RandyGHO

I have read where tracking fruiting height can help predict future fruiting. Can you count leaves produced to predict an approaching fruit time?

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caliboy1994

Some say that banana plants put out a certain number of leaves before fruiting, I think the estimate was around 44. But the best indicator I think is the height of the plant.

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pitangadiego

Given similar weather culture, etc. they flower within a few inches of the same height each time.

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Nicolas Naranja

I have noticed that the ratoon crops tend to be a bit taller than the plant crop.

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RandyGHO

I wonder then if the correct time of the year to plant a new banana plant should be based on your zone and expected fruiting height for your zone? The idea would be to come into spring near as practical fruiting height to give you the longest period ripening time.

I wonder too if zone should control your selection banana plant based on fruiting height? The lower the zone number the shorter the fruiting height.

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Abnshrek

I think outside the peel, and I believe a 2 or 3 y/o plant from a pot planted in the spring is the best chance unless you have a foolproof winterization plan. I plan on having nanners next year of some sort & not DC. :^)

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trebor

Once one specific mat has established you can clearly see that height is a good predictor of flowering. Also you can keep and eye out and watch the trunk swell. Trunk swelling is a noticeable change also not near as good a indicator as height but still it occurs. I never counted leaves produced and I think it might be different on a PUP taken from a corm over a TC. But I too have read it's about 42 – 44 leaves produced ..
Then different plants will act differently in same area.. I have a silly banana plant here that after 5 maybe 6 years it decided to flower.. It looks like “itchy brother” the fruit is sparse and has 4 hands.. Im not complaining but I'm not going to continue to grow it ! After this fruiting is done so it that plant !
It's next to my best producer (apple) and it gets all kinds of care

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X 2

venturabananas

Like Nick and Mitchel say, the "ratoon crops" are almost always taller than the "plant crops". Look at the MGIS website and you'll see that for almost every cultivar they have data on.

Height is a good indicator, as many have said, but it can be incredibly variable from place to place, so don't think yours will flower at the same height that someone else's did. And then there are some varieties that are just really variable in flowering height -- Dwarf Brazilian being a great example. The ones at my friends house flower at anywhere from 6 to 11 feet depending on where they are in his yard.

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RandyGHO

Thanks for all the replies. I read on the Florida Extension site "The banana inflorescence (flowering stalk) emerges from the center of the pseudostem 10 to 15 months after planting; by this time 26 to 32 leaves have been produced." I wonder if their leaf count is from a pup?

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sunfish