How to Remove Really Big Pups
 

Over the past nine months, while I have been waiting for my Gros Michel bananas to ripen, I have been reluctant to remove pups from the mother plant. I have removed pups from the pups and given them away; but now that I have finally harvested the big bunch of 'nanas, I am staring at a dense mat that I really need to thin out (some pups are leaning across the fence into the yard of the neighbors who already hate me)

The biggest pup (15' tall) I will of course leave. I will probably leave one of the smaller pups as well. But that gives me at least half a dozen pups, one maybe 10' tall another 8' plus several of a more manageable size. I don't expect to be able to successfully transplant the monsters... but how -- short of dynamite -- do I get them out? What happens if I just level them with my Sawz-all and leave the roots? Do I risk disease? Thanks all for any advice.

Re: How to Remove Really Big Pups
 

Better to just cut them down rather than try to dig them out. If you cut it low and bore into the growth point it will stop it from growing. That may lead to a flush of small suckers from those corms, but those will be much easier to pop off and manage and will avoid major damage to the corm network and root system as would happen if you go straight for the big ones.

Let this be a lesson in the virtues of pruning off undesired suckers early and often.

Re: How to Remove Really Big Pups
 

Oh you are absolutely right about staying on top of the little guys. These are my first two plants and I had read I shouldn't be digging around the mother plant while she was pregnant... so 9 months went by while her pups grew and grew! From now on they come out when they are tiny, pregnant mom or no. Thanks for the advice on how to deal with them.

Re: How to Remove Really Big Pups
 

I successfully dug up and transplanted 2 plants with pstems about 10'. One pstem snapped while driving, which after cutting back to 4 feet it's back up to 7' a month later. The other one dropped all its leaves but made it. If you're interested in keeping them, it's doable

Re: How to Remove Really Big Pups
 

I doubt I would be transplanting the two hugest pups since I have so many more reasonably-sized ones to give away, but that is very good to know. I did successfully dig out and donate an 8' peristem pup from my other GM in August, once its 'nanas were ripe. That whole plant is much more in control. This one -- with less competition and slower to ripen its fruit -- totally got away from me.