G'day Everyone, thanks a ton for your support! I know I haven't been posting a lot lately but be assured I have plenty of videos coming and our garden has never looked better so I want to show it off lol... Also, for those who I may not have replied to in my last video on Scooter thank you for your kind words of sympathy and condolences - you really are an awesome "bunch" here on RUclips and your support helps me and my family immensely. Cheers :)
Good to see you! You have been missed but life happens and you have to take care of yourself and your family. I have been looking at dwarf banana trees (since I live in snow country) that I can grow outside in summer and bring inside. Not sure what variety to choose.
Bear, I’m a veteran (USMC) and was in Vietnam. I don’t get out and about much so I started gardening. It has been extremely helpful for my PTSD and I want to thank you for what you do for a lot of people.
Thanks for your service, & good wishes in dealing with the ongoing fallout from that same service. 🙏 Respect to you, & good wishes for good harvests! 🍀
Hi Mark, I'm 16 and live in perth, starting a small orchard on my family's 1 acre property - so far, orange, mandarin, apricot, nectarine, and soon plum, apple, and some mulberries (white & black) which I grew from cuttings. Thanks for making these videos! Maybe I'll get some dwarf bananas to... 🍌 🌱 👍
You are getting a good collection of fruit trees already! The good thing about starting food gardening, when you're young, is having so much time to try so many wonderful crops! All the best :)
I have 4 of the round Birdies garden beds in my small yard. I started gardening in 2020 with just some pots and a bunch of seeds. As someone with a bad back and 50 , those high round ones are perfect. I managed to turn a hardly used space into a very rewarding and money saving hobby. Not to mention better tasting produce. If I can do it anyone can. I was very lucky to come across your channel very early and I've learnt so much. Thanks Mark and cheers from Northern NSW Australia.
Great to hear Kathy! I'm the same... If it wasn't for raised beds I doubt that I could continue to garden. All the best and may you grow a ton! Cheers :)
If you’re still in the market for dwarf varieties, I highly recommend Dwarf Namwah. It’s a very vigorous grower, cold hardy (seen reports in forums of growers not even losing the pseudostem in 18F temperatures), and wind resistant. And it produces large bunches of delicious bananas for its size (usually fruits around 6-8 ft tall). Grand Nain is another great one. Produces massive bunches of grocery store size bananas on a thick wind-resistant 6-10 ft pseudostem, and it’s probably the most vigorous grower of all fruiting bananas. Not quite as cold hardy as the Namwah but it grows so fast that with a little frost protection during a cold snap it will recover.
We’ll definitely be planting dwarf bananas this year. Hubby fell from about 6 feet up and landed horizontally on his side. It must have been the flat landing and grass underneath that saved him. He’s 68 and by some miracle, didn’t break anything, barely a visible bruise but he could hardly walk for days. It really is dangerous. The bananas are heavy, nothing to hold on to and so easy to over balance. To add insult to injury our son refused to eat any of the “Bananas of Death”. 😂😂😂
@@Isaac-ho8gh it really was a miracle. He was so winded, I was sure he had broken ribs and punctured a lung. Our 13 year old saw the whole thing, but reckons the worst part was me screaming at him to run and call an ambulance! Plus I guess, being taunted by the bananas hanging on the back deck for a fortnight! 🙄
@@loupurvis3148mate, I tell you what. I'm not trying to sounds rude here but as an Indonesian I find it hilarious right now that people actually climb a banana tree. Ma'am, you should just cut the banana tree like you'd do an oak tree, that's how we do it in indonesia. I tell you this so your husband doesn't fell down next time he wanna try harvesting banana again
@@Astaroth73 I’m sure you’re not being rude. 😂 It’s a bit of a long story but we don’t actually climb the banana tree! He was on an A-Frame ladder next to it. Yep, we should have just cut it down but these were actually our neighbour’s bunch hanging over into our yard. They’re away on extended holiday and they told us to take the bananas when they ripened rather than let the bats get them. We couldn’t actually get at the base of the tree. Serves us right for (not really) “stealing” bananas! 😂
Thanks, Mark 👍 My garden started a few years ago; early spring, 2230h, small trowel, hard soil, sack of chitted spuds, tears of determination - soon tada! PTS potatoes. Saved my life. Now I've got an interesting mix of vegies growing over a much larger area. I seed save. I experiment. When I have the energy for it, it's an absolute joy. I still can't figure out how strawberries got in there though 🤔 If my plants start bolting, I just let them. The open air pollination has yielded interesting results
Hi Mark, I love your show. I'm from Canada. I have raised garden beds. My husband and I are building them from old grain bins. I wish we could grow the fruit that you can grow. It will be great if our orchard will take off. I have planted pears, apples, cherries, and plums. Must all be hardy for zone 2 or possibly 3. Keep up the videos.
