As of 9-10-19 I am growing: 1. Ice Cream 2. Saba 3. Namwa 4. Double 5. Red Dwarf 6. Truly Tiny 7. Fei Aiuri 8. Dwarf Puerto Rican Plantain 9. Grand Nain 10. Hua Moa 11. African Rhino Horn Ask me about availability
I grow Raja Puri and Ice Cream under a high oak canopy in Ocala. The tree cover provides wind protection and a few extra degrees of cold protection. I get big bunches of bananas every year. You can grow them in dappled shade. Mine are around 15 feet tall. A banana grower in Gainesville taught me this method.
Same situation here, my blue Java is probably 15ft and is under the shade of an oak tree. The blue Java plant actually did better than my cavendish that I plants about a feet away
I just transplanted one into my yard outside in west nc zone 7. Im about to baby the heck out of it haha Thank you for the insight, tips & knowledge dude! Will probably be looking to buy from you soon! 🙏
I am growing an ice cream banana here in Wisconsin 😅. It may be 4° outside, but in my home, it’s 78°. It is currently producing fruit, and I am super excited to see if they fully ripen. It’s possible, but goodness gracious do I ever have to put a lot of work into it 😁. Thanks so much for the video. You answered my question - was wondering if they needed to be pollinated inside. Thanks again 👍🏻
Wisconsin, bananas?!? excellent. you've got the touch. I want to grow cherries in SoCal, and it ain't happening, I can't even keep a tree alive for a year.
@@Yoyoyoyoasshole it did! But they were too small to eat. I think it needed more light. Oh well.. I got a pup off of it and I’m trying to raise that to fruit too now! About the height of me, so hopefully when I bring it in for winter it is a couple feet taller. Hoping for fruit by next summer!!
Have you ever dug up the corm and cut it up to produce more pups? I have seen some videos of people doing it but none of them explain what they are doing or the complete process.
Just found the channel, and I gotta say man, nailing and answering all the thoughts i had and then throwing me for a loop with the AAA, AAB,ABB stuff. just moved into a place (australian) and noticed a banana plant in the back and it started to fruit, though have no idea what variety it is. the acronyms you gave are going to refine my search so much, thanks dude.
I have a big blue java banana growing in a pot in a greenhouse and already getting too tall, since it’s going to get a lot taller I will be trying to experiment with it and probably let it grow really tall in the summer and then cut it back so that I can bring it indoors to winter it and maybe one day in a few years try to get it to fruit in a way that nobody has done before
For zone 8b, in a medium sized yard, what would you suggest as the most attractive banana for foliage rather than fruit? I tried the blood-leaf banana but it did not survive the winter... Was the first winter in 20 years that it snowed here lol.
Randy: I live in the Houston area, where my saba bananas grew many pups, but only one or two stems fruited. The fruit always came late, so it was threatened by the few frosts we have. In frustration, I cut off many stems.Almost immediately, six of the remaining ones fruited. It was earlier than when they had fruited before, so none of the harvest was lost. The plants had frozen the previous winter. Somewhat later, I decided to test the pup cutting on a blue java I had planted earlier in the year (2020). It promptly fruited, too, though I had left it outside during the previous year's frosts. I just harvested over 100 bananas to rescue them from this winter's frosts. I must ripen them. Conclusion: It seems that these two cultivars survive frosts in the Houston area. Fruiting is stimulated by having a stem's pups cut, regardless whether the stem froze or not. I will have a huge harvest in 2021.
@@Toomuchbullshitt I initially thought that storm destroyed my groves of saba and ice cream banana plants. They showed not a sign of life. They have since then conquered the yard, and are threatening the government land behind it. These two cultivars and raja puri are very cold hardy. For that matter, all but one of our many citrus plants also survived after looking deader than a placoderm from the Devonian. All were carefully chosen for cold hardiness, but we had no right to expect they would survive that cold snap.
I just bought two 3 foot ice cream banana pups from a guy that grows them here in Sacramento. He must have like 30 on a very very small property. Last year I was there a couple were fully fruited. He told me he simply uses Christmas lights in the winter to keep them from freezing and has them on raised beds.
Christmas lights? Ik this is old comment, but he wraps them in Xmas lights? Madman idea but it can't be stupid if it works. Does it actually work is the question though?
Our first tree was planted and been growing pups for about 4 years. We finally got bananas and they are turning black and it’s our first fruits! We don’t know what to do?
Lol. Are you kidding? That's downright roomy. On most of my property, I'm pruning things with a lot less space than that. You should see what pruning my timber bamboo looks like. It's probably 75 feet tall. I have to avoid my house, two of my neighbor's houses, my neighbors boat, power lines (the big main uninsulated carrier lines, not the little insulated ones from the transformer to your house), and I have to move ALL of my nursery stock from the back to... somewhere... in the meantime. So yeah, I didn't even stop to think about the car, quite frankly. ;)
Hi Randy. So out of all the bananas that you grow, which is the most flavorful? I just bought one (Blue Java) today. How well do they grow in pots, and what size pot should I transplant it to? I was also wondering what months do they flower and harvest?
The best tatsing banana that I've ever grown is Dwarf Namwa. Tiny fruits, but SO delicious. ABB bananas like blue java get rather large. They are not the best choices for container growing bananas. The pot size depends on the size and age of the plant you have. Eventually it will need a rather large container if you want fruit. I'd say 20 gallons minimum. I've never actually gotten any edible fruit from any of my container specimens, personally, but getting my container specimens to fruit is never my goal, either. Unfortunately, bananas do not have a season. They bloom whenever they feel ready to. Harvest is aproximately four months after blooming.
My guy Randy,you always got the best videos with best information about the Tropical plants.Big help to the rest of us in Florida ,Great video .thank you .
Here in tropical Aus, there are a number of dwarf varieties that can be grown in small gardens now and new small varieties are being produced. With shorter "trunks", the "trees" are less susceptible to the wind and the cyclones that come through here.
Honestly, I've tried it both ways many times over over 30 years of growing bananas, and I have found that it makes no difference. It's exactly like cutting the heart off of the inflorescence. People staunchly argue one way or the other, both convinced they are right. I can tell you with great certainty, that it doesn't matter at all, as long as the sucker is in full sun. If the old pseudostem is shading the sucker, then it will stunt its growth, and should be removed. The only good reason I have found to leave old pseudostems on, is that they shelter the suckers from frost in Winter.
