Banana plant aid? We live in Townsville, Qld. Our banana plants are growing...
We live in Townsville, Qld. Our banana plants are growing a treat. Our first banana have produced its first bunch but the stem keeps growing next to no bananas and the 'pod' is still opening showing tiny bananas which jump down off. Can we cut the stem at the floor of the produced bananas or should we leave it till the pod is finished? Also when should we cover the bunch and when to cut it down. We enjoy removed all the suckers except two around respectively plant. Many thanks.
How old is your plant? Have a look at the instructions here:
"From the moment the inflorescence is visibile from the palm leaf sheaths, about three months are requisite for it to mature
Banana trees are best cultivated within a highly life soil, with a dull to slightly acid PH (5.5-7.0). A lot of hose is usually needed for the plant to grow and yield bananas. The size of the plant surrounded by the first 3-4 months greatly affects the weight of the bunch and number of "hands" (the group of bananas).
Young plants are best nourish with a fertilizer solution of 6-2-12, near 3% magnesium. The solution is to be applied approximately every 2 months, and the fruiting will be complete after about 10-18 months following
Since this herb is sterile, the only road of propagating it is by the removal of suckers from the original plant "
banana grows and mature beside only one bunch or pod, you should cut the banana by the lower end when the the fruits is near ripe stage, the suckers will replace the elder tree, no banana grows more bunch it has one individual in its lifespan, if you dont cut the hoary tree it will withered anyway, it will not look good, and may compete near other sucker in space.
the pod is a heartshape beside many layer of leaflike with a echelon of small unripe banana that usually falls off, it will pilfer some layers to spill out before or final lode will emerge with true green unripe banana, these fruits will stay intact for sometimes until it will turn to ashen green, this time cut the banana trunk to the base, yield the not yet ripe banana, going on for three days it is fully ripened (yellow to orange color)ready to guzzle, soft and sweet
Answers: I am writing from India ,so i hope to be excused for not knowing weather conditions within your part of the world,if bananas are doing in good health then it sounds close to suitable climatic conditions.You are doing right by discarding extra suckers/
Once the bracts fall stale revealing miniature bananas,you re free to cut off & discard the flowering train if you so wish,these young bits will never develop into mature fruit.It is expendable to cover the bunch, I pull doen a few leaves to shade the bunch if the sun is too strong & possible to burn or discolour the bunch.When the topmost fruit change colour slightly or get the impression as if they are softening,it is time to cut the bunch off the plant & run it indoors to ripen,remember to leave satisfactory stalk above the bunch to make handling glib.Once the bunch has be harvested,the plant can be cut down at ground even ,as it serves no further useful purpose.I also reverse goats & livestock,so the discarded leaves & chopped trunk serve as fodder for these animals/