If you want your plant to fruit you shouldnt cut it down especially in a climate where it doesnt die to the ground. If you live in an area where frosts kill it down you can protect it to keep it green so that way it continues to grow to maturity and fruit.

You should cut all dead, or diseased plants (techincally a diseased palnt should be treated or diposed of). As you probably know an individual stalk that flowers will not grow anymore and die down eventually, so you can cut those off ad let the babies have mre room to grow.

Good luck

Thanks tropicalzone 7. That's very helpful. I'll just cut the stems that have fruited, and leave the rest. We have frost here, but in the past it's never killed the plant down to the ground, so I don't think I need to worry about that.

here's a weird question maybe tropicalzone7 could help... if your banana has fruited can you cut the stalk down low... and winterize it, would it come back or no. i wouldnt think i just didnt know if this would "tease" the banana. thanks for the help - Justin