Great instructional video. I’m told these bananas 🍌 are very tasty. I recently bought my mom one who lives in Southwest Florida. I can’t wait to see this grow and hopefully produce.
what other tropical plants/trees do you have? Do you sell banana plants? I live near Daytona beach. I would like to grow some as well. please let me know. Thanks
Hiii Randy, couldn't able to find your mail, so writing over here. I am a gardening content creator from India.i want to use two screenshots from your video. I will mention you on the Image and also mention your channel in my video description. Waiting for your reply.
Growing blue java in zone 8a Alabama. Just noticed a flower today 7/20. How long before I can harvest? Do you think I’ll have time before winter? Still pretty warm here through October. Great information BTW
Fastgrowingtrees.com says ice cream bananas grow in zone 8. I live in South ga right at the Florida border, do you think I'd have success growing them?
Kare Kare! Banana blossom with peanut butter sauce, your choice of meat if you like. We like chicken. Great video. Looking to move to the Sebring area in a few years from now. Just added to your subscriber count.
when you cut the flower head off it wont produce any new bananas. so if you want a smaller bunch of bigger bananas, you cut it off once enough(as per your preference) bananas are formed. if it's already formed as many as it will form, then it makes literally no difference.
Yup. No difference. I've tried it both ways, many times. People often will argue quite fervently for leaving the heart on, or removing it, but it makes no difference from my experience.
Hello Randy, I am new to this and want to start growing a dwarf blue java. I had a question about if my location is good to grow a banana tree and what times would be the growing seasons. I live about an hour south of Los Angeles and a couple miles from the coast in California. Thanks in advance.
The answer is probably, yes. It depends on where exactly you are. If you are a couple of miles from the coast in the mountains where it freezes, then maybe not. Check your USDA gardening zone. If you are in zone 9 or higher, then yes you can.
Randy's Tropical Plants Thank you I live in a hotter zone that never gets below high forties ever even in winter nights with an average of 70ish degrees
How do you protect it from the cold? I'm from Houston. It froze last year surprisingly but usually doesn't. I have some pups in grow bags. Want to hold off until after the winter. Any advice?
Living in Puerto Rico here! We are growing plátanos, but I don't know why we don't have bananas, husband and sister go through a bunch every day. We had a "niño" variety, that's just these tiny bananas, but my family doesn't like the taste as much as "traditional" bananas so they went to waste. What's a good traditional tasting banana in your opinion, that I could look into growing?
I started growing platanos, because my hispanic neighbors are only interested in cooking bananas. They don't seem the least bit interested, in sweet varieties. I'm not sure why. My recomendation for a sweet banana is this one. Ice Cream. Also called blue Java. Another good one is Namwah. The regular grocery store bananas are a variety called Grand Nain. I've got one of those in the ground too, but it is not available yet.
Hi Randy. Just a note re disease. Panama disease is caused by Fusarium oxysporum and the Irish potato famine caused by potato blight, phytophera infestans. Plant Path by John
Thank you banana guru! Im growing an ice cream banana in FL 9a. Its about 2ft currently, what timeframe am I looking at before the first fruit? And I know you talked about fertilizer, but would 8-10-8 or 10-10-10 work or no?
I lived in Gilroy, CA and grew one against the house with southern exposure with minimal wind and it grew to the top of my 2 story. I will say that because of the cold, I had to cut it down at the base, but it grew right back every year. I never had bananas on it, but it was a gorgeous plant.
Hi, I am looking for good advice on wintering my 4 Blue Java Bananas that I planted in last June (2023). They are about 3 ft. tall. I am located in Austin, TX. Zone 8b. It gets very cold here with freezing temps lasting for 2 weeks at a time frequently during Jan & Feb. Thank you.
congrats on 10,000 subs. I'm growing blue java's in chula vista CA (between San Diego and Tijuana). It's the 1st of October and I noticed a green bulb at the top of my 12 foot tall plant. I'm so excited !! (I've been unemployed a little too long). I'm in zone 10, so its nice to have something other than navel oranges and avocado. My peach project has done OK. Bananas and peaches in the same yard?!? crazy! Enjoyed your video, the ABB thing is new info to me. Thanx for the info, I'm your latest subscriber.
I'm in temecula and I can so relate to being tired of citrus and avocados lol. That's all you ever see out here. I've got a tiny little blue java and 3 mangoes I bought this year and a peach tree that's about 6ft tall I bought this year as well. I want some variety in my fruit I'm so tired of the same old fruit trees of southern california. Maybe some will have some apricots sometimes or pomegranates but that's it. I want some fruit that when the neighbors see it they're like, ummm is that a bunch of bananas growing in the neighbors yard next to a mango tree and peaches, haha. Californians need to start trying to grow stuff other than citrus and avocados for God's sake. I love those, but come on, enough is enough
@@Sheikyerbouti8 appreciate the response...will try it. Will be following for future videos. Moving from Tampa to brooksville and trying to develop some type of green thumb haha.
I just ordered one. I live below Chicago. Though I have a 15 foot ceiling in the kitchen, this doesn't sound promising. 😬😬 I'm good with plants, but, looks like I've got my work cutout for me.
Is there any way I can grow these in a container. Like a big metal trash can, or do they need to be in the ground. Do they have deep roots or do they need to be in a wide container more than a deep container? I don’t want to necessarily grow Bananas. But I’ve always antes to grow blue java ice cream bananas. But I have limited space. Help. Thank you
minute 8: i never cut them down before they fruit and i usually have about3 to 5 bananas blooming... even though i know we should only keep 3 (granma, mom and kid according to my PR roots)
Hey there! I finally produced fruit on my ice cream banana tree mid July. I have not cut the stalk off yet. The tree and leaves are looking like they are dying but the bananas don’t look full like yours yet. I didn’t see that frosty color on them either. Not sure if I should cut the bananas down yet. What are your thoughts?
Hi there! I just purchased a ice cream banana tree and was hoping to grow it outside in an xlarge pot. I got excited to see yours got fruit indoors in a pot! Did the fruit ripen well to eat?
