Finally, my 5 year old musa Blue Java, Ice Cream dwarf banana in a pot is fruiting! I have some beginner banana growing questions. I fed it well up til now. Do I still need to feed it heavily while it's fruiting? I have read through many but not all the posts on bananas. I remember someone said to use Stump Remover as a good potassium source. I have had it but never used it because I didn't know how and didn't want to kill the tree. Does anyone remember that? Other than watching with great awe 3 times a day, what do I need to help this along? TIA

Congratulations on getting fruit. It has been a number of years since I had bananas, sadly I do not remember if I continued feeding when they fruited or not. Hopefully someone will chime in with current info. Stump remover sounds drastic though, I would be afraid to use that. I do remember mulching with any banana leaves that came off or I pruned off, they are full of potassium.

We grew them in the Marshall Islands. I never fertilized them once we had flowers or fruit. Just kept the plant heavily mulched.

I agree, hold off fertilizing while flowering, please show us pictures, I know I'd be doing a happy dance if my nana flowered

@Christine. Well! You're in luck since I hover over the tree looking at it 3-4 times a day. From 10 days ago to today:





Baby bananas all inside here:

That was marvelous Cheryl! . I've never seen photos of the process so clearly. Well done and thanks for sharing!

Incredible photos Cheryl 🤗 Thank you for posting them, it's amazing to see the process of growth. Enjoy them 😉

Yes, good show! I wish I lived closer so I could help you eat those nanas.

Wondering if my Ice Cream Bananas are ever going to turn blue?? There is only the one hand of bananas but I'll take them for it's first time. I have a big barrel planter for it next year. So maybe more bananas then?? But first these need to ripen before it gets cold this weekend/next week. It's been 4.5 mos since they appeared. They are short and fat. But still very firm and green. What is the usual time that bananas take to ripen. Or will these turn blue after I pick them much like standard green bananas do on the counter?

Cheryl, from our experience when the weather turns cold here (Southern CA, zone 10b) our bananas go "dormant". The fruit will remain on the plants and when the weather reaches optimum temperature (which is approximately consistent 80-degree weather day and night) the plants will resume growing and the fruit will begin to grow a bit more and then ripen. We have dwarf musa and Hawaiian bananas. They sometimes take about nine months to nearly a year to ripen for us, depending when they develop their inflo. We harvested one stalk of bananas weighing a little more than 50 lbs from one plant in May this year. Next year we are looking at three more bunches. It is too cold for them to ripen this time of year. Our bananas seem to throw their inflos around April/May and sometimes late June.

In your area, you may need to protect your plants from frost so they won't be harmed. A good layer of mulch will also protect the roots and any new shoots. I have read that hay makes good mulch for them, just don't forget to remove it when the weather warms up so they don't rot.

Hope that gives you some idea of what to expect and how to care for your bananas.

Keep us posted!

Thanks so much Eli @bandaids and Good information! 9 mos?! I would have never guessed it took that long to ripen! This little tree is in a pot and safely out of harm's way in a heated garage. The only thing closer to the heater is the Tropical Hibiscus.

Sun came out today so the plants got good light exposure while in the garage. But still only 53°. But let's hope the weekend warm up really does happen. We're not used to prolonged cold.

My bananas are ripening in the garage. The tree sits close to the front where it can get some sunshine in the day. We tasted one today. It is not Musa 'Ice Cream' as I was told. I am sort of disappointed as I don't particularly like bananas. It didn't turn blue, it turned yellow. It is big and fat with only a slight taste of banana, which is fine with me.

I think it's wonderful that you managed to get ripe bananas at all! I grew them in the Marshall Islands. My mom had different banana plants in Arizona, and she occasionally managed to have bananas, but most years hers would freeze.

Congratulations 🍌🍌🍌it looks delicious

Cheryl, sorry it was not the Ice Cream you were hoping for. Did you get it in the Houston area? I plan to be in that area next April and have already told in laws I want to go to the nursery you have mentioned on here and see what is offered that I can't get here in the El Paso area.
I have three different ones now the Musa, Red and Miniature ones. About 4 years did get blooms on the common Musa but never produced a single banana.

I got the tree locally in a trade so I am not complaining. It is also in a large pot. So I am glad it's a dwarf. I only got one hand of bananas but many unfertilized flowers. Again, I am not complaining. I love the tree. I dislike the flavor and texture of bananas.

@Txtea James. I will send you a list of great nurseries in all parts of the city. Houston area is a large place and very spread out. You can drive an hour and a half in any direction and still be in the Houston "area". April is a perfect month here! Warm but not too hot.

Thanks Cheryl, Won't be far from your part of town.