crimzonian

Update: I want a dwarf namwah, and I'm having a hard time finding any in stock on websites. Is it hard to find in general, or just the wrong season to look for one?

Hi. I feel in over my head reading about the different kinds of bananas that I could get. I didn't realize there were more than the supermarket cavendish until two days ago! I don't have any ground areas to plant large plants at my current place, so I was looking at dwarf varieties for containers to start out with. I was ready to get a dwarf cavendish, but then read that they and other dwarf musas don't usually produce fruit because they are delicate to even cool temperatures or something. I really could use some guidance.

Looking for banana varieties that are:
1. Edible sweet ones (From what I understand, they aren't all sweet??? Whoa.)
2. Dwarf, container-friendly
3. Growable in LA county (Zone 10) [Winter lows get to about 40 degrees F usually.]


If I get a thriving banana plant that produces pups, I would have an excuse to get more pots.

Backyard Banana Joe

Hi crimzonian! Welcome! To the banana growing community!




Yes, some banana varieties are not all that good for fresh eating. Some are better as cooked, ie, orinoco, plantain types..........


When I first started getting into bananas I was also over my head too lol.


You don't have ANY sunny place to plant?


Bananas can handle cool Temperature, even frost, as long as the corn doesn't freeze. In zone ten you shouldn't have much of a problem. The plant will stop growing in the winter, when it gets below, say 70°



Container friendly varieties are,

#1 Dwarf Cavendish

#2 Super Dwarf Cavendish

#3 Truly tiny

#4 Little Prince

Maybe others.

I have some kind of super dwarf not sure which one of those though. Hope this helps

crimzonian

I have sun, but don't have any dirt areas to plant anything. I rent and have limited space right now. Most of my garden is in pots and planters. So if I get bananas, they'd need to be in pots.

Mark Dragt

The right plant+the right pot+the right soil=success

I have only fruited 1 plant in a pot. Although a bit of a different situation. It was in my 28 gallon container in my aquaponic setup. Dwarf Orinoco is a beast that never lets you down. You would have similar results with Dwarf Namwah, and Raja Puri.

Pot needs some size. Bigger the better. You may have to be creative. 30 gallon would be the smallest I would try to fruit in, but bigger would have bigger results.

Well draining soil! Well draining soil! Well draining soil! Very important! Bananas do not like soggy soil. One of the quickest ways to kill a banana is soggy soil. They also do not like dry soil. Pick a soil that drains well and water on a regular basis. Check the soil often just with a finger. Your finger is a great moisture meter.

Good luck!

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crimzonian

I'm reading about dwarf namwahs, and that sounds like one I should try. Now, where to buy from...

sddarkman619

contact me on my website below, I have a lot of what you want.

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sddarkman619

I've got
goldfingers(yum!)
Namwah, both dwarf and tall
Gros michel, both regular and dwarf
cavendishes
mysores
gran nains...
just go look at the website.

__________________
Ca Licensed Nursery - Snail/Disease Free and Inspected:
Bountiful Garden Nursery - A1469.001

Banana Plants for Sale
https://www.bananatreesforsale.com

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