If you are going to grow raspberries, make sure to get thornless ones! I didn't because I thought the thorns wouldn't be that much of an issue, but raspberries spread like a weed. The thorns make it extra hard to pull up or to rake over, and they will tangle any machines you try to use on them. Save the time and effort and get thornless.
The new growing area looks great Mark! Interesting to learn about the super-dwarf banana trees. I wonder whether we can get them over here (I'm off to find out!).
Hi Liz!!! I could imagine growing super-dwarf bananas even in colder climates in a small hot house or indoors over winter etc. Hopefully the "banana technology" comes your way! Cheers :)
It brings me joy seeing a new SSM video pop-up in my Subscriptions list. Happy to see you in better spirits in this video and thank you for letting us see into your gardening life through these videos. It’s a great motivation for all of us!
Thank you for answering the question of your title right at the front of the video for people who just want to learn. Its refreshing to have someone on RUclips that respects their audience.
In southern Michigan, where we get real winter, I put in Japanese Fiber Bananas (musa basjoo) 10 years ago and it grows into a really cool, tropical monster every summer and dies all the way back to the ground in the fall. You have to plant them next to the house for some root warmth in winter. Clean up on Saint Patrick's Day is a bear (you have to also leave the dead stuff over winter to further protect the roots). It does not produce bananas but the big leaves are great for wrapping meat and vegetables for the grill.
My family has been growing a dwarf cavandish type banana for more then 60 years, their is a stand of them at my sisters that has been in the same spot for over 65 years and they still produce well. They on get about 2 metres high maximum but can still have a 30 kg seven hand bunch. love your channels👍
Good to know the fruit yield is still substantial. I'm older than Mark and still get up that ladder but I know I shouldn't. An accident waiting to happen.
That last little bare spot would be a great spot for a good sized row of raspberries or blackberries even without a raised bed they don't take much work after planting just a pruning once a year
That is quite the transformation! Can't wait to see what you grow in the new area, and how your bananas transition to the dwarf varieties. Your prior videos convinced me to go dwarf, so I never have to get on anything higher than a step stool for banana maintenance. Thank you!
Hi Mark, just something to tell you :), you didn't have to 'bag' the bananas, you could chop them down instead when they have reached the appropriate size and leave them on room temperature to ripen. This way, you can prevent birds and animals from chewing on them. Nevertheless, great vid!! Hope this helps!😃
Hey mark, from Texas and your videos have pushed me into starting my own garden next spring. was already raising chickens and ducks. I’ve been taking notes and watching your videos past few months , the info and tips you give are much appreciated. keep it up brotha 👍 and thanks for what you do.
Wish I had that kind of space to grow plants. At least I can live vicariously through you. I look forward to seeing what you do with the space. Cheers Mark and all the best.
Thanks Mark, I am a little late to this video. We have just done a similar thing in our garden with a revamp. Our bananas were covered with some very inexpensive greenhouses over winter. Now that we are in the hot summer months they are booming. They were planted last September, so only a year in, and we planted a variety with one being the dwarf version. Looking forward to seeing how they do. Cheers
I always get the tall ones because I like having extra banana biomass to feed my soil. But I'm sure when I'm older and already have gold soil I'll want the smaller ones too.
You make me feel lucky to be growing bananas in north Florida. I have to grow short cycle bananas because we have frost, but nothing really bothers them. Raccoons can learn that bananas are food, but the ones out in the country never do. Very minor insect damage is all I ever get. Short cycle types don't get very tall either.
