Cool Climate Bananas - The Verdict (forum)

John I. starts with ...
After 4 years (and two crops) I've decided growing bananas here in Melbourne is not worth the trouble (not without a greenhouse anyway). While it is possible to grow banana plants and have them produce fruit, it is unlikely to mature before cold weather sets in. They can be picked early and ripened by placing in a plastic bag with a couple ripening apples. However because the fruit is not mature it lacks flavour and sweetness.

Time: 12th March 2012 8:17pm

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About the Author JohnI
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John I. says...
RIPENING TIMES
In the subtropics it takes between 2 and 4 months for bananas to ripen (depending on variety, weather and other conditions). In the cooler climate of Melbourne with the shorter daylight hours and overnight temperature drops it takes from 5 to 6 months or more (again depending on conditions). My plants tend to produce a bunch around December/January which would have them ripen May June (well into the cold weather).

Time: 12th March 2012 8:17pm

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About the Author JohnI
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John I. says...
COLD/FROST
While mild frost does not kill the plant completely, it does burn the leaves and stresses the plant. This makes for a slow start in spring, but can also leave the plant with a bunch of bananas and only one or two leaves. this is not ideal for producing large ripe fruit in a short period of time. According to the Queensland dpi ( www.dpi.qld.gov.au/26_16680.htm ), temperatures below 13 degrees can damage banana fruit. Overnight temperatures in Melbourne start to get down below 13 degrees in March/April. I tried rapping a bunch in bubble wrap, but I found that when outside temperatures were around 8 degrees, the temperature inside the bunch was about 10 degrees. Not enough to save them from cold damage. When temperatures start approaching zero the fruit is so badly damaged that it is inedible.


Time: 12th March 2012 8:18pm

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About the Author JohnI
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John I. says...
OTHER OPTIONS
One article I read ( http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1082/is_n4_v41/ai_19660633/ ) provides another option for protecting bananas from cold/frost. Dig up the plants and store in a cool dark location even with fruit on. It would need to be cold enough to prevent growth in storage, but warn enough to prevent cold damage.

Time: 12th March 2012 8:18pm

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About the Author JohnI
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juanita says...
Hi John! Tnx for sharing the info w/us..I'll still grow banana trees mainly for its leaves (culinary use) & fruits will be a bonus, just for display

Time: 16th March 2012 2:12am

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nswbananas says...
So John are you still going to grow bananas if not what becomes of your current banana plants?

Time: 29th March 2012 12:53pm

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John I. says...
nswbananas, I would like to see how my blue java goes. It needs another year or two. As for the other two plants my wife likes them as an ornamental plant. I'm already thinking of replacing them with plums and maybe a persimmon but I will have a fight on my hands.

Time: 29th March 2012 1:25pm

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NSW Bananas says...
John Your Red dacca I beleive is Cavendish as Frit of Red dacca is brownish to start from what research I have done.
However if you are still looking for dwarf red dacca I have Succers.
That I would like to swap for Blue Java Suckers.

Time: 29th March 2012 7:25pm

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NSW Bananas says...
Furthermore the Stem of yours is way too green to be Red Dacca My red daccas all stems are a morone redish Coulour.

Time: 29th March 2012 7:29pm

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NSW Bananas says...
an example see http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=2664&size=1&filefix=.jpg

and

http://plant.daleysfruit.com.au/ml/banana-red-dacca-1097.jpg

Time: 29th March 2012 7:47pm

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NSW Bananas says...
http://www.bananas.org/wiki/Musa_Dwarf_Red

Time: 29th March 2012 7:50pm

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John I. says...
NSW Bananas, Someone else who has the cool bananas red dacca posted that the plant and bananas are green but the bananas turn red as they ripen. I have a bunch on at the moment but will have to wait months to find out for sure (if the frost doesn't get to them first). As for blue java succers, how often do you come down to Melbourne?

