Growing a Banana Plant

[Caraccioli]

Well, it is a living room, not a pirate-themed bar room...I like a smidgen of subtle...

I have a Barbie (bought her as an accessory for a 12" tall James Bond, er, action figure I bought a long time ago), but the l shape of the light fixture already creates a moment arm that places a lot of stress forces on the joint at the base. Extend that arm further and then add a pound or so of Barbie...I'm just afraid it won't hold up very well. Then again, a bronze plate is probably worse...

[oderlesseye]

bannana boat song

Eye could not resist!

[Matusalem]

This is the banana tree in my mom's back yard. She planted it 3 years ago but the bananas never got ripe or big. We are not sure why. Other people have banana trees on our street that are doing very well.

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[Caraccioli]

I requested a Goldfinger banana plant cutting on Saturday from the local greenhouse. They're looking into it to see if they can get me one.

[Mary Diamond]

Good Luck with getting your banana! Keep us posted.

BTW ~ My whacked back banana now has 2 leaves, about 12-14" each, working on the third leaf (should be out in a few more days). And I haven't started fertilizing it yet ~

[oderlesseye]

My banana plants have recovered realy well and new shoots/stalk are speadin like wild fire... the oldest has made the 25' mark...ok maybe i am a few inches off

[capnwilliam]

We have a banana tree at the house we just moved into: haven't seen any bananas on it yet, though, it's a young tree. How old before they start bearing fruit? Anyone know?

Capt. William

[Black Syren]

We have always had Banana Trees, my Grandfathers were nearly ten feet tall and he cut them down every winter and they came back each year.

My Neighbor has huge trees that reside between our houses, they ar a little over ten foot tall as they are taller than my roof. And they produce the sweetest tasting nanners every year.

But we are in Texas..they seem to do well down here.

[Caraccioli]

Mary Diamond, I have had no luck whatsoever procuring a banana plant. Since you are just across the lake, would you have any recommendations? Should I get one in Key West and smuggle it back? ("Excuse me sir, is that a banana plant in your pocket or...")

[Red Cat Jenny]

Huh...I have to try this..I have only grown an avacado from the pit. My grandmother taught me when I was lil. She could grow anything.

Then again, I like avacados but I'm not fond of bananas..except for bananas foster.

Or bananas Foster flavored creme brulee in a cafe in Paris..mmmmm * sigh *

Good God! What kind of talk is this I'm a pirate..jeez!

[Caraccioli]

You have to get a banana plant, though, Red Cat Jenny. Apparently there are no seeds in bananas to grow a plant from. (See the beginning of this post.) I wonder if that's true for organic bananas too?

[Misson]

Well, I never did find a banana plant this year. However, I was surprised to see that my little palm-sort-of tree grew flowers out of one of the offshoots. They're a pale yellow. (And it's 20 degrees here and every thing's literally covered with ice! Ah, the tropics in Michigan...right in my little soon-to-be Key West themed dining room.)

[Misson]

Hey, there's a place in Philadelphia where you can get Goldfinger banana plants!

Check it out: http://www.banana-tree.com/

Got mine ordered.

(Pennsylvania?)

[Red Cat Jenny]

While you are waiting for your banana tree to grow,,

You can read all about them..such as a banana tree is an herb..huh

http://homecooking.about.com/od/fruit/a/ba...bananafacts.htm

[Matusalem]

You can read all about them..such as a banana tree is an herb..huh

Very funny. ....I only say that because I remember,as a teenager, hearing that smoking the peels can get you high. I had atttemted to dry them out on the roof. Hmm, such a remarkably cheap concept didn't seem like such a bad idea at the time. And when you're 15, who's to tell you otherwise.

[Red Cat Jenny]

Heh..I used to work in a stationary p/t in HS. I can see it now

Virginia slims, Ultra Lights, Longs, Menthol....banana

they needed one more variety.

[Misson]

And here is my Goldfinger banana plant as of this morning. (Mary Diamond was just talking about it in the Coco-nut Thread, so I thought I'd share photos of my progeny. (Everyone go "Ooh", "Ahh" and "It has your ears.")

[Hester]

Oh yes ... pirates with grow-lights ... and we're supposed to believe you're just growing bananas!

[Cpt Sophia M Eisley]

Looks like a healthy plant! Seems I've only a green thumb for the plants that need the simplest amount of care (a spiral bamboo at the moment).

Curious, has anyone tried these Aqua Bulbs? I wonder how well they work with soil potted plants.

[Misson]

Actually, my house is very dark. The Banana and other two plants there get 12 hours of grow light (two bulbs) per manufacturer recommendation. I have two other grow lights for the tropical plants in the Pirate-Themed Living Room (The fixture and plants can both be seen on that page). That room is exceedingly dark due to the heavy canvas curtains and position of the windows. They get six hours of light a day as they are already too big. The banana is going outside soon as it's so hot and muggy around here. I think it will enjoy that. (Plus those stupid lights are pretty expensive to run.) As for any other implications, never tried the stuff, never will. Several people I know who do regularly seem to behave in ways very scattered and I like my mind the way it is. So there's no illicit plants in my house, despite the plethora of grow lights.

As for their healthiness - I guess I have the touch. I seem to have very good luck with plants. I was talking with someone from Detroit on another forum who can't get tropical plants to grow at all around here. Most of mine have been thriving since I bought them two or three years ago.

[Red Cat Jenny]

Very nice Mission

It does have your ears....

[Mission]

Well, the banana, while not producing any fruit or even getting very large, seems to be doing just fine. (I actually like it sort of small - it fits in the decor well.)

I think I'm going to attempt an avocado tree now. You can grow them from those giant seeds you find in the fruit. I found the instructions for growing them here.