Quote:
Originally Posted by sputinc7
...Be sure there is at least a foot of stem between the last bananas and the flower, otherwise the stem rots back and could kill your bananas.
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I think this practice, which makes sense on the surface, doesn't actually work and isn't necessary. A common commercial practice to cut the rachis and flower bud off immediately below one or more fingers. Because the fingers are still growing, drawing water and nutrients, the rachis ("stem") remains alive and does not rot. If you cut the rachis above the flower, but leave a foot-long "tail" as you see sometimes suggested, that "tail" portion of the rachis will die because nothing is left to draw nutrients through it, actually encouraging rot. At least that's been my experience.