Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Ok, so i have lots of exotic fruits going but an new to bananas here is sunny North County San Diego. From left to right I have: Goldfinger, Ice Cream and Mysomore. I picked this spot by my pool as you can see in the pics. I laid easy turf down to make it appealing and to entice my dog into peeing on it vice burning up my grass! The soil is hard rocky clay and there is actually a big nasty California Pepper tree nearby that drops alot of litter in the area and im sure makes the soil acidic. Anyway, i used a clay amending loamy soil and planted the plants on a mound like stance in order to avoid root rot. I planted them about 2 weeks ago and they seemed like they were pretty stressed out. The Gold finger is down to two leaves and the Ice Cream is still pretty droopy, but it is still also in the 90's here right now in October. I hope they start to bounce back and take off a little before it gets cold. Anyways, any suggestions, comments or critiques? Also, how in the H do you load a damn pic around here! geez,I must be special bc i could not figure it out lol. Well hopefully attached are my pics



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Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Pool side bananas on a sunny day cant go wrong their, im still pretty new to growing bananas too so i dont have too much advice on them but i hope they bounce back with a fury for ya:0517:

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Looks pretty good. I say get your soil tested, and find out the pH. If it's too low, add lime or something. And add LOTS of mulch if you haven't already, they thrive in it. If you take care of those plants properly, I can guarantee you that they will be massive in a year from now.

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

I went to Miramar and got some free compost and some mulch for my bananas. They love it and have grown in that rich soil very well. That reminds me to get more....

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Just to give you a heads up....depending on where you got your "Ice Cream" from, it may very well likely turn out to be a tall Namwah. And they get big even on poor soil...

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Awesome Thanks!. Where do you get mulch on miramar? I work there! lol also, i know the advantages of mulch, but can some one expand on it and what type of mulch should i go with?

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Also here is some of the stress ive been talking about with my plants. Im especially the goldfinger. Can some one please tell me what the wrinkling on the goldfinger leave is about. Kinda concerned bc it only has two leaves left. Also the Ice cream is really droopy. Is this abnormal? thanks

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

They should be fine.

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Yes, that is exactly where I get mine. The website also explains the benefits of the compost and mulch application and how to apply it. Works like a charm for my bananas. Do not be too concerned about the current look of your plants. It is most likely just the shock of transplanting them and the leaves the plants are loosing are probably just old leaves. I am almost sure that with the soil ammendment like compost and mulch they will look happy and healthy in no time.
You have also mentioned our nice warm temperatures at the moment which will be beneficial for your plants to develop some new roots and leaves. However, keep in mind the nights are already pretty chilly ( down to 48 F once at my house ), so be careful with not overwatering.

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Planting so close to the fence will cause problems right away. Separating pups will be tough and they will soon sprout up on the other side of the fence.

That area is perfect for just one banana planted centerwise.

I vote for the Goldfinger.

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Yea i figured that when i planted them so what i did to counter that is dug oblong parallel to the fence . My soil is hard clay and looked like almost concrete along the sides when i was finished. With that hard soil not going past the fence and the new soil being soft and long ways along the fence the hope is that it will promote the new plant/pup growth on my side. If not well then i guess me an the neighbors will be sharing as two neighbors should be anyways. Positive Vibrations!

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Eventually you will need to cut away some of the easy turf to make room for pups. The way it is the pups are going to come up under the turf and lift it

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

My Goldfinger, in it's 2nd year, sprouted a pup between the bottom 2x4 and the fence slat and pried the slat away. Had to remove the slat and dig out the pup from both sides of the fence. Big pain in arzz. Since then all pups that grow towards the fence get removed and I select next seasons main pup that sprouts left or right.

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Well the Goldfinger took a nose dive today...:( I came home and both the remaining leaves were crumpled and bent off. I thought it was the heat, but examined the stem and base to find big black mushy spots. Damn! Looks like the root rot got me, and it makes sense due to the leaves being crumpled but yet feeling rubbery still and not dry. WHat do you think? So im going to return it to HD, should i get another Gold Finger or try a different variety?

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Yes, return it, ammend your soil, hold off on water and fertilizer and go with one of our fellow SD banana.org sellers ( sunfish/ Tony, pitangodiego/ Jon or Richard/ plants that produce)

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Amen.. to that.. I like growing real Goldfingers.. :^)

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Ok, sounds good. I will do that, and if any of those guys are watching i am def interested in purchasing a plant. Thanks

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

I think with the tags being wrong on banana's at home depot & Lowe's its not the place you go get a banana if you want the correct type is all. It not their fault just the growers that sell to them that suck I would say. They say ooppps this one doesn't got a tag.. go find one.. its all good.. its still a banana plant. The thing is EM's don't look anything like a gran nain.. yah know. :^)

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

The only banana I ever bought at HD and was 100% positive as to type was 2 ensette Maurelii. Unique looking to say the least. And one of them croaked in a month.

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

DC is a pretty sure bet at box stores.

That planting is crowded and if your conditions are good you will soon be overrun.
This may or may not be a bad thing :waving:

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

I sold off my whole collection so I have none for sale.I don't believe Richard sells plants anymore ,only fertilizer.

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Don't buy a Goldfinger from a box store, and maybe not even a decent nursery if they are selling tissue cultured plants. Richard mentioned that there seems to an "off type" that is being propagated (at least by Agristarts, I think). The problem with this off type is that it doesn't make fruit! I know, I have one. I've had 4 blooms on the mat and the blooms never make female flowers, so no fruit. They make plenty of mutant flowers, neutral flowers, and male flowers. None of the other several other varieties that have bloomed in my yard have had this problem, so I'm sure the problem is the plant and not how I'm caring for it.

In short, if you want Goldfinger, which is a very nice banana, get a pup from someone who has a mat that they know makes good fruit.

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

O dang! I just swapped out the GF that died with another one from HD?!!! So you think it wont produce fruit? Man I started with the banana game a few weeks ago and already it is SO STRESSFULL! Arghh, ok relax, so should i can it?

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Any details on this?

Is the implication that tissue culture somehow was responsible for the problem or is there another factor?

I happen to have a number of Goldfinger that came from a reliable source, which I plan to TC.

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

My Goldfinger came from ,Lowe's ,HD or Armstong ,probably all from the same source,and it grew good size bunches

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Well, I've said pretty much all I know. I thought I just got one bum plant, but then Richard mentioned that he stopped selling them because many of his customers had the same thing happen with the Goldfinger plants he'd sold them. I think he got most of his plants from Agristarts.

My take on the implications are this: It is well known that TC done poorly causes lots of off types. Even if it is done well, but you are TCing from an off type to start the line, then most of the plantlets will be off types. My take is that TCing was the ultimate cause of the problem somewhere along the line.

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Just saying.

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

I didn't think Richard ever sold GF.

http://www.bananas.org/f310/micronut...tml#post194323

Re: Check out my new set up. What do you think
 

Dang, your memory is pretty good for an old guy! :ha: I definitely remembered that one wrong. On the plus side, I did remember that Richard had told me that others had the same problem with Goldfinger. I still think that someone propagating and distributing an off type is the most likely explanation.