Geat video sir. I was wondering if a pup will sprout new leaves if it lost them all. I got one of these blue java's in the mail and the 4 leaves it has are all slumped due to shipping. If I cut them off will UT sprout new ones? Thanks in advance.
Hi I know this is a very old vision of yours but to your knowledge how would a blue java due in Palm springs California?? I would really love to grow and care for one
Hello...... I live in Palm Harbor, FL (North of Clearwater) and my ice cream banana bloomed in December, which is either early or late depending on how you look at it i presume. This is my first banana bloom and I can't figure out when to harvest. Can you help me please?
Generally it takes 4-5 months for the fruit to develop properly. When the female flowers first grow, the sides are flat and angular, but they eventually get full and curved. They are ready to harvest any time after the sides of the fruits are rounded out. The final rounded out stage looks a bit different from one cultivar to the next, but you'll get the feel for it eventually. I've never seen it take less than 3.5 months, or longer than 6. They will still be green at the point that they are ready to harvest. You don't want them to ripen on the plant, though, or they have an off flavor. As a rule of thumb, in order to get the fruit to develop properly, the bloom must happen from sometime in March to sometime in August. You must also make sure the plant does not go through any kind of stress while it is developing. Cold, lack of water, or lack of nutrients will cause fruit to be underdeveloped. Once a cold snap pauses their development, they never really start again. At least, not enough to get good fruit. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but in all liklihood, you will not be getting a good rack of fruit out of that blooming. Where you are, maybe it stayed warm enough, but we got some freeze nights this year, so it isn't likely. I could be wrong, but probably not. Join the club, amigo. I had to cut three racks down, that bloomed last Winter. It happens to me every year, unfortunately. Where we live, it's just part of growing bananas. They bloom whenever they want. The good news is that it never takes as long to get your second bloom as it did to get the first. Keep it well fed and it bloom in no time.
Randy.....I just came on to your channel. I live in Clearwater, FL so we are close. I want to add some bananas into my garden and wanted to ask you which ones you would suggest. Thank You......Mark. BTW....I'm definitely a new Sub.
Hey Mark. It depends on what you want/like. Too big a question to answer here, really. There are many good choices for cooking varieties, many good choices for sweet fruiting varieties. There are bad choices too. In Clearwater, you will experience a bit less cold than me here in Tampa, so true plantains might do ok, but they are a bit sensitive and there are better choices. etc.etc. I'm not currently shipping bananas, even though I plan to begin doing that again soon, but since you are in clearwater, you could shcedule an appointment to come here to pick up your plants. I have quite a few varieties available now. Just send an email to randystropicalplants@gmail.com if you'd like to shcedule that.
18:52 Is that a Parang? Just the right tool... Where do you get it? And where are you actually? In Malaysia we call the "flower" part as the "banana heart" and if you want good recipe check "gulai jantung pisang" (literally the banana heart Malay curry). It meant to be had with rice, as second side dish (read: vegetables curry).
I'm looking for an musa ice cream cuz they can withstand some colder temps the say even light frost (-5°c). I have a Musa acuminata 'red dacca' growing at the moment but that one doesn't tolerate cold weather. But I have a question my banana tree is making roots above the ground at soil level. Do I have to bury these or just leave them alone and let them above the soil?
Blooming time depends on the climate in which it is grown. Approximately 9 months or so. These can take SOME cold, they cannot take prolonged exposure to cold.
I don't have them available right now. I have other varieties though. 2-6, 9, and 11 on the list below are available now. We just had a frost though, so I'd wait until late Spring to buy from me. Cheers 1. Ice Cream 2. Saba 3. Namwa 4. Double 5. Red Dwarf 6. Truly Tiny 7. Fei Aiuri 8. Dwarf Puerto Rican Plantain 9. Grand Nain 10. Hua Moa 11. African Rhino Horn
Awesome video super informative i just bought 2 ice cream banana keiki and I'm planting them along with around 15 other varieties of trees and i watched a video on every strain i got and this is the best video i watched so far on one of my plants. Mahalo
I live in St. Pete, does reclaimed water have enough nutrients to fertilize my blue java. I am new to this. My sprinklers go off 3 times a week. I am getting ready to harvest my first batch.
That's a great question. Regulations for such chemicals in recalimed water are very lax compared to the regulations for surface or drinking water. Nutrient concentrations in recalimed water can vary a lot from one facility to the next. As far as whether or not it is enough? Possibly for nitrogen and phosphorus, but almost certainly not enough potassium. There's no real knowing for certain, unless you test your reclaimed water for those nutrient levels. If your naner is growing and producing, then I guess the proof is in the pudding. If it starts to get sluggish or if the fruits do not fill out properly, then you will have to look a lot closer at what kind of nutrients it is lacking (probably potassium).
I'm in sc and just bought a 6 year old mother plant didn't know the variety.he said they get 16 ft tall it's been in a pot root bound looks great been in a hot house .he said maybe it would put on this year .what u think it's 6 foot
Given perfect conditions, any banana will bloom within a year or less. No matter what size you start with. It's actually better to start with smaller plants, rather than large rootbound specimens. It is MUCH faster that way... given perfect conditions. If it was rootbound, then almost certainly will not produce this year. Bananas REALLY shut down when they get rootbound, so I'd put it in a much larger pot. You're going to need a massive one if you want fruit out of a variety that gets that size. In a container, its impossible to say how long it will take. It takes longer than in-ground grown plants do. I've never attempted to get edible fruit from a banana in a container, but they do occasionally bloom in containers for me. Those blooms never yield edible fruit. Would they do so if I were to feed more regularly, or grow them in larger pots? Maybe. In a hothouse that is warm and humid all year, in full sun, in the ground, you can definitely get decent fruit. Lord Cavendish did it in England in the 1800s. In the tropics, it takes six months for a removed sword sucker to bloom for the first time. Here in Tampa, a tiny pup can bloom within 6 months, but its usually a year or so to the first bloom. After that, they bloom every nine months or so. This varies greatly from variety to variety. The further from the tropics you are, the longer it will take. The colder it gets, the longer it will take. The smaller the pot, the longer it will take, and if any of these conditions are bad enbough, the plant may never bloom. Good luck amigo. I hope that it does bloom for you soon.