My Atherton Raspberry has grown well in SEQ. Daleys nursery also sell a thornless variety of native Australian raspberry. Mine is just starting to fruit. I have collected the fruit in the freezer over time and then made jam. Obviously all my native Australian raspberries are grown in large containers as they can go feral.
I would love to see you make a video on how to plant a garden for the wildlife. Just a little section for them. I know you share some of your plants with them.
Bananas are a great food! And inexpensive, despite inflation, in stores here in the US. Hope you are staying cool. My son is in Darwin right now doing "something" with the RAAF. Cheers Mark!
We live in the Shoalhaven area and noticed a few homes near us growing bananas. I wasn't aware you could get dwarf banana trees so we will definitely give them a go as we are in our 60's :-D
I have no problem letting the bananas drop to the ground . Some might fall off but usually fine. Just use a cassowary cutter on the end of the bamboo pole. Trims the dead leafs well too
Looking awesome! For that open space, why not include some seating and a table? Both could double as storage for tools and garden supplies, and you could have a very pleasant place to take a break while working in the garden.
Wish I'd seen this before planting my regular sized banana. I will definitely look into drawf varieties now. Looking forward to seeing how all of yours does!
Same! I have 3 'regular' banana trees in the ground and recently picked up a dwarf banana from Bunnings - just to compare. Already thinking the dwarf bananas would have been a better choice! Ah well, we live and learn. 😊
G'day Mark. Love this new area and how you set it up. It's a dream of mine to have Birdies beds here one day. Absolutely get what you are saying about the bananas. I bought 2 bananas last year to try to grow here in Northern Victoria, but the more research I did, the more I was put off by the maintenance and I'm now 54. 2 months ago, I bought dwarf 'Nathan' bananas for large pots and they will be a lot easier to maintain, protect from frost etc... The 2 big ones will be given away now. Enjoyed the video as always and enjoy that new space and garden beds. Looking forward to seeing them growing all kinds of stuff. Take care. Daz.
Love your content, I have actually tried to use banana stalks in huegelculture type raised beds and I hope you have better luck than me. Mine ended up sprouting even after laying around for six months in the open. I decided banana stalks were a no go as mulch as their dna seems to live on forever.
That’s my concern too with the banana waste. I have a dwarf banana in cool climate Tasmania. It’s never produced fruit, but it does produce pups galore all through summer.
I have clumps of banana, l thin them sometimes. I chop and use them to enrich the sides of my garden.. I dont bag the fruits, l cut down the fruits just before they ripen.
New garden area looks amazing! Very smart. You know I thought I’d lost my lil Dwarf Cavandish last winter here in Texas. And it didn’t get that cold, but it was in the ground instead of a bed. Thankfully it came back but it’s like it’s starting over again. As soon as we get a few days less than 100-105 deg Fahrenheit, I’m going to replant her in a good sized raised bed. Then I can protect her better next winter.
Great video. Been watching for 5 years and am now retired for 4 years. I hear you on the ladder climbing aspect of aging. I spent 40 years in union construction trades as a welder and have absolutely no desire to ever climb a ladder again.I also use the hugelculture method in my raised beds and have yet to see an appreciable drop in volume year to year, some replenishing but not a lot; takes a long time for logs under the surface to break down.
I’m in coastal central Florida and grow dwarf cavendish bananas in the ground. I can just reach up a bit to access the pod/bananas. Bagging is so easy.
I pulled out some dwarf pink banana seeds to germinate, just a few hours ago - love the coincidence! Also, my husband and I have been maintaining a Hügelkultur bed in the garden for many years now. Once established, it's great for water retention and quality of soil, but you are limited to shallow-rooted fruits and veg for the first couple years, as anything else will struggle to get past the solid wood, plus the need to backfill as it decomposes. You might try a wood-loving mushroom to help it along. Cheers!
Hi Mark. Love your vids. I live in the outer edges of Townsville, north Queensland, and had three different varieties of dwarf banana growing in pots ... until about a month ago. I think a feral pig came through and dug out all three and smashed its way through the trunk and roots. All I had left were some shredded and mashed leaves and A single small bit of stem. Broken hearted. One of the banana plants was a red dacca which I have been told are the premium bananas to grow for eating. Wild life keeps beating me ...
