These are the Ice Cream Bananas.
Same size.
Cut one in half to see if there is a difference in how they grow when it warms up.
We can see next fall whether or not its a good idea to hack them back so drastically.

So how long is it, before they ever produce fruit? In particular the blue java (ice cream) banana's.

Alan

Good question Alan. This was my Ice Cream's 2nd summer.
It takes the Orinoco's 3 to 4 years.

When planting Bananas in the ground any special directions? I bought some kind of banan at the rare fruit growers sale. It is in a pot right now and hopefully will make it through the rest of winter.

alan - you better not!

ray - yeah, no wood there! just herbaceous stem. i just dawned on me that the inflo would have to be woody to hold all of those bananas. looking forward to seeing the wood on day...

marie - i think it the usual. just make sure you have soil that drain well and has nutrients. bien suerte!

well, looks like it it time for the bananas to take another hit. rolling mine inside tomorrow night! winter in the desert can be so brutal.

Mine has already sustained frost damage and obviously I can't take it to a more sheltered location. Should I still try to protect it or will all of the dead foliage be enough?

i don't know what you can do at this point but just leave it alone. the corm should be protected since it is buried in the ground and that is what really matters. i kind of want to leave mine outside but i can't at this point since i never transplanted the pups.

Thanks Dete. I think I'll let it go as is and deal with it in late Feb.

i decided to leave mine outside to toughen it up! just the emerging leaf took a hit. i rapped frost cloth around the base to protect the pups. i registered 20.8º in my backyard uncovered. it is supposed to be colder tonight! but i think i am going to leave it out. after talking to ray it seems like the inflo doesn't start coming up until it is warm.

There's an old saying..."That which does not kill you will make you stronger"

Three cheers for tough banana plants!
Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray! Hip Hip Hooray!

Update on the bananas.
Dec. 20th Ice Cream 6:16pm photo.
Both the bananas froze to the ground.
If it hadnt gotten down to 18 degrees I would have had an inflo this year on the Ice Cream.
I got extremly lucky with where I made the cut on the banana on the left.
Another inch down and I would have hit the inflo.
The one on the right froze all the way through and had turned to mush and it fell over at the base.
I cut the one on the left to the ground also and found that the woody inflo had started to form and was going to push an inflo this year. It had pushed its way up to just about an inch below that cut I made.
I got extremly lucky.
Which leads to Detricks concern about where to trim back the leaves too.
In the future I will just trim the leaves off and wont be cutting into the stem.

no pics ray! i can't wait to see them. of course, i will have questions.

i was wondering when they thread would be revived.

Ray?

Not much to look at Detrick after the freeze.
Even the one that I got lucky with where I made the vut got hit by the freeze so that corm is no completely dead except for the pups that came up from it.
Other than a couple stragly looking pups I've got nothing over a 1' tall.

Yes Susie? ;-)

okay, i see now that you were referring to previous pics. i had to read your most recent post several times to clear up my :confused:. LOL it would have been nice to see the woody stem since you showed us the fleshy one.

well, it is good to know that my paranoia was well-founded. it sounds like the inflo can start at any time the banana is active and be ready to come out in the springtime. so, they can be lost during the winter. i will no longer let me suffer during winter. it is worth just to dig it up and store it in the garage for the sake of an inflo.

i will post a pic of my banana when i get home.

Just checking up. I didn't "get" it that you were referring to the previous pics... But, anyhoo! Nice to see you here and following up on the progress!

"it would have been nice to see the woody stem since you showed us the fleshy one."
And I cant wait to see your pic so we can compare. LOL
My eyes are watering from laughing. I'm so 5th grade.

oh my!!! :rofl:

seriously though, do you still have the woody stem? does it look similar to the wood here in this plumeria cross-section?

I'll never eat a banana again without thinking of this conversation.
Now, I'm and ready to hear about the "fix" just in case I decide to grow a banana.