Do you have a video on what to do to prepare them for winter? I live in N. Texas(zone 7) and was curious if you had tips for keeping them alive so they have a head start next growing season. Thanks for the videos! Very informative and helpful.
Hey Dustin No I haven't made that video because I don't have to do any of the stuff you will have to do. The thing to remember is that if you have plants in the ground, you want to protect the pseudostems from freezing if you ever hope to get fruit. On freeze nights, wrap with electric blankets, whatever you gotta do. It is not going to be possible to keep the leaves from getting burned in zone 7 Winters. Where you are, getting a fruiting banana to produce is going to be challenging without a large greenhouse. The variety you will have the best hope with is Raja Puri. I don't sell those. The other strategy for you, could be to grow super dwarf varieties (Truly Tiny, Novac, etc), in pots, and move them indoors in Winter... that is, if you have large south facing windows, and you provide warmth and humidity. Even the super-dwarf plants will eventually need rather large pots to produce properly though (15-20 gal), but it is do-able. I hope this was helpful. Cheers and good luck!
Hi, I notice you remove the bud very late as the bare stem is very long. Removing the bud as soon as there is no female blossoms coming out, produce better fruit as the nutrients will redirected to fruits instead of going to the bud.
After over 30 years of growing bananas, I can tell you with great certainty that it makes no difference whatsoever. Leave it on, cut it off, doesn't matter. I've done it both ways many times. The health of the plant determines the size and quality of the fruit.
@Randy's Tropical Plants. Do you still have any banana pups available? Love your vidz and have learned soo much. So I'm trying to stock up on rare and different varieties
You mentioned it was a young corm and as a result that psudostem was a bit smaller. Does this mean the older the corm the larger the bunches of bananas get as well?
I loved this! The video is right on time. The ice cream banana I got from you arrived well (as usual), and seems happy so far. I'm crossing my fingers that I'll get to try the living room drying technique some day. My wife just said, maybe the kitchen...oh well. Keep the vids coming! I know it takes time etc., but they are really helpful and appreciated.
2:20 I am growing Ice Cream bananas in a half wine barrel in San Diego, CA. They grow to about 10ft off the ground and make prolific numbers of pups. One is fruiting right now (June 2022) after 2 years growth.
Im in orlando do you know where i could buy a real red dwarf banana plant i purchased what was supposed to be red couple year ago and stem was not red niether were bananas.
I hate getting mislabeled plants. It's happened to me SO many times over the years. I've got them. I could email you a pic of red bananas on a plant right now. If you make an appointment you could come see them for yourself. It's unfortunately fruiting now, just before winter, which means that the bunch is a loss, but anyway, I've got some potted/rooted suckers available now. I've got a few larger ones too. If you're interested, email me at randystropicalplants@gmail.com Cheers
As of 9-10-19 I am growing:
1. Ice Cream
2. Saba
3. Namwa
4. Double
5. Red Dwarf
6. Truly Tiny
7. Fei Aiuri
8. Dwarf Puerto Rican Plantain
9. Grand Nain
10. Hua Moa
11. African Rhino Horn
Ask me about availability
Ice cream and rhino horn?? Do u have suckers
I live in the desert palm springs may need ice cream banana is that expensive also need dwarf Cavendish
@@oakstreetorchard7469 I have Ice Cream but the rhino horn just recently started sending up suckers. They're not ready yet.
@@Sheikyerbouti8 how much for ice cream
Where do you live?
Thank you my left ear ear is very informed
Mine right lol
I think you mean right ear
I grow Raja Puri and Ice Cream under a high oak canopy in Ocala. The tree cover provides wind protection and a few extra degrees of cold protection. I get big bunches of bananas every year. You can grow them in dappled shade. Mine are around 15 feet tall. A banana grower in Gainesville taught me this method.
Hey David, I live in Gainesville would you be interested in selling any? I could come pick them up 😉
Same situation here, my blue Java is probably 15ft and is under the shade of an oak tree. The blue Java plant actually did better than my cavendish that I plants about a feet away
love the crunchy sound when you cut the banana down, it sounds like celery XD
I planted my banana trees near my rabbit hutches and I got fruit in one year
I just transplanted one into my yard outside in west nc zone 7. Im about to baby the heck out of it haha
Thank you for the insight, tips & knowledge dude!
Will probably be looking to buy from you soon! 🙏
I am growing an ice cream banana here in Wisconsin 😅. It may be 4° outside, but in my home, it’s 78°. It is currently producing fruit, and I am super excited to see if they fully ripen. It’s possible, but goodness gracious do I ever have to put a lot of work into it 😁. Thanks so much for the video. You answered my question - was wondering if they needed to be pollinated inside. Thanks again 👍🏻
Wisconsin, bananas?!? excellent. you've got the touch. I want to grow cherries in SoCal, and it ain't happening, I can't even keep a tree alive for a year.
@@johnboach9493 i know the feeling, i tried cherries in florida. Worst $70 ever spent :(
I wish to have blueberries in Las Vegas but the soil is really alkaline and the weather is too 🔥.
So??? Did it fruit?
@@Yoyoyoyoasshole it did! But they were too small to eat. I think it needed more light. Oh well.. I got a pup off of it and I’m trying to raise that to fruit too now! About the height of me, so hopefully when I bring it in for winter it is a couple feet taller. Hoping for fruit by next summer!!
Have you ever dug up the corm and cut it up to produce more pups? I have seen some videos of people doing it but none of them explain what they are doing or the complete process.
Amazing video, I can really tell that you eat these healthy special bananas because you look super healthy man! Great work. Keep it up
Just found the channel, and I gotta say man, nailing and answering all the thoughts i had and then throwing me for a loop with the AAA, AAB,ABB stuff. just moved into a place (australian) and noticed a banana plant in the back and it started to fruit, though have no idea what variety it is. the acronyms you gave are going to refine my search so much, thanks dude.
I have a big blue java banana growing in a pot in a greenhouse and already getting too tall, since it’s going to get a lot taller I will be trying to experiment with it and probably let it grow really tall in the summer and then cut it back so that I can bring it indoors to winter it and maybe one day in a few years try to get it to fruit in a way that nobody has done before
Good luck! lemme know how it goes
Thank you so much for my blue java banana it’s almost 4 feet tall now!!
