# Banana Tree Advice - Please



## slim6y (Mar 18, 2007)

I have growing in my garden, 7 or 8 very nice banana trees that appeared to have survived last years Larry.

Anyhow, I am unsure of the harvesting procedure to get the best out of my bananas.

I have attached a pic so you know just what I am talking about.

The fruit at the top of the 'spike' (or is it called a sucker?) are coming along nicely, but fruit at the bottom are yet to become filled. There are also flowers still yet to emerge. I have read that you can or should cut the flowers off as the top fruit begins ripening to allow the plant to expend energy on the ripening rather than new fruit growth.

When do I bag the fruit (while still on the tree) to protect from birds and bats?

Will any old rubbish bags do? I have kitchen tidies here, they're white, but will they do?

When do I harvest the fruit. the top runs seem to be ripening faster as they would, but won't they ripen too fast when in the pastic bag with all that trapped ethylene? 

Finally, how do you harvest? Do you cut the entire sucker off, or do you just pull of ripened bunches as they ripen? Or do you pull them off the sucker long before they're ripened? And then what do you do to ensure good fruiting for the following season?

I hope this photo is good enough for you experts  

I look forward to sharing my bananas with the APS community at Easter if they're ready by then!


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## gumleaf (Mar 18, 2007)

I live in SA and grow great tasting bananas. Up until this year I have always bagged my bananas and had reasonable fruit but this year I didn"t bother and the fruit was superb. I just pick the ones that are ripe and leave the rest until they are ripe. I wouldn't cut them off until they ripen as they end up tasting like shop bought ones with a lot less flavour. Dont cut the whole lot off only take the ripe ones leave the rest to grow. Some wont get any fatter but that shouldnt worry you judging by the amount you have there. Bananas can be frozen and used later for cakes etc. And did you know the tree only fruits once then dies. So all the shoots will produce one thing of bananas after they are a year old. When the fruit is finished I cet the tree off at the bottom to allow room for the next ones to grow. Hope this works for you up there. Feel free to pm me if I can help I will. Ruby


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## slim6y (Mar 18, 2007)

Do you get flying foxes in SA? I believe that's why they're bagged here. I have around 6 suckers of fruit growing, so I can afford to exepriment.

I might bag one tomorrow, and leave the others... see what happens.

Do you just let the one sucker continue flowering until all flowers are producing fruit?

I am really looking forward to just going out in the morning and plucking a ripe fresh banana!!!

Thanks for the reply Ruby 

Cheers

SLiM


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## gumleaf (Mar 18, 2007)

No flying fox here I dont even know what they look like.Try bagging half ???.I used to cut the flowers off, now I dont ,doesn't seem to make any difference here. And theres nothing like a fresh REAL banana. Mine are the short fat ones Lady Fingers I think they a called. They taste like banana custard with a bit of a lemon taste. I had more luck with clear plastic bags than green ones. And also dont let the black peel turn you off trying them mine are really at their best when the skin is black. And also sleepy lizards love any you cant eat. If you have sleepys that is. While the flowers are producing fruit I'd definitely leave them on thats what its all about getting the most fruit you can on each tree Good Luck Enjoy and dont forget to let me know how they go.


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## slim6y (Mar 18, 2007)

Flying foxes are a bat... very cute, but very much a hungry fruit bat! They will feed on the mangoes, bananas and many introduced crops. I wouldn't mind losing a few bananas to the bats, but not the whole lot! There's plenty to share.. but I'm not sure they understand that concept yet! Hence I will bag a few tomorrow and leave the rest to hopefully pick when ripened.

Any other suggestions?


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## reece89 (Mar 18, 2007)

the way bannana prices have gone up you could make a fair bit out of ur batch lol


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## slim6y (Mar 18, 2007)

Haha... Unfortunately in Cairns bananas are around $1.99 per kg... so I doubt I will be retiring on that 

Still, a nice thought!


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## falconboy (Mar 18, 2007)

I thought there was some sort of restriction on growing banana's in a home situation in QLD??? Or was that another fruit I'm thinking of???


