HELP! Need banana experts

8 years ago

Joe, or anyone else who is good with bananas, I need help. I cut my tall banana back this spring, thinking it would probably just put out some low-growing leaves, but nope -- it put out a bloom stalk.

The stalk doesn't have a big trunk to hold it up, it's just sticking out there by itself. I'm scared it will break off. It's already starting to bend from the weight of the bloom.

Should I splint it somehow to keep it from breaking? I was thinking maybe cut a slit in an old potato chip container, wrap that around and tape it to stablize the bottom. Here's a pic.

Featured Answer

sonni1

8 years ago

First off, you can't consider me an expert. I've been growing bananas for about 10 years or so with limited success. I don't always get them watered (1"/week) or fed (they are heavy feeders as they are fast growers, so a monthly feeding of 6-2-12). They are not "trees" and are considered a one crop plant. Once they fruit, the plant is done for. Pups grow up readily around the base of the banana, so there are usually plenty of new plants. They should be grown in groups of no more than 3 plants of differing maturities. I dig up extra pups and plant them elsewhere or just toss them. You can compost the leaves but the stalks can carry disease. That's about all I know about bananas. Hope it helps. Most of my info I read on Going Bananas, a grower in Miami's website.

My opinion: I don't think that banana is worth saving.

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Comments (10)

bossyvossy
8 years ago
I have had shoots coming from big trunk, they gain vigor and become a tree after a while. I don’t think you need to do anything. Unsolicited comment: those bananas seem awfully close to house, or maybe just the photo. it’s hard to dig out old corms so close to building.
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dirtygardener
Original Author
8 years ago
bossyvossy, yes, I know they are too close to the house, and I'm going to move them, but they are the only shade they have right now.

This isn't a "shoot," it's a bloom stalk, which will eventually have flowers and bananas on it. I think what you're talking about is pups.
bossyvossy
8 years ago
Do you need to shade bananas or your house? Mine are in full brutal TX sun, though they’re ornamental, not edible.
dirtygardener
Original Author
8 years ago
I need to shade part of my courtyard where I keep my tropical shade plants. Everything that was shading them died in a freeze. I have things growing now, but it takes time. Once they get big enough, I'll take all the bananas out and move them to somewhere else or give them away.
Glenn Jones(9b)
8 years ago
DG I have had this happen, I have tried a couple of things. Starting with doing nothing with about 50% ok. I have made support with boards with higher percentage about 75%.and I have tried wraping it with a couple of deferent things with 0% success. Don't do that.
tropicbreezent
8 years ago
Your main problem will be that any new leaves put out after the bloom stalk develops will be stunted. They won't be able to produce enough food (via photosynthesis) to support development of fruit. The bloom stalk will naturally bend and you could place a couple of forked sticks under as support. But in the end you're not likely to get anything for your trouble. The more large healthy leaves a banana has the better it produces, less than that progressively gives you less.
dirtygardener
Original Author
8 years ago
Thank you. In that case. I'll just cut the stalk off and take it out once its pup gets a little larger. I can plant something there that will provide more shade.
tropicbreezent
8 years ago
Best course of action. That one won't provide much shade or fruit, and will take it's time not doing it.
dirtygardener
Original Author
8 years ago
Strangely enough, when I went to take it out, I found what appears to be the original mother corm, which was partly rotted, but also had several buds on it. I'm letting it dry in the sun, then I'll cut it up and plant each bud separately and see what happens. The plant I took out had a small water sucker, and I figured it wouldn't have roots, but it did, so I'm going to try to pot that up for right now to see if it lives. It also has one tiny sprout I'm trying to save.

So now I have THREE corms, each with several buds. The one I planted earlier seems to have two sword suckers and two water suckers at present, which will all be removed and given away when they get large enough.

I can say one thing for Orinocos, they are very prolific.