Awesome sauce!
@@Sheikyerbouti8 any chance of sending one to the uk?
Is it producing bananas yet? How awesome do they taste, if so?
Im sorry, but where i can buy the seeds?
ITS posible to plant It with blue java seeds?
Just picked up 8 pups of this variety here in Charleston SC (zone 8b). Growing mostly for foliage but will consider fruit a happy bonus.
They are pretty. I hope you get fruit.
For zone 8b, in a medium sized yard, what would you suggest as the most attractive banana for foliage rather than fruit? I tried the blood-leaf banana but it did not survive the winter... Was the first winter in 20 years that it snowed here lol.
@@sandhills2344 They are doing well. No fruit yet but the foliage is quite beautiful
Randy: I live in the Houston area, where my saba bananas grew many pups, but only one or two stems fruited. The fruit always came late, so it was threatened by the few frosts we have. In frustration, I cut off many stems.Almost immediately, six of the remaining ones fruited. It was earlier than when they had fruited before, so none of the harvest was lost. The plants had frozen the previous winter.
Somewhat later, I decided to test the pup cutting on a blue java I had planted earlier in the year (2020). It promptly fruited, too, though I had left it outside during the previous year's frosts. I just harvested over 100 bananas to rescue them from this winter's frosts. I must ripen them.
Conclusion: It seems that these two cultivars survive frosts in the Houston area. Fruiting is stimulated by having a stem's pups cut, regardless whether the stem froze or not. I will have a huge harvest in 2021.
And then the February winter storm barreled into Texas.
@@Toomuchbullshitt I initially thought that storm destroyed my groves of saba and ice cream banana plants. They showed not a sign of life. They have since then conquered the yard, and are threatening the government land behind it. These two cultivars and raja puri are very cold hardy.
For that matter, all but one of our many citrus plants also survived after looking deader than a placoderm from the Devonian. All were carefully chosen for cold hardiness, but we had no right to expect they would survive that cold snap.
I just bought two 3 foot ice cream banana pups from a guy that grows them here in Sacramento. He must have like 30 on a very very small property. Last year I was there a couple were fully fruited. He told me he simply uses Christmas lights in the winter to keep them from freezing and has them on raised beds.
I'm in sacramento and have about a dozen. We are getting our second fruiting right now. I'd sure like to see the other guys
Christmas lights? Ik this is old comment, but he wraps them in Xmas lights? Madman idea but it can't be stupid if it works. Does it actually work is the question though?
Our first tree was planted and been growing pups for about 4 years. We finally got bananas and they are turning black and it’s our first fruits! We don’t know what to do?
Where are you, and when did it bloom?
pro tip - always park your car right next the tree/plant you are cutting down, makes the job easier :)
Lol. Are you kidding? That's downright roomy. On most of my property, I'm pruning things with a lot less space than that. You should see what pruning my timber bamboo looks like. It's probably 75 feet tall. I have to avoid my house, two of my neighbor's houses, my neighbors boat, power lines (the big main uninsulated carrier lines, not the little insulated ones from the transformer to your house), and I have to move ALL of my nursery stock from the back to... somewhere... in the meantime. So yeah, I didn't even stop to think about the car, quite frankly. ;)
Hi Randy. So out of all the bananas that you grow, which is the most flavorful? I just bought one (Blue Java) today. How well do they grow in pots, and what size pot should I transplant it to? I was also wondering what months do they flower and harvest?
The best tatsing banana that I've ever grown is Dwarf Namwa. Tiny fruits, but SO delicious.
ABB bananas like blue java get rather large. They are not the best choices for container growing bananas. The pot size depends on the size and age of the plant you have. Eventually it will need a rather large container if you want fruit. I'd say 20 gallons minimum. I've never actually gotten any edible fruit from any of my container specimens, personally, but getting my container specimens to fruit is never my goal, either.
Unfortunately, bananas do not have a season. They bloom whenever they feel ready to. Harvest is aproximately four months after blooming.
Which feed store in your area are you buying the 10-10-10 and potassium sulphate?
Shell's feed on Nebraska ave in Tampa
My guy Randy,you always got the best videos with best information about the Tropical plants.Big help to the rest of us in Florida ,Great video .thank you .
Here in tropical Aus, there are a number of dwarf varieties that can be grown in small gardens now and new small varieties are being produced. With shorter "trunks", the "trees" are less susceptible to the wind and the cyclones that come through here.
If you don't cut your tree so low the sucker tree will gain nutrients and water off the mother tree. Cut it high and the trunk will feed the sucker.
Honestly, I've tried it both ways many times over over 30 years of growing bananas, and I have found that it makes no difference. It's exactly like cutting the heart off of the inflorescence. People staunchly argue one way or the other, both convinced they are right. I can tell you with great certainty, that it doesn't matter at all, as long as the sucker is in full sun. If the old pseudostem is shading the sucker, then it will stunt its growth, and should be removed. The only good reason I have found to leave old pseudostems on, is that they shelter the suckers from frost in Winter.
Great instructional video. I’m told these bananas 🍌 are very tasty. I recently bought my mom one who lives in Southwest Florida. I can’t wait to see this grow and hopefully produce.
what other tropical plants/trees do you have? Do you sell banana plants? I live near Daytona beach. I would like to grow some as well. please let me know. Thanks
Hiii Randy, couldn't able to find your mail, so writing over here. I am a gardening content creator from India.i want to use two screenshots from your video. I will mention you on the Image and also mention your channel in my video description. Waiting for your reply.
Growing blue java in zone 8a Alabama. Just noticed a flower today 7/20. How long before I can harvest? Do you think I’ll have time before winter? Still pretty warm here through October. Great information BTW
What part of Alabama are you? I'm Dothan,Al. Was wondering same question.
Can we get the saplings for planting in India if so give details
Do you have a video on planting the pups you have cut away?
Fastgrowingtrees.com says ice cream bananas grow in zone 8. I live in South ga right at the Florida border, do you think I'd have success growing them?
