Banana in New England... Running out of Warm
 

Hello!

I have a 1.5 year old super dwarf cavendish banana plant growing in a pot in New England and am starting to get a little worried that it is getting late in the season here. I was hoping to have fruit this summer and not have to overwinter this much larger tree this coming winter.

I got the pup late winter of 2021 and it is currently growing in a 15 gallon nursery pot. Last winter it was under a grow light in my house and did fine. Seemed to slow down a bit but stayed healthy looking all winter. Once it went back outside this summer it has grown a good amount and seems healthy.

I keep hoping to see the start of the flowering cycle begin and wanted to see if there is anything I can do to induce fruiting?

I have been doing the banana fuel fertilizer every 2 weeks, top dressed with plant tone once a month and it gets watered daily.

Banana Image here (couldn't get a photo to upload to my gallery here for some reason): https://imgur.com/kCKfP6H

Anyway, if anyone has any insight they would like to pass on I'd appreciate it!

Re: Banana in New England... Running out of Warm
 

I am no expert and have absolutely no experience fruiting bananas, but I do have some experience growing bananas in a cold (cool compared to your winters;-) climate. I am sure someone with experience will chime in.

My understanding based only on info I have read in this forum, is that you may be better off if it doesn't start flowering until late winter/early spring, so that you have the full growing season ahead of it. I have read reports of people bringing flowering bananas indoors for winter, going relatively dormant, and then resuming in spring......I dunno which scenario would be best....or if it would really matter ......as long as you can keep it alive and the leaves relatively healthy.....

Regardless, if you want the plant to flower, and maybe fruit, at some point, it is going to be important it is well protected against cool/cold weather, as it will take months to go from the initiation of flowering to fruit fill out....sooo, regardless, you will need to find space for that guy this winter.

....and maybe I am off my rocker.... :2141:

Re: Banana in New England... Running out of Warm
 

Thanks for the reply.

And ah, ok I guess it is going to be a crowded office this winter.

I wonder if I should reduce fertilizer to try to get it to slow down... It is much larger than I was expecting it to get.