I know there are banana growers here (hint hint Ray)...

My Gran Nain is in the ground. My question is this:

When I planted it there was the main plant and a pup. Now there are several pups all growing and competing for space. What to do? I really don't want to dig anything up at this point and risk harming the plant. Can I cut some of those pups off or will that be detrimental to future banana tree growth? Not sure what to do here...

This pic was from April so they are a bit bigger now and more pups. There are probably 6 or 7. It's too hot and I'm too lazy to go snap a pic right now - lol...

Here are my thoughts. Just remember, my banana knowledge is minimal and I have been growing these for only about 6 years now.

If at some point your main banana flowers that banana will die.
I always like to leave one or two pups around the oldest banana so that when that does happen I have one waiting in the wing to take its place.

If you do remove the banana pups I havent seen any difference in the main plant after removing the pups.
If you want to grow the pups that is where you will need to be careful in how you remove it from the main plant.
Unless you dig down and under the pup to see if it has roots you are taking a chance with getting it to grow. I've had a hard time getting the pups to grow without the roots. But it is possible.
And you need to make the cut really close to the main plant to remove the pups in good condition.

But if you are just looking to thin out the pups get yourself a good prunning saw and cut away.
You might want to leave the exposed cut open to the air for a day or two to let it heal. It happens pretty quick with the orinoco's so I imagine your Gran Nan should do the same.

Is this an edible banana Kelly?

Thanks Ray - that is exactly what I needed to know!

Sure is Marie. Whether or not I can get it to fruit is a whole 'nother story though...

Did you get it locally? I need to get some bananas planted. My Dh has been asking me for about 4 years now to get him one.

I got it from Susan (lakesidecallas)...

Forgot the link to her site...

http://www.lakesidecallas.com/...

Darn I wish I would have known. I got an order from her about 1 1/2 months ago. But then again bananas were not in the vision at the time.

She ships excellent plants! You may just need to find something else to buy from her - lol.

Not thinking that will be a problem. That one is cold hardy?

Zones 8-10. I believe it is hardy to 20° F. Should work for you!

Sounds good. So when do you wan the mexican lobelia I promised you? Probably not until at least September huh?

I bought a dwarf Orninoco from Bakers last year. It too now has a pup. This place sells banana's as well. http://www.tropicamango.com/ge...

Yeah, probably fall. If I got it now I'd have to put it in a pot and I already have too many pots to water right now - lol...

This is a discussion by two other people growing banana's in Phoenix. http://www.phoenixpermaculture...

Cool - thanks Jayne!

Check out the last posting on Permaculture Guild. Anyone ever heard that it takes 85 leaves for the banana to set on.

I remember Ray telling me something like that when I first got the banana last year...

I've heard something like that before and for some reason the number 47 sticks in my head for the dwarf orinoco's.
I never did count the leaves but if I use a little logic here that seems about right.
It took the first pup I got 4 years to produce a flower.
I'm guessing it put out around 10 leaves or so a year so.