Help! Trunk folded, leaves bent. Any hope?

lkstapleton · 07-02-2013, 02:40 PM

I was SO excited when my banana plant, about 8 feet tall in a 48-gallon trash can, flowered. It got about 45 bananas on it and was still flowering, but yesterday, the trunk folded over but didn't break. I think maybe I overwatered a little, which made the trunk soft enough to fold, but it isn't rotten or anything. I didn't know what to do, so I straightened out the trunk and put the entire trash can and banana on the ground, so at least it's straight now.

So I have a lot of questions. If I prop it up and make a brace for the trunk, could I still get fruit? There are five leaves on that stalk, but two got broken in the collapse. Or maybe I should just write it off, cut off that stalk, and hope that next year, the four-foot pup next to it will fruit?

Also, maybe I did something to weaken the trunk? Is there a particular plant food that I should use to make the trunk stronger?

I am in San Jose, zone 9, which gets down into the high twenties in winter, but these are on a balcony and get a lot of radiated heat from the house, so I am hoping to get fruit. I don't know for sure what kind of banana this is, but I think maybe it's Sweeheart or Goldfinger.

sunfish · 07-02-2013, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lkstapleton

I was SO excited when my banana plant, about 8 feet tall in a 48-gallon trash can, flowered. It got about 45 bananas on it and was still flowering, but yesterday, the trunk folded over but didn't break. I think maybe I overwatered a little, which made the trunk soft enough to fold, but it isn't rotten or anything. I didn't know what to do, so I straightened out the trunk and put the entire trash can and banana on the ground, so at least it's straight now.

So I have a lot of questions. If I prop it up and make a brace for the trunk, could I still get fruit? There are five leaves on that stalk, but two got broken in the collapse. Or maybe I should just write it off, cut off that stalk, and hope that next year, the four-foot pup next to it will fruit?

Also, maybe I did something to weaken the trunk? Is there a particular plant food that I should use to make the trunk stronger?

I am in San Jose, zone 9, which gets down into the high twenties in winter, but these are on a balcony and get a lot of radiated heat from the house, so I am hoping to get fruit. I don't know for sure what kind of banana this is, but I think maybe it's Sweeheart or Goldfinger.

How long has the bud been out ?

Dalmatiansoap · 07-02-2013, 03:08 PM

Probably just got to heavy.

lkstapleton · 07-02-2013, 03:52 PM

Tony, it came out the first week in June, so not quite a month. I am so bummed out.

Lisa

Jose263 · 07-02-2013, 04:45 PM

Never give up - If you took the time to dig a hole large enough for a trash can -then you're already invested. I had an Orinoco pstem with fruit fold in a tropical storm and managed to straighten enough to save the fruit - of course it was in ground in a matt.
Agree, it was probably a combinationof the extra weight and wind..If you can get the pstem straight enough go for it - you've done the lion's share of work already.

07-02-2013, 02:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
lkstapleton Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 64 BananaBucks : 35,733 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 36 Times Was Thanked 62 Times in 28 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Help! Trunk folded, leaves bent. Any hope? I was SO excited when my banana plant, about 8 feet tall in a 48-gallon trash can, flowered. It got about 45 bananas on it and was still flowering, but yesterday, the trunk folded over but didn't break. I think maybe I overwatered a little, which made the trunk soft enough to fold, but it isn't rotten or anything. I didn't know what to do, so I straightened out the trunk and put the entire trash can and banana on the ground, so at least it's straight now. So I have a lot of questions. If I prop it up and make a brace for the trunk, could I still get fruit? There are five leaves on that stalk, but two got broken in the collapse. Or maybe I should just write it off, cut off that stalk, and hope that next year, the four-foot pup next to it will fruit? Also, maybe I did something to weaken the trunk? Is there a particular plant food that I should use to make the trunk stronger? I am in San Jose, zone 9, which gets down into the high twenties in winter, but these are on a balcony and get a lot of radiated heat from the house, so I am hoping to get fruit. I don't know for sure what kind of banana this is, but I think maybe it's Sweeheart or Goldfinger. __________________

07-02-2013, 03:08 PM	#3 (permalink)
Dalmatiansoap Let there be light Dalmatiansoap's Photo Gallery Location: Makarska, Croatia Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Name: Ante Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 9,161 BananaBucks : 740,384 Feedback: 10 / 100% Said "Thanks" 6,509 Times Was Thanked 8,385 Times in 3,032 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 720 Times	Re: Help! Trunk folded, leaves bent. Any hope? Probably just got to heavy. __________________ https://abnb.me/AXJty518xib

07-02-2013, 03:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
lkstapleton Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 64 BananaBucks : 35,733 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 36 Times Was Thanked 62 Times in 28 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Help! Trunk folded, leaves bent. Any hope? Tony, it came out the first week in June, so not quite a month. I am so bummed out. Lisa __________________

07-02-2013, 04:45 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jose263 Jose263's Photo Gallery Location: Gulf Coast Mississippi Find me on the map! Zone: 9a Name: TJ Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 522 BananaBucks : 52,712 Feedback: 6 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,135 Times Was Thanked 714 Times in 357 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 149 Times	Re: Help! Trunk folded, leaves bent. Any hope? Never give up - If you took the time to dig a hole large enough for a trash can -then you're already invested. I had an Orinoco pstem with fruit fold in a tropical storm and managed to straighten enough to save the fruit - of course it was in ground in a matt. Agree, it was probably a combinationof the extra weight and wind..If you can get the pstem straight enough go for it - you've done the lion's share of work already. __________________ Growing: Orinoco, Rajapuri, Dwarf Cav, SDC, TT, Dwarf Red, Dwarf Namwah, Tall Namwah (aka Ice Cream), Dwarf Brazilian, Veinte Cohol, California Gold, Double Mohai, NOT-Goldfinger, Gran Nain, Velutina

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