@@G88442 Hi, I actually did find one small shred of stalk and root that I immediately replanted, thinking bananas are pretty hardy. But the pig come back that night and put a total end to it.
In my experience with dwarf banana plants, I have to use a different judgement for when they are ready to eat. When getting grocery store bananas, it a little green and mostly yellow for purchase. When it's my backyard dwarfs, it's very little yellow and mostly green when ready to eat. I have to cut the entire bunch off or the animals will get them first....and this is in the city of South Florida, USA.👍
Hi Mark. I’m local to you and do have similar weather. I bought a mini banana tree and have it in a large pot. How much water should I give it and how often? Love your videos. So much good advice 🙂
I would be interested to see you grow a native raspberry in one of those beds. Maybe an heirloom vegetable cultivar that we're on the verge of losing? Or any other native plant, the more rare or endangered, the better. Have you ever thought about making a small bog garden? You live in the perfect climate for growing some rare carnivorous plants. We do have some beautiful cultivars of plants that produce heavily and resist disease, but I've become more interested in preserving the less popular plants that don't get as much attention.
There is actually a tool you can get on the end of a pole for bagging bananas. Small varieties have other benefits and are obviously easier to manage in general, but if you particularly like the tall ones and don't want to get up a ladder, you don't have to.
RIght! I only grow dwarf bananas in containers in my apartment back yard. Yes, Cavendish Dwarf bananas are so easy to grow and get "full size" bananas. In containers you can move them inside to a greenhouse, garage, poarch... in bad weather or from animals. It just takes about two years to start seeing fruit.
Great video! I sincerely wish I had packed my lesser quality soil and wood and branches down like you demonstrated. I keep adding soil and more soil. But it has been such a joy to work in the raised beds! That center area would be great for grow bags too!
New raised beds, how eggciting. I'm putting new beds in too. Planning on 3 new raised beds, by the end of October. Can't wait to see what you put those new beds to good use. Blessings from South Australia.❤
Central Queensland here ,a little tip that works to keep flying fox away. i cut up 3 metre lengths of 50 mm ag pipe gave it a very rough paint job to look like a carpet snake and put them in my fruit trees ,works well.
Not sure if you've heard about this over in Australia, but here in the US the USDA is "asking" people to register their gardens. Nothing good comes from the government getting involved in private individual's lives. No idea what their end goal is, but it can't be good. Keep up the great videos, best of luck to you.
Yes, I have heard about this, and I'm keeping an ear open to any new developments. All I will say is - government, get out of my life... All the best :)
The goal is to keep track of those who can feed themselves, (and others) which threatens the deep state by allowing dissidents to resist the new world order.
That would be weird if it were true. But this is about collaborative, community gardens, which are a terrific way to foster love of humanity and teach others how to grow their own food. Working together to help each other is the basis of humanity itself. fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/Texas/news-releases/2022/usda-opens-peoples-garden-initiative-nationwide
The Government wants to track and control you…. If they know you have a way to grow food to live. The Government doesn’t want that. Why do you think Bill Gates is buying up as much land as he can as fast as Bill Gates can? “To Control food”… Don’t tell them anything about your life… Nothing to do with community garden- don’t fall for that lie…..
Hi Mark! Have you ever thought of investing in a compact tractor for your property? I recently got a Kioti cs2610 and I can't believe how handy the thing is. I got a 4in1 bucket and loader on front and a Backhoe on the back. I've got a post hole digger I can put on the back and forks I can put on the front for moving pallets. I paid 37k Australian but seriously worth having a look into mate. With your channel you might get a freebie from kioti or Kubota if you asked. Best investment ever get so much more done and safer on the body
I live in Pennsylvania and have been growing dwarf lady finger bananas in my home for 10 years. Well honestly, I’ve never had very good harvests, but it’s been fun trying.
Mark, do you have to do much winter protection for your banana plants? It gets below freezing where I live in the wintertime, so I've been hesitant to get any banana trees.
