Quote:
Originally Posted by mahning
I’ll do what you say for the bananas. I saw your Bananas in Mixed Culture paper (thank you) and was wondering about the overall scale of each ring. Are you saying 10 feet diameter? In the places that have been only partly affected (still some trees and burnt only once), we are actually planting in rows (cutting separate trails through the bush). It’s practical that way and I hope to get something good from the seeds still in the ground. What do you think of it?
Yes papaya comes fast and gives a lot of food.
About banana and plantain species, we got some very tasty small ones and my forest guard swears by his “filipita” platanos. I’ll try to get some decent pictures.
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I do mean 10' diameter for the rings - that gives the canopies enough room to spread and breathe and discourages diseases like Sigatoka. Generally it's about 6-8 plants in the ring to start with, and then choose the pups that are "walking" within the confines of the circle, and separate off the ones that are going in the wrong direction.
If you have rows cleared, plant on 6' centers to ensure enough room for the mature plants, and select the pups that "walk" in the line of the rows.
On a completely different note, have you tried
Plukenetia volubilis as a nut/oil crop? It's showing great promise here in Ecuador and further South in Peru. The upside is that rodents won't attack the vines.