Musa "Namwa" Banana

[spurious]

I can mulch less and try to increase radiation absorption. I will try that, I did wonder about the temps. It’s started to get a little warmer and this is going to be zone pushing anyway but I’ll try something for that and see if it works. I didn’t mention it originally but there are a couple in the ground so maybe I can run a little non-blinded test.

[Richard]

Looks normal.

I believe you’re aware that the “trunk” is a a pseudo-stem formed from leaf stalks. It is a natural occurrence for leaves to brown with age (or climate). I recommend you do not peel them off. If you deem them unsightly, then cut them off at a location where they are not adhered to the pseudo-stem. The plant needs that sheathing.

[spurious]

Thanks Richard. Yes, I’ve read a bit to get a baseline understanding since I had zero experience growing bananas before last summer. I didn’t take a picture of what I cut out, but thought at the time that it didn’t look quite like the typical drying/browning of the older leaves. Still, I won’t do that again until/unless I’m more sure it’s pathogenic. Duh!

[fruitnut]

I think I needed a bigger pot. This one is about to split.

And I shouldn’t have left the pup. But it seems too late to take it out.

Will this thing ever fruit?

[Richard]

@fruitnut

I think I needed a bigger pot. This one is about to split.

Consider a wooden box that doubles the diameter and raises the existing rootball 6 inches. I’d leave one wall off the box to permit a sideways transfer, then attach the 4th side.

@fruitnut

And I shouldn’t have left the pup. But it seems too late to take it out.

True. I expect it is tightly integrated with the mother corm.

@fruitnut

Will this thing ever fruit?

Yes. It looks very healthy. Expect a “flag leaf” (half size) in the next 6 to 18 months. When a bunch forms you’ll need a vertical 2-legged prop under the bend in the pendicle. Do not harvest the bunch until at least one finger is mostly canary yellow.

[fruitnut]

Thank you Richard. All good ideas. I think I may not have enough patience for banana.

I hadn’t thought about a bigger pot. That would be a big undertaking. Maybe cut the bottom off this pot and let it root into the ground. That sounds easier.

[Richard]

Corms and their rhizomous roots expand sideways. Cutting off the bottom would be a waste of time and effort.

[fruitnut]

Thank you I’ll figure out something. Maybe build a skirt around it, cut the pot off, and fill the skirt with potting media, ie build a bigger pot around the current pot. That’s basically what you suggested, I think.

[fruitnut]

The plant now has 2-3x as much soil volume. Maybe I can relax about it fruiting.

Thank you Richard…!!

[Noddykitty]

Welcome back Richard.

[Plants]

Are these Ice Cream or Namwa?

[Richard]

Not Ice Cream.

[Plants]

@SoCalBackyard Here’s the bananas. What do think? Namwa?

[SoCalBackyard]

I don’t know enough about bananas to tell

I like what I read about ice cream bananas though

[SoCalBackyard]

@fruitnut what would you say the approx volume of your new banana pot is? I have an old banana plant in a tiny pot that’s somehow survived for a long time that I plan to up-pot soon. I was thinking 25gal but wanted to check what you think. It’s going to be outdoors so I don’t need to worry about the height.

[fruitnut]

My old pot was 30 gallon. That’s not nearly big enough for a full sized banana. My new pot is probably closer to 70 gallon. It’s permanent, ie can’t be moved. Nearly the same as being in ground. I’m hopeful it will fruit soon. Then the pup. Maybe two years in that pot and I’ll know if I want to continue with banana. If I do, I’ll open up an area to plant in ground.

[Plants]

I was thinking about a large wine barrel next year. 60g? A neighbor has one he keeps offering it to me just sitting up behind the house. I turned it down before I got the banana not sure why they cost about $170 per barrel here now. But from what I’ve noticed nothing really beats growing things in ground for me besides brassicas. I don’t know bananas are supposed to be a big herb. My in ground herbs grow much better in ground than in containers too.

[Plants]

Also that friend is growing came from Fast Growing Trees. He said it was expensive and I believe him. I felt bad telling him. Richard is right It’s definitely NOT an Ice Cream banana.

[kingwood]

Houston garden center used to have an unfenced lot with bananas that did not sell previous seasons. I have seen banana plants in 5gal pots with growing and ripening bananas. Most were laid down but the bananas seemed fine. Been growing bananas 40 yrs and have grown namwah and dwarf namwah 10ft from each other. Dwarf fruits a lot sooner but in my yard the dwarf version was comparable to store bananas. Regular namwah was much better. Never grew the dwarf version again. Reference the pup. I would have separated it, providing more energy to the mother to produce those bananas. For me the dwarf version was not worth growing as they didn’t taste any better than grocery store stuff. I have grown other varieties but have settled on misi luki, pisang ceylon and pisang raja. All three very tasty and the smaller ones are similar to mysore but tastier in my opinion. Good luck with those bananas but if you spend the time and effort to grow bananas pick some exceptional varieties and don’t waste your time on midlevel ones. There are much better out there.

[fruitnut]

@kingwood Thank you for your input. It’s not very encouraging concerning my current crop. But I also have Dwarf Brazilian. Any experience with that?