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## falconboy (Mar 18, 2007)

Ah, don't worry, just found this and answered my own question:

http://www2.dpi.qld.gov.au/horticulture/5153.html

Permission to plant
An inspector’s approval to remove and plant bananas in residential areas can be obtained free of charge by making application to the nearest office of the Department of Primary Industries, especially the banana centres of Nambour (07 5444 9665) and Centre for Wet Tropics Agriculture (South Johnstone 07 4064 1130).

Restrictions on the movement and planting of banana plants are imposed to prevent the spread of serious banana diseases such as Banana Bunchy Top Virus, Black Sigatoka and Fusarium wilt (Panama Disease). These diseases are present already in some parts of the State, and legislation is in force to prevent their movement to ‘clean’ areas thereby protecting the commercial banana industry.


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## slim6y (Mar 18, 2007)

falconboy - Im not in a residential house, I live on a sugar cane farm, so I think I can honestly say I am not breaking any laws  you weren't gonna dob me in tho were you?

That Black Sigatoka sounds like some sort of carribean alcoholic beverage... hmmmmm black sigatoka.... yum!


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## cement (Mar 18, 2007)

You realise mate that once you pick a friut or veggie, it is now dying. the best time to eat is straight off the tree when full ripe. You'll apreciate the difference. They organics, or you pumping them full of chemical ferts?
The ones in the shop are picked unripe so they never reach full flavour. The important thing for taste and health is life force. Yeah, yeah call me a tree huggin hippy, but if you are only just growing your first narnies, you will soon understand. Ripen on the tree, and eat them when they are at their peak. If you get to many, swap with someone who grows something you don't have.
Bags are to keep birds and bats out, and the snakes in, be careful when harvesting.


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## slim6y (Mar 18, 2007)

cement said:


> You realise mate that once you pick a friut or veggie, it is now dying. the best time to eat is straight off the tree when full ripe. You'll apreciate the difference. They organics, or you pumping them full of chemical ferts?
> The ones in the shop are picked unripe so they never reach full flavour. The important thing for taste and health is life force. Yeah, yeah *call me a tree huggin hippy*, but if you are only just growing your first narnies, you will soon understand. Ripen on the tree, and eat them when they are at their peak. If you get to many, swap with someone who grows something you don't have.
> Bags are to keep birds and bats out, and the snakes in, be careful when harvesting.



Hey tree hugging hippie 

1) What ya got against chemical fertilisers? Realising most chemical fertilisers are derrived naturally?

secondly, no I don't use fertilisers on my GMO banana crops, they've been genetically enhanced to withstand drought, flood, frosts, bacteria, viruses, and bats... They eat the bats... haha...

I do understand the advantages of tree ripening, I am fully with it there. But I am reading the advantages of removal from tree before ripening as well... But I will go with the former.

Because the top bunches will ripen before the bottom ones, bagging is difficult. But I will work something out.

If I do bag them, will this increase the rate at which they ripen? And if I bag them now could it be bagging them too early?


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## cement (Mar 18, 2007)

yeah, tree hugger to be, Ha Ha you can bag them now, birds and possums don't care if they're ripe or not.
You know you can always just chop the whole bunch down and nail it to the bearer of your house, and they'll go yellow.


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## gumleaf (Mar 18, 2007)

lol That banana Bunchy Top sounds uncomfortable


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## falconboy (Mar 18, 2007)

slim6y said:


> falconboy - Im not in a residential house, I live on a sugar cane farm, so I think I can honestly say I am not breaking any laws  you weren't gonna dob me in tho were you?



Nah, no probs mate!

Cost ya a few nanas though!


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## slim6y (Mar 18, 2007)

haha... thanks falconboy... I knew you'd be good for ya word.. come collect payment... hehe... should be ready in a couple of weeks judging by what people are saying here...

Thanks everyone for your comments too... they're all helpful... 

If another cyclone hits in the next week or so, and my nana's survive, I might be able to retire!!!


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## cement (Mar 18, 2007)

Yep, Bunchy top bad.


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