ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

Hi All
i got an Ice Cream about 2 years ago.
its been in-ground for over a year, last winter was mild and didnt seem to bother it a lot, though it lost some leaves.
I has not fruited yet.

I now have 3 pups.
i had 2 others in the last 6 months i gave away.
i was going to remove them thinking they were stealing nutrients
but someone tols me the extra leaf mass added to the nutes, and not subtracted ?

should i keep the 3 pups ? some or all ?

Re: ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

Not sure
But my main nanana is the same height as your pups
I still don't get how it gets that big

Re: ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

I would remove them. She will make more. I just took 6 off of mine & it is still trying to make more. These plants are vigorous.

But this all depends on how you feel about your plants.

Re: ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

Why not take off two and leave one? Then when the fruit pops your next one is ready to go at a decent size. Its also a hedge on the whole add/subtract from the mother question.

Re: ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

If it's tall like that removing pups will be good for fruiting.

Re: ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

Is that an 8 ft fence? My IC flowered late last season it was really tall - like 12+ ft but The bunch didn't make it through winter and was too high to cut down :ha: So what will you do with the pups you remove? start another mat?

Re: ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

I'd keep them.
Isn't that a Namwah though...

Re: ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

Keep one mat for pups and another for fruit

Re: ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

Both are quite tall. My T namwa (aka IC) has pink/red outlined leaves and the center stems also have reddish tinge. The other bought as IC (blue java) has no red/pink - all solid green. but I haven't had a mature bunch to verify it is an IC. Maybe this season :goteam:

Re: ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

To me:
1- stem looks too fat to be Ice cream
2- the green is too pale
3- the red markings on the stem don't fit with Ice cream...

I may be wrong but I don't think so. It looks really like a Namwah to me and to my 8 years old daughter... Let's see what an expert thinks... Still a nice plant though...

Good luck for this year. Maybe my DC is going to pop a flower too...

Re: ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

I would at least remove any pups that will be in the way of the bunch someday.

Re: ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

Normally I would say to keep them but I notice how close they are to your fence and will eventually be a problem someday. I prefer the Namwah to the Ice Cream hands down for taste, just my 2 cents.

Re: ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

thanks
i will keep 2,, and the opne closer to the fence can go.
its the smallest anyway.

I got them online.
(georgia vines i think ?)
i remember reading it was a tissue culture.

the first year it barely grew.
after it was a foot or so, i put it in the ground and it took off
(last spring)

i hada gotten it becuase i read Ice Cream was the best tasting
that may be a bit hardier in zone 9.

if it ever gives me fruit
and it tastes better than a store bought
it will be worth it.

Re: ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

guess I might have found what I have been looking for. my blue java tc's from wellspring gardens have started to put out leaves with a red outlines.

Re: ice cream... remove pups or not ?
 

If you want another banana plant after the big one fruits, you need to leave at least one pup for that purpose...