In a protected location you could probably pull them off. South-facing wall is good.
Kare Kare! Banana blossom with peanut butter sauce, your choice of meat if you like. We like chicken. Great video. Looking to move to the Sebring area in a few years from now. Just added to your subscriber count.
What does the blue java banana fruit taste like if you freeze it first?
Can you do a taste test video? or even just explain it. Thank you.
when you cut the flower head off it wont produce any new bananas. so if you want a smaller bunch of bigger bananas, you cut it off once enough(as per your preference) bananas are formed.
if it's already formed as many as it will form, then it makes literally no difference.
Yup. No difference. I've tried it both ways, many times. People often will argue quite fervently for leaving the heart on, or removing it, but it makes no difference from my experience.
Hi great vid! Can you send me a blue Java plug plant to the uk? Thanks Paul
Hello Randy, I am new to this and want to start growing a dwarf blue java. I had a question about if my location is good to grow a banana tree and what times would be the growing seasons. I live about an hour south of Los Angeles and a couple miles from the coast in California. Thanks in advance.
The answer is probably, yes. It depends on where exactly you are. If you are a couple of miles from the coast in the mountains where it freezes, then maybe not. Check your USDA gardening zone. If you are in zone 9 or higher, then yes you can.
Randy's Tropical Plants Thank you I live in a hotter zone that never gets below high forties ever even in winter nights with an average of 70ish degrees
How do you protect it from the cold? I'm from Houston. It froze last year surprisingly but usually doesn't. I have some pups in grow bags. Want to hold off until after the winter. Any advice?
I would like to find out how can I grow my bananas in a Cell Phone 8 I live in El Paso Texas how would I be able to grow my bananas in my area
Living in Puerto Rico here! We are growing plátanos, but I don't know why we don't have bananas, husband and sister go through a bunch every day. We had a "niño" variety, that's just these tiny bananas, but my family doesn't like the taste as much as "traditional" bananas so they went to waste. What's a good traditional tasting banana in your opinion, that I could look into growing?
I started growing platanos, because my hispanic neighbors are only interested in cooking bananas. They don't seem the least bit interested, in sweet varieties. I'm not sure why. My recomendation for a sweet banana is this one. Ice Cream. Also called blue Java. Another good one is Namwah. The regular grocery store bananas are a variety called Grand Nain. I've got one of those in the ground too, but it is not available yet.
Hi Randy. Just a note re disease. Panama disease is caused by Fusarium oxysporum and the Irish potato famine caused by potato blight, phytophera infestans. Plant Path by John
Thank you banana guru! Im growing an ice cream banana in FL 9a. Its about 2ft currently, what timeframe am I looking at before the first fruit? And I know you talked about fertilizer, but would 8-10-8 or 10-10-10 work or no?
I lived in Gilroy, CA and grew one against the house with southern exposure with minimal wind and it grew to the top of my 2 story. I will say that because of the cold, I had to cut it down at the base, but it grew right back every year. I never had bananas on it, but it was a gorgeous plant.
Hi, I am looking for good advice on wintering my 4 Blue Java Bananas that I planted in last June (2023). They are about 3 ft. tall. I am located in Austin, TX. Zone 8b. It gets very cold here with freezing temps lasting for 2 weeks at a time frequently during Jan & Feb. Thank you.
congrats on 10,000 subs. I'm growing blue java's in chula vista CA (between San Diego and Tijuana). It's the 1st of October and I noticed a green bulb at the top of my 12 foot tall plant. I'm so excited !! (I've been unemployed a little too long). I'm in zone 10, so its nice to have something other than navel oranges and avocado. My peach project has done OK. Bananas and peaches in the same yard?!? crazy! Enjoyed your video, the ABB thing is new info to me. Thanx for the info, I'm your latest subscriber.
Thanks John!
I'm in temecula and I can so relate to being tired of citrus and avocados lol. That's all you ever see out here. I've got a tiny little blue java and 3 mangoes I bought this year and a peach tree that's about 6ft tall I bought this year as well. I want some variety in my fruit I'm so tired of the same old fruit trees of southern california. Maybe some will have some apricots sometimes or pomegranates but that's it. I want some fruit that when the neighbors see it they're like, ummm is that a bunch of bananas growing in the neighbors yard next to a mango tree and peaches, haha. Californians need to start trying to grow stuff other than citrus and avocados for God's sake. I love those, but come on, enough is enough
Shred the blossom and soak it in salt water for few hours then stir fry with garlic. It's delicious
I'll try that thanks
I'm just west of San Antonio (8b) and ordered a cavendish and an ice-cream banana. Do you think I can get some fruit?
Great video...was wondering would this type of banana tree thrive up in brooksville FL?
It would be one of the better ones to try. Saba, Namwa, and Raja Puri too.
@@Sheikyerbouti8 appreciate the response...will try it. Will be following for future videos. Moving from Tampa to brooksville and trying to develop some type of green thumb haha.
I just ordered one. I live below Chicago. Though I have a 15 foot ceiling in the kitchen, this doesn't sound promising. 😬😬 I'm good with plants, but, looks like I've got my work cutout for me.
Is there any way I can grow these in a container. Like a big metal trash can, or do they need to be in the ground. Do they have deep roots or do they need to be in a wide container more than a deep container?
I don’t want to necessarily grow Bananas. But I’ve always antes to grow blue java ice cream bananas. But I have limited space. Help. Thank you
minute 8: i never cut them down before they fruit and i usually have about3 to 5 bananas blooming... even though i know we should only keep 3 (granma, mom and kid according to my PR roots)
Actually very informative and extremely relevant to me as I too am in the "Can i grow bananas in FL" situation. Thank you.
Hey there! I finally produced fruit on my ice cream banana tree mid July. I have not cut the stalk off yet. The tree and leaves are looking like they are dying but the bananas don’t look full like yours yet. I didn’t see that frosty color on them either. Not sure if I should cut the bananas down yet. What are your thoughts?
I’m located in Orlando btw
Hi there! I just purchased a ice cream banana tree and was hoping to grow it outside in an xlarge pot. I got excited to see yours got fruit indoors in a pot! Did the fruit ripen well to eat?
Thanks Randy. So glad I came across your channel. Very helpful.
