For the people like me who know very little about banana and want the technical data http://www.promusa.org/SH-3640
“ |Time from planting to flowering (days):|315[2], 350[3]|
| — | — |
|Time from flowering to harvest (days):|145[3], 180[2]|
|Time from planting to harvest / crop cycle (days):|465[3], 495[2]|
|Pseudostem height (cm):|253[2], 284[3]|
|Pseudostem girth (cm):|59.2[2] , 73.5[3]|
|Number of total leaves:|11.8[2]|
|Number of functional leaves:|11.4[2]|
|Bunch weight (kg):|22.5[3], 30.0, 31.1, 33.4[2]|
|Number of hands:|10[3]|
|Number of fruits in bunch:|153[3]|
|Number of fruits in hand:|16.5[3]|
|Fruit length (cm):|19.6, 21.6[2]|
|Fruit girth (cm):|13.3, 13.9[2]|
|Fruit weight (g):||
|Yeild (t/ha/y):|27.0[3]|
Fungal diseases
Fusarium wilt ( Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense )
Race 1: ‘SH-3640-10’ is considered to be susceptible but tolerant to Foc race 1 after field evaluation trials in Australia showed that plants exhibited few external symptoms of Foc infection and produced good bunches, but the vascular tissues of the rhizomes and pseudostems were discoloured[1].
Race 4: ‘SH-3640-10’ is considered to be resistant to Foc race 4 after field evaluation trials in Australia showed that very few plants had vascular discolouration of the rhizome and pseudostem”
When I first started researching bananas, everything I read, said that it would take 2 years before I would see a bloom in my climate. I planted 7 TC plants that were 6 to 8 inches tall in late March, and had flag leaf on a few of them in late October into November. Needless to say the fruit did not ripen in zone 8 during our winter. I find it difficult to find accurate info on growing bananas in my climate.
It seems you are getting accustom to the growth speed during warmer months and the delay winter will cause in your location. These will vary a bit by cultivar; e.g. Namwa vs. Orinoco.
The goal of course is know what size (pstem height & diameter) and health a juvenile plant should have when the real Fall weather starts in order for it to reach maturity and flower the following May-June. IMO anything deemed to small should be removed at that time leaving one juvenile of each cultivar to continue for next year’s harvest – except maybe tiny pups that will be reckoned with next year.
I emphasize real Fall because as you know here in the west we often get a brief cool down circa October which many years is followed by an extended Indian summer.
I’ve had bananas flower in about 8 months from planting the pups, but those were mostly dwarf varieties like (Super?) Dwarf Cavendish. They usually only take about 3 to 4 months to mature from inflorescence to ripening bananas though.
Will banana ripen just as well if the bunch is left on the tree? I notice you cut yours off and commercially they are cut off green. What’s the right time to cut the bunch?
Commercially the fruits transported by ship are cut green and then artificially ripened by gassing on the ship.
When they are left to ripen on the plant there is a big difference in flavor. Once a fruit on the bunch turns color the rest will follow quickly. I cut the bunch at that stage because individual fingers are much easier to remove at 4 feet vs. overhead. Also, if left ripe outdoors various pests will investigate.
Thank you. I’ve got my first ever banana plant a Raga Puri or something like that. It’s fixing to take over the place, ie growing like a weed. Maybe I’ll have a bunch next yr.
