Larger size wanted
 

Hi

I have now found many sites for Siam Ruby bananas but they are all small! I am not young and sure wish I could find some larger ones. It would be perfect to find them near to California.

Thanks for the help.

Val

Re: Larger size wanted
 

Val,
I'm taking it you don't grow any banana plants because they will grow to multiple feet in a year and fruit in 1 to 2 years. Although Siam Ruby is relatively knew and not known of, you can get them for cheap online and have them shipped to you. It will probably make it to 6 feet in the first year and 9 by the second year, fruiting (inedibley).

Hope this helps-
Taylor

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AgriStarts is supposed to have them available in March for $3.50... Who is planning on buying them up?!?!?!

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maybe me?

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I've got a few ordered.

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Thanks for the advise. I had been thinking of getting a flat of them and growing them out. I am starting a million seeds this year to cut costs. I am one of the luckiest women on earth; I live on 20 acres on the Kings River in central CA. We have a 1/4 mile of river frontage, a 3 acre lake and a trout stream flowing right by the house. I have been a nature and gardening nut for most of my life, so this is heaven for me. I started landscaping about 2 acres around the house and just last year we tore out an old deck that is between the front door and a mother-in-law apartment; it has walls and some roofing so will receive some protection.

A thunder bolt hit me! What a perfect place to put a tropical garden. First I went crazy buying books about tropical gardening and have been drooling over them all and this winter making lists of plants of all the dream plants I will never have the space and money for; but I will sure try to get in as many as I can. On dark days I just look at all the big lush gardens I see in these books and my inner sun is shining. The best part is I already have a start because one of the enclosing walls to the new garden is my jungle room 20 x20 with half or the indoor koi pond and the home of my noisey Scarlet Macaw.

I will be taking out two of the large panals of glass to unite the two gardens and joining them with a small wanter fall and pool. It is actually a small space so it should be do able; even by this arthritic old lady.

You are all invited when it is done.

Thanks so much for your helpfull advice.

Val

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Hey, if you put the bananas you get near the river, they will absolutely LOVE it, just some thoughts...

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If I say say so that's Paradise to me where you are living. It is a driving distance from where I live and my kids and I love fishing.
Do you have other bananas in mind?
I got about 30 different plants and I don't know how many species quite a few I guess but mostly dwarf and I just got growing them last year but they are good size now.
I expect to have some blooms this Summer.
If you want to I can exchange my services ( I am a licensed electrical contractor) for fishing in your lake with my kids.

Benny

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I am getting several as well,but agristarts is having problems with the siam over 60% are coming out green and not turning red for them!!! so the ones on e-bay that you see for $9.99 I would stay away from due to it probably not ever turning red for ya!!! Just my thought!!

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I just got one from the 10.00 dealer on Ebay. I'm pleased, nice sized plant, quite a bit of red so far, no complaints.

Re: Larger size wanted
 

pomgal, I have to tell you that I just laughed at myself because I had just deleted a bunch of e-mails in my spam folder and when I saw the topic of this thread, something else came to mind! And that's even though I had seen this post a while back. Maybe those spammers would have better luck trying to sell me something to regain my memory. lol

Anyway, I wonder about these Siams. I haven't heard of updates from how pups are doing for those that had pups last year. I bought a 50/50 version from Stokes last year and the latest leaf came out 100% green. Some earlier ones were maybe 90% green but then followed by a 50/50 again. They warned me when I bought it that it might not stay that way. I wonder if anybody still has a 50/50 going and, if so, if it has produced similar pups. Mine has a tiny pup that has done nothing for at leat four months. Maybe it will improve when it gets a bit warmer outside and I plant it outside.

Good luck,

Harvey

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Good thought Harvey.
I guess since they are Chimeras, kinda like Ae Ae, they will have some that revert both directions(pure white, and all green).

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Kyle, I sort of wonder about Ae Ae maybe having something to do with nutrition. Jordon talks about using potasium nitrate (if I recall correctly) to increase the amount of green and I don't really understand why that would make a difference, but it does for him. Also, the nursery where I bought two Ae Ae from last year says they sell about 10 a year and that they have never had a pup that wasn't variegated. I'm puzzled.

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Maybe I'm getting some different varigated banana(m.basjoo varigated?) confused with Ae Ae. I remember someone saying they revert to all green sometimes. But I'm pretty sure I remember correctly that Ae Ae sometimes produce all white pups that don't make it on their own.
I don't own an Ae Ae, just remember hearing this stuff discussed up from time to time, so I'm hardly experienced enough with chimeras to give a good anwser.

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No, you rememer it correctly. But I'm wondering why one nursery reports they have never seen it happen.

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I just read your post. It sounds like you do live in very near Heaven! Your Macaw should love it. My Mollucan Cockatoo sure would!
Can you post some pictures of your progress? I would love to see them.
As for the Siam Ruby; mine was outside in a pot all winter. Under a glass table, umbrella, and cover when the temps went low. It started to come back. But all of a sudden doesn't look good.

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I was at Stokes Tropicals last week and they had some 3, 4 and 5 foot Siam Ruby bananas. They also had one in a 30 gallon container that must have been 8 or 9 feet tall. Someone from near that area had already bloomed one but no one at Stokes had seen it. They are going to try to get a picture.

Steve

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Are you guys sure that 'Ae-Ae' is a chimera? Just because it can revert doesn't make it a chimera. I know it can be unstable but I don't recall ever hearing it is actually a chimera.

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I got 8 in February 7 still alive I will be bringing them outside next week, so we'll see if they stary to change color presently they are about 7" tall.