Aloha,
I need some guidance.
I got a banana tree 2 years ago from the 1000 tree giveaway in Manoa. Today I noticed that it has a blossom. Yeah. I didn't think it was ever going to happen. But now I'm worried that I might miss the bananas. I'm going to be gone for the next month. How long does it usually take from the blossom until the bananas are ready to harvest? How will I know when the bananas are ready to cut down? Do I cut the old tree down after it has produced a hand of bananas?
Any guidance would be appreciated.
Growing banana trees
Aloha Guavagirl,
Bananas usually take several (2-3) months to fully ripen from the time the bloom appears, depending on the variety. You'll know when to cut off the fruit when it starts to ripen at the top and chage color. The stalk that fruited will only do so once, and will die, so it can be cut after you harvest the fruit.
At least three months, given plenty of water and fertilizer. You can cut the bunch when the flower dies or when you see the bananas begin to change color.
A young banana should fruit in about 1 to 1 1/2 years. Being that it took 2 years may mean that it needs better conditions.
Hawaiian soils are usually lacking in potassium (K), and bananas use more potassium than other nutrients. Bananas need a fertilizer with a ratio of about 10-5-20, N-P-K, given at 4 month intervals.
If the bananas are lacking in potassium, they will take longer to develop, and will not get to their potential size.
Bananas also need ample water. Kane'ohe gets from about 50 inches of rain per year, down at the coast, to about 100 inches per year up in the hills.
If it gets very dry in your area, you may need to give your bananas supplemental water.
Mahalo everyone,
Is there a particular brand name fertilizer you would recommend Metrosideros? I am a real newbie at this.
The banana tree ended up leaning over and eventually falling completely over the day before I was going to cut it down! They still took 2-3 weeks to ripen after that even in a black garbage bag. They were good, but unfortunately not apple bananas.
Guava girl
