Lynn in Bristol Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 We have a now enormous banana 'tree' in our garden, and this year it has produced fruit! An enormous appendage appeared sometime over the summer (not sure when, found it after return from holiday) and every few days a large petal-like bit drops off to produce a hand of tiny green bananas So, what do I do with them? The leaves of the plant all shrivel when the first frost hits (I gave up wrapping the thing in fleece a few years ago when I realised its probably capable of surviving even a nuclear winter) Any banana growers out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted September 24, 2008 Share Posted September 24, 2008 How exciting! -I can't help though, sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 Hubby tried when he was teaching about St. Lucia in school but it died even when he wrapped it up and gave it the life of luxury in the polytunnel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted September 28, 2008 Share Posted September 28, 2008 I have Bananas but have never been lucky enough to get them to fruit - lucky you! Sorry I can't be of more help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 Once a banana plant has "flowered" (that wierd maroon coloured appendage) and it's opened to show all the little green bananas, they should start turning upwards so that the stalk bit of the banana is at the bottom, before they fully ripen. However, this will depend enormously on the weather from now! There are loads of different types of banana, and I would imagine yours has been bred for to be as hardy as possible with good foliage, rather than to give you a great crop of desert bananas. The bad news - banana plants grown for bananas are replaced after they have produced one crop. I don't know if they will carry on growing after producing the first crop or if they just die. You can propagate them by taking a cutting, though, it might be worthwhile to be on the safe side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Bananas are actually a herb, and once they flower, will die. BUt you should have some offsets to grow on around the base of the stem, but you will have to nurse them through the winter! Louise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fowlbird Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Bananas are actually a herb, the things you can learn on these forums! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kez Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I want a banana tree My daughters eat them like they're going out of fashion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
