smeash

Yea when they are all starting out the same size like that it can be tough on them. I planted in a horseshoe with an open center, and now that the plants are mature they do really well in that setup. The morning sun shines inside the horsehoe, and the hot afternoon sun is blocked by the plants on the west side. I would have done a circle but i wanted to access for my tractor to bring in manure and woodchips etc. Looks like you have plenty of space in that yard though!

Akula

Congratulations! That looks awesome! You got it! Pros plant in rows! LOL.

The solution to your problem is time and more plants and you are set up perfect to solve it. I love the spacing. Lots of room for future pups. You will get them and the taller plants will provide ample shade for the smaller plants. You can go hog and add a second row in front of the first. Looks like you have the space. It will be epic!

Great idea and implementation of the shade cloth to get your more sensitive plants through the rough patch. Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

Smeash's banana patch is pretty cool. The patch is on a hill and the slope works to expose the leaves to the sun while the plants shade each other. Its like a big green angled solar panel.

Valor_X

Thanks Akula!! Yeah I still have plenty of space and can still plant way more around the perimeter of the rest of my yard XD
You can see I also planted them several feet away from the fence because I didn't want any potential bunches to be hanging on the neighbors lawn LOL

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Varieties I'm Growing

From Corm/Pup
Dwarf Cavendish ○ Super Dwarf Cavendish ○ Grand Nain ○ Niño ○ Manzano ○ Raja Puri ○ Tall Namwah ○ Blue Java ○ 1000 Fingers ○ Praying Hands ○ Orinoco ○ Variegated Florida ○ PR Red ○ California Gold ○ FHIA-03 Sweetheart

Plantains
Puerto Rican Dwarf Plantain ○ African Rhino Horn

From TC
Truly Tiny ○ Manzano ○ "Blue Java" ○ Dwarf Namwah ○ Thai Black ○ Veinte Cohol

Valor_X

So I had an excellent idea yesterday for CHEAP & EASY shade implementation.... PVC

3/4" 10ft PVC tubes ($2 ea)
Cut them in half to 5ft
bought some 45 degree couplers to easily put them together
Then simply zip tied a shade net I cut in half to the top

Only cost about $16 for the PVC 'frame' and the shade net was $18 which I cut in half and built 2 of them with

They are very lightweight and can easily be moved around or disassembled.
Since they are hollow tubes you can stake them into the ground a bit to stay still against heavy winds.

I took these pics at 11AM so they were just barely starting to get shaded by the nets.

My plantain is going to be very happy





My Variegated Florida was the one that needed it the MOST....
Poor thing was burning up bad

Once the Orinoco Mat on the left gets even bigger it should help shade it a ton without the need of the net.

__________________
Varieties I'm Growing

From Corm/Pup
Dwarf Cavendish ○ Super Dwarf Cavendish ○ Grand Nain ○ Niño ○ Manzano ○ Raja Puri ○ Tall Namwah ○ Blue Java ○ 1000 Fingers ○ Praying Hands ○ Orinoco ○ Variegated Florida ○ PR Red ○ California Gold ○ FHIA-03 Sweetheart

Plantains
Puerto Rican Dwarf Plantain ○ African Rhino Horn

From TC
Truly Tiny ○ Manzano ○ "Blue Java" ○ Dwarf Namwah ○ Thai Black ○ Veinte Cohol

smeash

Looking good! Hey how is that praying hands doing? You and Joes competition thread has been quiet! Update?

Valor_X

It's managing the heat better than my other bananas. It's still actively growing and even put out a 2nd pup last week but I can tell the increased heat this month has slowed it down a little.
Besides that it's still very green and healthy, I just need to stay on top of watering and fertilizing. I'll post an update soon

__________________
Varieties I'm Growing

From Corm/Pup
Dwarf Cavendish ○ Super Dwarf Cavendish ○ Grand Nain ○ Niño ○ Manzano ○ Raja Puri ○ Tall Namwah ○ Blue Java ○ 1000 Fingers ○ Praying Hands ○ Orinoco ○ Variegated Florida ○ PR Red ○ California Gold ○ FHIA-03 Sweetheart

Plantains
Puerto Rican Dwarf Plantain ○ African Rhino Horn

From TC
Truly Tiny ○ Manzano ○ "Blue Java" ○ Dwarf Namwah ○ Thai Black ○ Veinte Cohol

Valor_X

I added some more XXL nets... I'm done now X_X

__________________
Varieties I'm Growing

From Corm/Pup
Dwarf Cavendish ○ Super Dwarf Cavendish ○ Grand Nain ○ Niño ○ Manzano ○ Raja Puri ○ Tall Namwah ○ Blue Java ○ 1000 Fingers ○ Praying Hands ○ Orinoco ○ Variegated Florida ○ PR Red ○ California Gold ○ FHIA-03 Sweetheart

Plantains
Puerto Rican Dwarf Plantain ○ African Rhino Horn

From TC
Truly Tiny ○ Manzano ○ "Blue Java" ○ Dwarf Namwah ○ Thai Black ○ Veinte Cohol

sirdoofus

That's awesome. Looks like you could have your own farmer's market right in your yard. What's for sale?... bananas!

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Who keeps calling me nuts??