Re: English home-grown bananas!
 

The plant started fruiting at the end of its third year...picked fruit 12 months later.

As the consensus is Orinoco, I shall rename accordingly!

My other 'named' Orinocos were purchased from the same reputable nursery, as was the original Raja Puri...if I get those to fruit, I will present them to you all for proper identification!

My ultimate ambition is to eat the fruit of a Cavendish, but finding it very difficult to get the mature specimens through the winter...eight months cooped up in my greenhouse at 10C (50F) just about finishes them off, although the younger pups survive (just).

I shall persevere!

Re: English home-grown bananas!
 

If you want to eat fruit of a Cavendish, try Asda or Tesco :ha:joking aside
if you want a fruiting Cavendish you will have to give it temps above 14c and adequate light levels, to keep it growing,you can not put a cavendish on hold, like a Orinoco or Rajapuri for a few months, options you have is a very large large south facing window or a heating greenhouse above 14c which will be expensive to run.

Re: English home-grown bananas!
 

Thanks, Mushtaq, I agree, but I will not give in just yet...I'm going to see if I can erect a greenhouse within my greenhouse, and see if I can maintain higher temps in there. Will have to see how the light levels and additional humidity effect the cavendish. I've a few cavendish dwarf...not sure how tall they will grow.

I'm still persevering, as we speak!

Re: English home-grown bananas!
 

A 2kw electric fan heater running a 8×10 green house between November to March at 15c will cost around £1000 :eek::eek:

Re: English home-grown bananas!
 

Hi Mushtaq...thanks for that, my greenhouse is 15x 13ft, with 9ft ridge and 7ft eaves, so I can't afford to heat it all to 15C, only 10C with a 3kw heater, so will try an 80w tubular heater in a polythene tent within greenhouse for a Cavendish.
Have lagged the greenhouse with 25mm polystyrene up to 4 feet, and the rest in 16mm triple walled polycarbonate. Look forward to my electricity bill in April.

Re: English home-grown bananas!
 

I never had a DC fruit. Mine reached about 8 or 9' growing outside in Jacksonville, FL at the end of her 1st season (May thru December). Can you find a Super Dwarf Cavendish? All I know about them is that they're much shorter and would be easier to tent.

Re: English home-grown bananas!
 

Hi Kat2,

Thanks for the comments about the Super Dwarf Cav...I shall certainly look around for one in UK and give it a try.