When is it safe to separate pups?
 

Okay so I have three Orinoco that are actively flowering or setting fruit. My question is:
When is it safe(In what stage of fruiting) to separate the extra pups from the mom?:waving:

This mom Orinoco is just now flowering. I would like to remove the extra pups.

Re: When is it safe to separate pups?
 

I'd say it depends on whether you planted it semi-shallow or deep.. Shallow you can see where not to cut her roots and get them out quite easily without it really effecting the mother. :^)

Re: When is it safe to separate pups?
 

You can remove them whenever you want.

Re: When is it safe to separate pups?
 

The safest time to avoid impacting the development of the fruit is after the bunch has ripened. But you can do it any time you want. The more you damage the corm, the more the fruit development of the mother plant will be affected -- from what I've read anyway. I've erred on the side of caution and left pups in place whenever a bunch was hanging. The guys that grow bananas for money (Nick and Keith) can give you a better idea of whether removing pups really affects fruit production of the mother plant.

Re: When is it safe to separate pups?
 

There are two-types of pup elimination techniques.

After harvesting a bunch, I'll clean up a mat and actually remove the suckers.

If the mat has fruit or is within 3 months of fruiting, I'll cut down the suckers at ground level with a machete and try to poke out the growing points.

I wouldn't try to remove pups around flowering or when fruit is on the bunch because you increase the risk for not filling the fruit out or having the stem blow down.

Re: When is it safe to separate pups?
 

You can easily kill them where they are without removing them, it will have no impact on the bunch.

Re: When is it safe to separate pups?
 

Thank you all for the good advise. I will remove the smallest pup that is the furthest from the Mom. I'll leave the two closest so as not to upset Mom until after the fruit has matured. Then I'll remove the last pup. This space is small. I really only want one large stalk at a time in this spot.

Thanks again.:08:

Re: When is it safe to separate pups?
 

Are you removing the pups to plant elsewhere or just trying to kill them?

JIC you're trying to keep all the pups.

Most people will fall into these 3 groups.

1. The ones who have done it wrong, and will say it shouldn't be done and then add

some anecdotal evidence.

2. The unsure, and do nothing.

3. The ones who have done it correctly, and realize it can have no negative impact on mother

or bunch and could add anecdotal evidence proving it increases fruit size and bunch weight.


http://www.bananas.org/f2/remove-pup...ing-18051.html

Re: When is it safe to separate pups?
 

Stem

Re: When is it safe to separate pups?
 

Yes, I meant one large banana plant in this location. As this mother has produced a four-hand bunch before producing the neutral flowers, I would like to relocate the healthy pups to our farm(swamp). Thank you again everyone for the advise.:08:

Re: When is it safe to separate pups?
 

I took a pup once and 50 mph winds came a week later and blew the plant down.

Some of this will also depend on how far the pups are away from the mother. Some varieties will pup very close while others will pup far away.

I guess the question is more personal to the matter of what is the likelihood I will damage the mother plant.

The older the mat, the less it matters. The suckers arise from closer to the surface and some of the suckers are from older mother plants.

Re: When is it safe to separate pups?
 

This was the smallest of 3 pups removed from the mother shortly after flowering.

apr 7


may18



Center fruit of the third hand were between 48-50mm.


:drum::drum::drum::drum::drum:

Removing the pups from a flower banana plant must be the key to growing record setting bananas without thrips scars.

:woohoonaner:



jul 16 - Center fruit bottom of first hand 50mm - 7 oz