My first ever edible banana has gifted me witih a gorgeous bunch but, in December? Can I cut it now and hope it matures in my kitchen? It is an Ice Cream banana tree and my bunch presently looks very much like the one in this picture.
http://www.lsuagcenter.com/en/lawn_garden/home_gardening/fruits_nuts/Louisiana+Bananas.htm
thanks for your help.
Should I harvest the bananas now?
Hi Nery,
I've never had a banana tree get big enough to produce bananas that close to maturity. I might have better luck when and if we move to Bay City. While house hunting, I saw a few with stalks of bananas on them. I hope these links will help although you may have no choice due to the weather forecast for this coming week. It will be in the high 20s here. I hope it doesn't go much below that.
http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/banana.html
http://www.howtodothings.com/home-and-garden/a3071-how-to-harvest-bananas.html
http://www.plantanswers.com/garden_column/nov_03/1.htm
http://www.texasriviera.com/greenthumbs/bananaharvest.html
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/homefruit/banana/banana.html
Oh you're moving to Bay City??? we'll be practically neighbors! I hang around Wharton and visit Mira's nursery in Bay City every now and then.
Thanks for the links, I'll ck them out. I think we are under freeze warning for the next two days. Time to cover precious tropicals for sure.
DH has been working in Bay City since August and anticipates being there for 6 - 7 years. We considered Wharton because it would be slightly closer to the ranch until I looked at a FEMA flood map. I'll have to check out Mira's next time I'm in Bay City. I also want to visit Caldwell Nursery in Rosenburg. Website is interesting.
I used the plankets Home Depot is selling before the first freeze we had. The product should carry a warming that something more substantial should be used underneath. My firebush, Hamelia patens, and two hydrangeas were still damaged by the frost. As we get closer to Tuesday night, the weather predictions seem to go lower.
Nery, Florida has some info on their site. Arrow down to the "Harvesting" section.
Happy New Year and stay warm, alice
hamelia might die to the ground but it should come back, shoudn't it?
hiya alice!
Betty I did ck the links and looks like I could harvest it green and let it mature. Now the cold weather has arrived and I'm not going out! I will cross my fingers that they don't freeze and will try to cut towards end of the week.
Hey Nery, don't be a wuss; put some mittens on and go get those 'nanas. LOL
Brrrrrrr, it is really cold here, colder than it has been in 5 years for us. Walking the dog has become a challenge.
It got down to 27ºF last night and is supposed to be even colder tonight. Maybe you could have the banana popsickles instead. LOL
....or frozen bananas dipped in melted chocolate. Yummmmmm
vossner
have you ever boiled them? whenever i have a lot of bananas i take the green ones that are not ripe/soft yet and score lengthwise down the banana then boil them with the skins on (as you would with a potatoe) until they are soft. then peel and mash up chunks like a potato. they are really good.