Time: 30th March 2012 12:37pm

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About the Author JohnI
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trikus says...
John , there is a green red dacca , bit rare here , but tastes the same , normal red dacca has red fruit that turns yellow when ripe , but fruit emerges red , turns green then sort of yellow .. fruit in hand came from same stand that produced pictured bunch .. its outside a local pub , took pic early Dec at Xmas party .
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2

Time: 30th March 2012 1:37pm

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Original Post was last edited: 30th March 2012 1:42pm

About the Author trikus
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nswbananas says...
Trips to Victotoria useauly around 2 to 3 times a year.
More often than not have family that go down vic and can sometimes bring things back with them.
Most times when we go to Vic we go to ballarat and Back so go past Melton.
And by the way I got my bluesky blue Java order of 3 tissue cultures a month ago already lost 1 to it snaping other 2 to date are still growing ok.

Time: 30th March 2012 3:36pm

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John I. says...
nswbananas, your welcome to come past and grab a sucker or two. You'd need to let me know in advanced so that I don't remove them.

Time: 30th March 2012 4:23pm

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nswbananas says...
Thanks John can you please leave a couple growing now as inlaws going down to vic in about a months time and I may be going down south mid july for my neices 18th birthday.
You can if you like contact my by email
nswbananas@bigpond.com.
The bigger more advanced succers the better

Time: 30th March 2012 5:22pm

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snottiegobble says...
My one year seedling cavendish is a worry also! I have fed it like crazy which has resulted in nearly 3 mtrs to top of youngest leaf with 2 pups retained & nearly as tall. I wont be able to contain & protect like last winter in a plastic tent so I am hoping no bell will form until spring! Should I stop watering & feeding now?

Time: 31st March 2012 1:24am

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Brendan says...
G'day SG, I never allow suckers to grow up with the 'mother' tree, they sap all the goodness from her IMO. I only allow 1 sucker to grow when the mother tree has reached full height. Mike & trikus might have different ideas.

I try to feed my bananas every two months, and water them when I think they need it. We've had a lot of rain lately too.
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Time: 31st March 2012 8:48am

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About the Author Brendan
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trikus says...
I was told off by local commercial grower for not de-suckering ...BUT its so much work , and so what if bunches are smaller , you seem to get more of them . Just a pain de-leafing .


Time: 31st March 2012 12:26pm

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Mike says...
I am a lazy gardener and don't desucker,water,bag or even fertilise my bananas.There are only about 15 adultish stalks and 2 bunches on with most of mine in the Pacific Ocean after recent inclement weather.I would get more bananas if I just didn't ignore them but I get excess now.

Time: 31st March 2012 12:42pm

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snottiegobble says...
I have a neighbour who used to run a banana plantation in Canarvon WA. He told me in spring that the mother`s leaf segments were probably too close together to let the fruiting body climb through so maybe keep the pups & cut her out instead! Anyway I didnt ( or should say couldnt) & she has managed to stay ahead in growth!
( Oh boy, these banana family matters are getting me down.) :-)


Time: 1st April 2012 1:14am

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MaryT says...
SG that is the advice I'd always heard from my banana growing friends (I don't have one) - cut the mother plant, not the pup.

Time: 1st April 2012 6:57am

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About the Author MaryT
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Brendan says...
Hi All, the only time I actually de-sucker bananas, is when I want to transplant the sucker. All other times I just use a serated knife, cut the sucker off about 150mm above ground, gouge out the centre and pour in about a teaspoon on kerosene. I thought everyone did that? Works a treat!

Here's another one, when transplanting suckers, do you cut the leaf part off?
Here's two I planted a few weeks ago, pic 1 didn't have the leaves removed, pic 2 did. You'll note the sucker that I removed the leaves (actually reduced the sucker length by about a half), is growing a lot better.
Added a pic of the knife I use. I trim the older leaves off, cut suckers off, gouge out the centre with the point (to add the kero), remove banana hands when needed, cut bunches off, and finally, cut the spent tree down with this knife. I really couldn't do without it! :-)
Pictures - Click to enlarge

Picture: 1
Picture: 2
Picture: 3

Time: 1st April 2012 7:27am

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About the Author Brendan
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Trikus says...
Red dacca fruits do emerge green then quickly change colour to red when exposed to some sun [ so a tan really ]
Have had a few stems revert to green ..

Time: 16th April 2018 8:47am

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