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.

wrote in message
ups.com...
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.



That is entirely normal- they fruit then they die.
That's why they send up new plants around the base.
Cut the spent ones to the ground.


--
Toni
South Florida USA
USDA Zone 10
http://www.cearbhaill.com

On 2007-03-14, 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?

My wife & sister-in-law used to have a place out here on the west coast
(CA) and they had a large "clump' of bananas that were perhaps 15' across.
Anyway, generally the rule was that once a single trunk of the plant
put out bananas, it was cut-down afterwards (to the ground) and new shoots
would come up out of the ground.. In fact, new shoots were always coming up
out of the ground as the plot was always increasing in size.. The variety
they were growing was the kind that you cook with and find in Filipino
markets (among other places) and turn black/yellow when ripe. Anyway, for
you, I'd suggest cutting down the trunks of the plants that have the fruit
on them and you should get more growing it their place at some point.

As for what to cut them down with -- we used hand pruning saws.. The flesh
is very easy to cut with a saw..

YMMV!

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

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!

wrote in message 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.

Remove them entirely- there's no reason not to.


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?



Bananas are heavy feeders, and it is late March. If you haven't done your
spring feeding, now is a good time. They need good water, too, as they grow
so fast.

It will continue to grow leaves and will catch up with the others in no time
flat.


--
Toni
South Florida USA
USDA Zone 10
http://www.cearbhaill.com