. My potted nanners in my greenhouse do still grow in the pots. I will plant out some of them.
I have Malbhog, Dhusray, Praying Hands, Dwarf Orinoco, Hajaray, Goldfinger, Dwarf Namwah, Manzano and a Basjoo "Sapporo" (which according to the "Curse Of The Basjoos"* is suffering). I'm not sure which one to plant. Any ideas? I don't have space for all of them. I think Dw. Orinoco should be, but the rest...?

* I have had no luck with Basjoos so far. I lost one last year and this one is already struggeling, so I call it "curse" :-)

Kostas

Bernd,
Thanks for the information about Skiathos winter weather! Being so far North,its not a big surprise it can get below 0C but below 0C the whole day,that is quite surprising for an island! Even Pyrgos doesnt stay below freezing after sunrise!!!! But it does can get lower than -2C just before the sunrise...

Good to hear such things wont be an issue for your IC! Then really nothing should be an issue for it!!!! You may get 2 nice bunches from it this year!!!

I would plant either the Praying Hands,Goldfinger or Manzano if i had limited space and these varieties to choose from but thats just my preference. I think Dwarf Orinoco is too widely planted to give it some of your limited space. A full size Orinoco would be more spectacular!


Ante,
Did you protect your potted naners? I ask because i would imagine unprotected bananas would be more cold damaged that ground planted ones and less eager to start growing early. On the other hand,their pots probably warmed up already,helping with new growth while the ground may still be coldish.
Any trace of growth on your ground planted ones? Nothing on mine yet.


I have Tall Namwah and Kandrian in pots and i still keep them in my basement under lights as i dont think they would grow as much outside right now. Not warm enough...I hope to ground plant them when my Ice Cream starts growing at a good pace!

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Dalmatiansoap

They are just under the deck during the coldest days. And , yes, U R right about pots, they warm up sooner than ground. Sunny days, black pots, no need to explain anything else .
Still no movements on planted ones, but on the other hand Basjoo, Sikkimensis and Velutinas are showing nice new growth.

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Velutina

I'll play if you allow my 9A desert climate in North America. I have an ice cream, cardaba, raja puri, and Iholene. All were killed to the ground over the winter. I don't expect any growth for at least a month. Last year they got to about 8' before the dry desert-heat killed them. I moved them all to a better location with better soil, so am hoping for better results this year.

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Adam

Kostas

You are in Velutina!!!

Post current photos if you would like to show the difference when they start growing! Its always nice to see the change in looks new growth brings!

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Bob

Can I get in this "race" ? I'm in zone 6 so it's kind of like fighting with one arm tied behind the back..... still, why not try and have some fun? Nothing in the ground but I'll limit it to those dormant in my root cellar!

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Kostas

Sure Bob!!! Growing bananas in a climate as yours surely needs quite some dedication! We are honored you want to join our race!!!

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