On Mar 15, 1:53 am, "
wrote:
On Mar 15, 4:28 am, "



wrote:
Hey everyone,

I live in North Central Florida, and have several banana plants in a
clump on my property. Some of the plants started producing fruit
back in November, however the recent freezing snaps have gotten to
them (despite my efforts). The plants with fruit stopped making
leaves soon after fruit appeared on them. Now after weather is
getting warmer, the other trees are making leaves (we cut back the
dried, dead leaves), however the trees with fruit seem to be sad.
Their fruit is blackened, and they aren't making leaves.
Additionally, their stems/trunks are very water filled, and not hard/
solid like the other plants.
I believe that I should cut them down, but I've never done it
before... I think I'll take a machete or a saw to the stem/trunk,
and cut it down to 3 ft or so. Is this right? Is there anything
special I have to do to the plant before (or after) doing this? Will
another plant grow out of the cut down one?

Thanks.

Yes cut it. In commercial production they cut them when the bunch is
cut. Look for suckers around the base of the old plant to start a new
one. If you want good fruit and/or lush growth feed them well as they
are very heavy feeders and will soon exhaust an area if no manure/
fertiliser is added.

David

So, per everyone's instructions, I cut down the banana trees.
Actually a friend came over and helped me out. He brought over his
machette, and insisted that we cut the trees down to about 1 foot
above the ground. The results are that the little plants around the
main mother plant are growing voraciously. Cutting down the 'trees'
was a good idea. I only have two questions;
1) Should I go ahead and saw down the remaining 1 foot stumps, down to
the ground? they are a bit out of place, and if it's not a problem
I'd like to make them disappear.
2) While using the machette, my friend accidently chopped down one of
the smaller plants... Well, this little guy is still trying to make
it. From it's little stump it's putting out a new leaf. Is there
anything I can do to help it along?

Thanks everyone!