introduction

lampo · 11-06-2014, 12:37 PM

Hello everybody!
Been just registered and posting for the first time.

I am a retired mech engineer, may still do some sporadic consulting but mainly devoting my time to my fig collection.

Living in a rather mild place (southern coast of Portugal) I am just initiating the first moves to experiment with dwarf bananas-
My zone could well be a '11' on US standards. Hope it will be OK for some bananas
First, I believe I may be soon posing the typical newbie questions. Thanks

cheers
Francisco

kubali · 11-06-2014, 04:07 PM

Welcome aboard ,
pull up a chair and have some fun learning.

Abnshrek · 11-06-2014, 04:29 PM

Hello, Welcome & Happy Growing.. :^)

bananimal · 11-06-2014, 09:01 PM

Greetings Francisco ----- I was in Lisboa last year and took a bus ride up the coast to Sintra. What a view from the westernmost place in Europe. Ate in a wonderful local roadhouse restaurant. And the wine --- hard to forget. Confirmed what I already knew. Europeans ship the inferior wine to the US and keep the good stuff for themselves. lol

Dan

lampo · 11-07-2014, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bananimal

Greetings Francisco ----- I was in Lisboa last year and took a bus ride up the coast to Sintra. What a view from the westernmost place in Europe. Ate in a wonderful local roadhouse restaurant. And the wine --- hard to forget. Confirmed what I already knew. Europeans ship the inferior wine to the US and keep the good stuff for themselves. lol

Dan

Thank you!
as for yr comment, sorry to say but it's exactly the other way around !!!
cheers

bananimal · 11-07-2014, 09:08 AM

I was told that in Firenze and Venetia on my first trip to Italy. Could be the way it was back in the early 80's.

Asked the restaurant owner in Florence after I remarked about the Chianti - the regional specialty. On my first sip I remarked --- "this is Chianti???"
Because the stuff in the states was so crappy.

On my trip to Sicily this year all the ordinary wines were good good.

Richard · 11-09-2014, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lampo

Hello
Appologies for entering this thread.. the matters are about similar.

I am 'lampo' /Francisco, recently introduced and planning to start with 3 adequate varieties for in ground planting, on a south facing gentle slope.
Climate is Mediterranean (mild winters.. never sub zero C's and very long, hot and dry summers. Soil is more on the lime side but may correct if need be.. plenty of organic fertilizer (manures - sheep, rabbit, chicken, etc..)
What varieties you think more suitable ?? please

Thank you
Francisco
Portugal

Basjoo is an ornamental banana with incredible cold tolerance.

Namwa and Dwarf Namwah are popular fruiting bananas for your climate.
Pisang Ceylon is another fruiting banana that would work well for you and also has an excellent, yet different taste.
A third fruiting banana that is from yet another taste group is Brazilian -- often available as Dwarf Brazilian.

Note that the dwarf varieties also have smaller fruit. If you have strong winds you'll need to stake the plants.

You will need ample water during the summer.

If the soil is alkaline, then you'll need to amend it down to a pH of about 6.2-6.4.

Since irrigation water often dictates the pH of the soil, you might need to insert some sort of fertigation device in the irrigation supply to keep the irrigation water pH in that range also.

I have written a guide to growing bananas in climates like yours and mine: Guide To Growing Fruiting Bananas In Temperate Climates

lampo · 11-10-2014, 05:09 AM

Thank you Richard for your kind advice
Soils around here are mostly calcareous and the Ca content on the water is believed to be high. Will have to perform some tests and if necessary do the required corrections.
Will definitely look at the suggested guide.
Thanks you
Francisco

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

Basjoo is an ornamental banana with incredible cold tolerance.

Namwa and Dwarf Namwah are popular fruiting bananas for your climate.
Pisang Ceylon is another fruiting banana that would work well for you and also has an excellent, yet different taste.
A third fruiting banana that is from yet another taste group is Brazilian -- often available as Dwarf Brazilian.

Note that the dwarf varieties also have smaller fruit. If you have strong winds you'll need to stake the plants.

You will need ample water during the summer.

If the soil is alkaline, then you'll need to amend it down to a pH of about 6.2-6.4.

Since irrigation water often dictates the pH of the soil, you might need to insert some sort of fertigation device in the irrigation supply to keep the irrigation water pH in that range also.

I have written a guide to growing bananas in climates like yours and mine: Guide To Growing Fruiting Bananas In Temperate Climates

11-06-2014, 12:37 PM	#1 (permalink)
lampo Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 4 BananaBucks : 2,248 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 8 Times Was Thanked 9 Times in 4 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 5 Times	introduction Hello everybody! Been just registered and posting for the first time. I am a retired mech engineer, may still do some sporadic consulting but mainly devoting my time to my fig collection. Living in a rather mild place (southern coast of Portugal) I am just initiating the first moves to experiment with dwarf bananas- My zone could well be a '11' on US standards. Hope it will be OK for some bananas First, I believe I may be soon posing the typical newbie questions. Thanks cheers Francisco

11-06-2014, 04:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
kubali kubali Location: lakeland,fl Find me on the map! Zone: 9B Name: kub Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 996 BananaBucks : 48,405 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,943 Times Was Thanked 1,439 Times in 627 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,617 Times	Re: introduction Welcome aboard , pull up a chair and have some fun learning.

11-06-2014, 04:29 PM	#3 (permalink)
Abnshrek Happy Growing Abnshrek's Photo Gallery Location: Beaumont Texas Find me on the map! Zone: 8b, but 9b weather.. Name: Migael / Michael Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 9,493 BananaBucks : 349,039 Feedback: 45 / 100% Said "Thanks" 10,447 Times Was Thanked 16,443 Times in 5,238 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 2,318 Times	Re: introduction Hello, Welcome & Happy Growing.. :^) __________________ I'm a Nannerhead :^)

11-06-2014, 09:01 PM	#4 (permalink)
bananimal Member bananimal's Photo Gallery Location: Port St Lucie, Fla Find me on the map! Zone: 10a Name: Dan Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,512 BananaBucks : 730,842 Feedback: 12 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,688 Times Was Thanked 4,979 Times in 1,509 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: introduction Greetings Francisco ----- I was in Lisboa last year and took a bus ride up the coast to Sintra. What a view from the westernmost place in Europe. Ate in a wonderful local roadhouse restaurant. And the wine --- hard to forget. Confirmed what I already knew. Europeans ship the inferior wine to the US and keep the good stuff for themselves. lol Dan

11-07-2014, 09:08 AM	#6 (permalink)
bananimal Member bananimal's Photo Gallery Location: Port St Lucie, Fla Find me on the map! Zone: 10a Name: Dan Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,512 BananaBucks : 730,842 Feedback: 12 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,688 Times Was Thanked 4,979 Times in 1,509 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 191 Times	Re: introduction I was told that in Firenze and Venetia on my first trip to Italy. Could be the way it was back in the early 80's. Asked the restaurant owner in Florence after I remarked about the Chianti - the regional specialty. On my first sip I remarked --- "this is Chianti???" Because the stuff in the states was so crappy. On my trip to Sicily this year all the ordinary wines were good good.

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