I'm glad too. Cheers
How do you cut and plant/grow the pups? Is there another video?
yes my banana maintenance video
Geat video sir. I was wondering if a pup will sprout new leaves if it lost them all. I got one of these blue java's in the mail and the 4 leaves it has are all slumped due to shipping. If I cut them off will UT sprout new ones? Thanks in advance.
How about Phoenix, you think bananas would produce?
There are people all over Phoenix growing them
Hi I know this is a very old vision of yours but to your knowledge how would a blue java due in Palm springs California?? I would really love to grow and care for one
Have you ever dipped these in Chocolate!? 😋
No, I usually just gobble them up.
Mine are so tall we struggle to cut them down. It’s crazy
I'm gonna sub up but man... you gotta work on your machete skills 🥴😅🙏🏼
I just moved to an apartment and I have a banana tree right outside my back patio. I’m trying to properly identify them. I hope I got it correct
Randy, at the end, why didnt you leave the larger pup on the rhizome so that it would be the next pseudo stalk to produce bananas ??
Can i get these shipped to india
Unfortunately, no. I don't ship internationally
My banana tree is like....6-9 feet tall.....is that normal?😂
What would you suggest as the best variety to grow in Chicago and do you know anyone who sells them? Thanks in advance
I’m in Chicago too & am wondering the same thing. Fastgrowingtrees.com offers several varieties & have good reviews 🍌
Thank you all your knowledge. Great infos.
I can't wait till the next variety of banana drops
I live in Ohio. I want to grow bananas. I know I need to grow from a pot. What type of banana is great to grow?
Hello...... I live in Palm Harbor, FL (North of Clearwater) and my ice cream banana bloomed in December, which is either early or late depending on how you look at it i presume. This is my first banana bloom and I can't figure out when to harvest. Can you help me please?
Generally it takes 4-5 months for the fruit to develop properly. When the female flowers first grow, the sides are flat and angular, but they eventually get full and curved. They are ready to harvest any time after the sides of the fruits are rounded out. The final rounded out stage looks a bit different from one cultivar to the next, but you'll get the feel for it eventually. I've never seen it take less than 3.5 months, or longer than 6. They will still be green at the point that they are ready to harvest. You don't want them to ripen on the plant, though, or they have an off flavor. As a rule of thumb, in order to get the fruit to develop properly, the bloom must happen from sometime in March to sometime in August. You must also make sure the plant does not go through any kind of stress while it is developing. Cold, lack of water, or lack of nutrients will cause fruit to be underdeveloped. Once a cold snap pauses their development, they never really start again. At least, not enough to get good fruit.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but in all liklihood, you will not be getting a good rack of fruit out of that blooming. Where you are, maybe it stayed warm enough, but we got some freeze nights this year, so it isn't likely. I could be wrong, but probably not. Join the club, amigo. I had to cut three racks down, that bloomed last Winter. It happens to me every year, unfortunately. Where we live, it's just part of growing bananas. They bloom whenever they want.
The good news is that it never takes as long to get your second bloom as it did to get the first. Keep it well fed and it bloom in no time.
Randy.....I just came on to your channel. I live in Clearwater, FL so we are close. I want to add some bananas into my garden and wanted to ask you which ones you would suggest. Thank You......Mark. BTW....I'm definitely a new Sub.
Hey Mark. It depends on what you want/like. Too big a question to answer here, really. There are many good choices for cooking varieties, many good choices for sweet fruiting varieties. There are bad choices too. In Clearwater, you will experience a bit less cold than me here in Tampa, so true plantains might do ok, but they are a bit sensitive and there are better choices. etc.etc. I'm not currently shipping bananas, even though I plan to begin doing that again soon, but since you are in clearwater, you could shcedule an appointment to come here to pick up your plants. I have quite a few varieties available now. Just send an email to randystropicalplants@gmail.com if you'd like to shcedule that.
Man you know a lot about bananas that’s awesome great vid
18:52 Is that a Parang? Just the right tool... Where do you get it? And where are you actually?
In Malaysia we call the "flower" part as the "banana heart" and if you want good recipe check "gulai jantung pisang" (literally the banana heart Malay curry). It meant to be had with rice, as second side dish (read: vegetables curry).
It was sold to me as a kukri style machette. I bought it on Ebay. Thank you so much for the recipe idea!!!
More more more please. I am now off to find your other videos about how to deal with the pups etc
Awesome video, very informative. I’m in Tampa too. Just bought Blue Java’s. They’re a foot tall. Can’t wait to try them.
How long did it take to fruit? I have one for about 1 year and a half now.... no fruit yet
I'm looking for an musa ice cream cuz they can withstand some colder temps the say even light frost (-5°c). I have a Musa acuminata 'red dacca' growing at the moment but that one doesn't tolerate cold weather. But I have a question my banana tree is making roots above the ground at soil level. Do I have to bury these or just leave them alone and let them above the soil?
Yoiur corm is exposed, bury it.
How long does it take to bloom? And is it possible to grow them in cold climates?
Blooming time depends on the climate in which it is grown. Approximately 9 months or so.
These can take SOME cold, they cannot take prolonged exposure to cold.
@@Sheikyerbouti8 ty
Great video, Best place to buy ice cream Banana trees? Looking to plant one. I'm in South Florida (KENDALL)
I don't have them available right now. I have other varieties though. 2-6, 9, and 11 on the list below are available now. We just had a frost though, so I'd wait until late Spring to buy from me. Cheers
1. Ice Cream
2. Saba
3. Namwa
4. Double
5. Red Dwarf
6. Truly Tiny
7. Fei Aiuri
8. Dwarf Puerto Rican Plantain
9. Grand Nain
10. Hua Moa
11. African Rhino Horn
Awesome video super informative i just bought 2 ice cream banana keiki and I'm planting them along with around 15 other varieties of trees and i watched a video on every strain i got and this is the best video i watched so far on one of my plants. Mahalo
Thanks. You have more different cultivars than I do!
Good luck amigo. I wish you many naners.
I live in St. Pete, does reclaimed water have enough nutrients to fertilize my blue java. I am new to this. My sprinklers go off 3 times a week. I am getting ready to harvest my first batch.
