Banana plants

Jpyritz · Oct 25, 2019

As the title says, I’m wondering about banana plants and their fruit. I’ve grown many things in Florida from tomatoes to bell peppers to cucumber to squash to an orange tree and limes and many more but never banana plants.

I bought a house out in pace a year and a half ago that had a few small plants. Well I’ve watered and use old coffee Grounds and baking soda to try and fertilize the plants and they are now over 14-15 foot tall. One is starting to fruit but from what I have read all will fruit it they want to but one type of plant has a bitter non-enjoyable taste. I can’t make headway on the inter webs to tell what type I have. Maybe some of you can chime in it you have experience with them or can tell me if these will be good eating bananas. If not then when they turn I guess I’ll do it the old fashioned way and just take a bite.

fl57caveman · Oct 25, 2019

once the fruit forms, cut the stalk off, it makes the fruit sweeter...the season is too short here in my experience, but some have gotten fruit to mature

Jpyritz · Oct 25, 2019

Per the pictures I have fruit on them and from what I read the “pod” at the bottom will continue to fruit. What I was wondering if by the picture you could tell if this plant is one of the ones that produce sweet or bitter fruit? Or am I not understanding the plant and they all have the potential to be sweet? Like I said new to these. Thanks

wildrider666 · Oct 25, 2019

" I guess I’ll do it the old fashioned way and just take a bite." That's what Eve did, then shared it with Adam! Lol. CrackerJack Theory X2: the colloquialism meaning and the Suprise!

fl57caveman · Oct 25, 2019

the Cuban variety has short fat thinskinned fruit, very sweet....

there are many kinds, all have sweet potential as far as I know

FrommerStop · Oct 25, 2019

I live in Pace, FL and last winter was mild. Most bananas require at least 18 months to fruit. There are some short season bananas that can it in one season. If you are like in Jay forget it. A friend in Pensacola regularly gets bananas most years. This is my first year getting bananas without protecting the plant through the winter.

FrommerStop · Oct 25, 2019

My bananas are good eating bananas. Join the banana forum and maybe the people there can tell you what you probably have.

Jpyritz · Oct 25, 2019

FrommerStop said:
I live in Pace, FL and last winter was mild. Most bananas require at least 18 months to fruit. There are some short season bananas that can it in one season. If you are like in Jay forget it. A friend in Pensacola regularly gets bananas most years. This is my first year getting bananas without protecting the plant through the winter.
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I live just off woodbine near 5 points and our plants look the same so that’s a plus for me. Are yours sweet and do they turn on the plant before you cut them or do you just let ripen on the plant?

FrommerStop · Oct 25, 2019

Jpyritz said:
I live just off woodbine near 5 points and our plants look the same so that’s a plus for me. Are yours sweet and do they turn on the plant before you cut them or do you just let ripen on the plant?

I live very close to you. I am in woodbine hills. Just go down either chumuckla or woodbine. If going down woodbine make a right turn just before getting to woodbine springs.
it is better from what I understand to let them ripen on the tree. Frost will kill the p-stems. At about that time you take the bananas off and if not fully ripe, hopefully they are far along enough to ripen. If they turn yellow on the tree they may start to split and things then can happen to them. I was told the initial maturity is shown by them becoming rounder in shape.
I do not know how the coming winter will be. Pensacola is warmer than pace and Jay is much colder. Out on Santa Rosa Island is really much warmer in the winter.
I will eventually look for some short season bananas. If you like tropical looking plants try loquats.

FrommerStop · Oct 25, 2019

The one time I got bananas they were sweet. If you join the Southern Fruit Fellowship https://www.facebook.com/groups/SouthernFruitFellowship/ Charles B and TJ can likely give you some information on what you have. Charles is a semi-retired Escambia County deputy, means he retired and still works half time.

Jpyritz · Oct 26, 2019

FrommerStop said:
I live very close to you. I am in woodbine hills. Just go down either chumuckla or woodbine. If going down woodbine make a right turn just before getting to woodbine springs.
it is better from what I understand to let them ripen on the tree. Frost will kill the p-stems. At about that time you take the bananas off and if not fully ripe, hopefully they are far along enough to ripen. If they turn yellow on the tree they may start to split and things then can happen to them. I was told the initial maturity is shown by them becoming rounder in shape.
I do not know how the coming winter will be. Pensacola is warmer than pace and Jay is much colder. Out on Santa Rosa Island is really much warmer in the winter.
I will eventually look for some short season bananas. If you like tropical looking plants try loquats.

Yep we are close, I live in Windsor Forrest. Nice to know your close I read a lot of what you post and you seem like I very knowledgeable guy on quite a few things I might wanna pick your brain some time. Thanks for the help I’ll have to look into the fruit fellowship, although I don’t have Facebook or any other social media but here and a tiny YouTube page. I’ll have to check in out on my buddy’s Facebook next time he comes over.

FrommerStop · Oct 26, 2019

Jpyritz said:
Yep we are close, I live in Windsor Forrest. Nice to know your close I read a lot of what you post and you seem like I very knowledgeable guy on quite a few things I might wanna pick your brain some time. Thanks for the help I’ll have to look into the fruit fellowship, although I don’t have Facebook or any other social media but here and a tiny YouTube page. I’ll have to check in out on my buddy’s Facebook next time he comes over.

Sometime I need to take you over Darkman's place (the semi-retired deputy) in pensacola. He has the most intensely cultivated fruit growing setup on about 0.5 acres of land with underground irrigation and such. He is our local banana and muscadine expert. He does a bit with citrus also. TJ is in Biloxi so his operation is a bit distant.

joekocon · Oct 30, 2019

I was told by my Vietnamese friend to cut off the bottom stem and bud/blossom so all the energy will go to the top bunch of bananas. I've been doing that ever since. The plants and fruit require a lot of water because they are mostly water! Hope this adds to the conversation. P.S. The Vietnamese eat the purple blossoms, like in salad!

Jpyritz · Oct 30, 2019

joekocon said:
I was told by my Vietnamese friend to cut off the bottom stem and bud/blossom so all the energy will go to the top bunch of bananas. I've been doing that ever since. The plants and fruit require a lot of water because they are mostly water! Hope this adds to the conversation. P.S. The Vietnamese eat the purple blossoms, like in salad!

Yeah I might have to do that now that the weather is cooling off. Thanks for the input on it.

FrommerStop · Oct 30, 2019

joekocon said:
I was told by my Vietnamese friend to cut off the bottom stem and bud/blossom so all the energy will go to the top bunch of bananas. I've been doing that ever since. The plants and fruit require a lot of water because they are mostly water! Hope this adds to the conversation. P.S. The Vietnamese eat the purple blossoms, like in salad!

I will try it on the youngest bunch relative to cutting. I have read that the purple blossoms can be used also.

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