That's a great question. Regulations for such chemicals in recalimed water are very lax compared to the regulations for surface or drinking water. Nutrient concentrations in recalimed water can vary a lot from one facility to the next. As far as whether or not it is enough? Possibly for nitrogen and phosphorus, but almost certainly not enough potassium. There's no real knowing for certain, unless you test your reclaimed water for those nutrient levels. If your naner is growing and producing, then I guess the proof is in the pudding. If it starts to get sluggish or if the fruits do not fill out properly, then you will have to look a lot closer at what kind of nutrients it is lacking (probably potassium).
The most kind and honest person of all the internet! I appriciete from Italy!
Wow thanks for that! Cheers
I'm in sc and just bought a 6 year old mother plant didn't know the variety.he said they get 16 ft tall it's been in a pot root bound looks great been in a hot house .he said maybe it would put on this year .what u think it's 6 foot
Given perfect conditions, any banana will bloom within a year or less. No matter what size you start with. It's actually better to start with smaller plants, rather than large rootbound specimens. It is MUCH faster that way... given perfect conditions.
If it was rootbound, then almost certainly will not produce this year. Bananas REALLY shut down when they get rootbound, so I'd put it in a much larger pot. You're going to need a massive one if you want fruit out of a variety that gets that size.
In a container, its impossible to say how long it will take. It takes longer than in-ground grown plants do. I've never attempted to get edible fruit from a banana in a container, but they do occasionally bloom in containers for me. Those blooms never yield edible fruit. Would they do so if I were to feed more regularly, or grow them in larger pots? Maybe.
In a hothouse that is warm and humid all year, in full sun, in the ground, you can definitely get decent fruit. Lord Cavendish did it in England in the 1800s.
In the tropics, it takes six months for a removed sword sucker to bloom for the first time. Here in Tampa, a tiny pup can bloom within 6 months, but its usually a year or so to the first bloom. After that, they bloom every nine months or so. This varies greatly from variety to variety. The further from the tropics you are, the longer it will take. The colder it gets, the longer it will take. The smaller the pot, the longer it will take, and if any of these conditions are bad enbough, the plant may never bloom.
Good luck amigo. I hope that it does bloom for you soon.
Is that a angelica keiskei tree behind you? Do you have any seeds from that monster?
No those are Amorphophallus paeoniifolius
Do you have a video on what to do to prepare them for winter? I live in N. Texas(zone 7) and was curious if you had tips for keeping them alive so they have a head start next growing season.
Thanks for the videos! Very informative and helpful.
Hey Dustin
No I haven't made that video because I don't have to do any of the stuff you will have to do. The thing to remember is that if you have plants in the ground, you want to protect the pseudostems from freezing if you ever hope to get fruit. On freeze nights, wrap with electric blankets, whatever you gotta do. It is not going to be possible to keep the leaves from getting burned in zone 7 Winters. Where you are, getting a fruiting banana to produce is going to be challenging without a large greenhouse. The variety you will have the best hope with is Raja Puri. I don't sell those. The other strategy for you, could be to grow super dwarf varieties (Truly Tiny, Novac, etc), in pots, and move them indoors in Winter... that is, if you have large south facing windows, and you provide warmth and humidity. Even the super-dwarf plants will eventually need rather large pots to produce properly though (15-20 gal), but it is do-able. I hope this was helpful.
Cheers and good luck!
Hi, I notice you remove the bud very late as the bare stem is very long. Removing the bud as soon as there is no female blossoms coming out, produce better fruit as the nutrients will redirected to fruits instead of going to the bud.
After over 30 years of growing bananas, I can tell you with great certainty that it makes no difference whatsoever. Leave it on, cut it off, doesn't matter. I've done it both ways many times. The health of the plant determines the size and quality of the fruit.
@Randy's Tropical Plants. Do you still have any banana pups available? Love your vidz and have learned soo much. So I'm trying to stock up on rare and different varieties
Thank you Randy. Just wanted to let you know this is a great video.
Do you think I would be successful growing Ice Cream in Houston TX climate?
If you are in USDA gardening zone 9 or higher, you'll have success. Lower USDA gardening zones will require more work, and be a greater challenge.
I live in Texas zone 8a. I hear some people hear grow them and they fruit. Do you think the ice cream banana will work in my climate? Great video btw
8a will be a challenge. I always encourage people to try though.
I just got a small ice cream banana plant
Don’t you get constipated eating all those bananas?
You mentioned it was a young corm and as a result that psudostem was a bit smaller. Does this mean the older the corm the larger the bunches of bananas get as well?
Yes it does
I loved this! The video is right on time. The ice cream banana I got from you arrived well (as usual), and seems happy so far. I'm crossing my fingers that I'll get to try the living room drying technique some day. My wife just said, maybe the kitchen...oh well. Keep the vids coming! I know it takes time etc., but they are really helpful and appreciated.
I would love to try an icecream banana 🙂😁
Where could I just buy a banana fruit not the tree
Randy, great to meet you at the plant show yesterday. I'm subscribing to your channel. Great videos.
i to like to by vanilla banna from you i am in north tampa area.
I'm in North Florida Live Oak area what variety should I plant thank you
Stick with ABB varieties. You could also try a Raja Puri.
2:20 I am growing Ice Cream bananas in a half wine barrel in San Diego, CA. They grow to about 10ft off the ground and make prolific numbers of pups. One is fruiting right now (June 2022) after 2 years growth.
Im in orlando do you know where i could buy a real red dwarf banana plant i purchased what was supposed to be red couple year ago and stem was not red niether were bananas.
I hate getting mislabeled plants. It's happened to me SO many times over the years.
I've got them. I could email you a pic of red bananas on a plant right now. If you make an appointment you could come see them for yourself. It's unfortunately fruiting now, just before winter, which means that the bunch is a loss, but anyway, I've got some potted/rooted suckers available now. I've got a few larger ones too. If you're interested, email me at randystropicalplants@gmail.com
Cheers
I'm gonna try growing this in Arizona, wish me luck!
Good luck! PLEASE do let me know how you do with it
Me too! Keep me posted
Same here. I also live in Arizona and am curious how it does as I also am looking at doing this if you have success.
Same here.
thanks for tell information about banana trees