No problems here as our winters are mild. The dwarf and super-dwarf varieties could be worth a try as they could be protected over winter in cold climates via a hothouse or cover or even super-dwarf in a pot in a sunroom etc. I've seen some grown against a brick wall that gets a lot of sun helping to keep the plant warm for longer. Cheers :)
I have the Super Dwarf cavandish here in Phuket Thailand. They are the sweetest bananas I have ever had. All organic but once cut them off they all ripened within a few days. Faster than could use
I can't grow bananas outdoors where I live, but I have always thought about growing dwarf ones in pots. So, I am looking forward to the video about the dawf varieties you're growing in the pots. I like to ask, or rather beg lol, for a whole video on growing finger limes, since I know you have some in your orchard. I want to get a tree or two myself but they are very expensive and I don't want to spend that kind of money only to kill the trees. There really isn't that much information about growing them, at least on RUclips anyway.
We were lucky to buy a home with an established grove of dwarf cavendish bananas. We love them, the bunches are only about 1.5 to 2 meters off the ground.
Great video Mark, l have a Lady Finger and a Blue Java in pots under 4 feet that l will need to pass onto someone else. I now have two dwarf Nathan's that l feel much more comfortable with at only 1 and 2 feet. Good luck with your dwarfs and l hope we can fruit them well together. Mine will be more challenging because of location. Best wishes to you. Jason from Melbourne Victoria.
this channel has been very interesting for me for quite some time helping me to understand how to grow plants. I have used aquaponics with a degree of success.(by that I mean successful green onion for 2 plants of the 3 cuttings from Walmart) but I think now the problem with my set up is it does not allow the plants room to breath. and lack of sun light causing me problems how ever I am working some watermelon plants in a little patch in front of my apartment. I am going to go for a hybrid system that uses specialized pots that allow for controlled watering and drainage so I can run a constant stream of water through the plants and have the pots filter water for a Fish tank which in turn feeds the plants because fish food is cheaper than fertilizer. the pots would be designed so that it creates a artificial aquafer/under ground lake which its level would be maintained at a certain level so that its enough for the plants but not to much to suffocate them. So I am likely going to use sand or gavel on the bottom and have it so the drain raises(faucet drain) about 1-3 inches from the bottom the sand/gavel would hopefully make it so soil don't escape the pot into the fish tank because the out flow of water would not be able to lift the sand above the faucet and the sand would hold the soil in place. I am going to have the input line for the pots overflow into the output line. in the case that the input flow for the pots is less than the output volume of the pump itself. and this way I could put valves on the pot inputs this way I could adjust the flow of water manually. so for plants that don't as much water I can change it when needed. I have modelled a diagram / design for all I need to do it build it. in the name of science.
I finally got 2 long Birdies garden beds. I used your code thank you. But I now must do some work to prepare the base ground. I have some bad grasses which will complicate my gardens. But I had no idea of how much I had to raise the ground on the lower outside. It will be really good when I complete insulation. I am now thinking about I might have been better off buying the round ones like the ones in this video. Oh well!
I'm with you Mark. i have both tall and dwarf. and my dwarf variety taste better. but my tall ones are not only shading out a portion of my very small garden they have started to grow inside my raised beds. i cut them down and they shoot right back up there from the center korm. i am almost 61 and disabled so i have a super hard time getting the bannas down from those tall ones. my dwarf variety came from QVC yts ago. my mom bought 2 and she has 2 large stands of them and i have a really large stand from her pups plus my neighbor has a couple small ones and my daughter also. all from the 2 original ones. i don't remember the variety name but they dont grow over 6 ft. a great variety for sure.
Waau Mark. I don't wanna lie but I'm a bit jealous of your amazing lifestyle. My (farm) yard in the middle of town is almost 1000 sq ft and I treasure it. Growing about 5 bananas 4 pawpaws, 1 peach and a prune tree. All of that in a challenged climate with frost in the month of July, but sill I praise God for my tiny bit, although my heart yearn for just a bit more. Love from Africa.
Hi Mark, Ive been watching you for a while now (not, like, stalking or anything :) ) And you have inspired me to start my own veg and fruit garden. So far Ive planted two apples, pear and nashi plus blueberries and a Myer lemon. We have 3/4 of an acre of clay (poor me). My husband John and I are both former members of the Australian Army . My husband also had a parachute incident which almost destroyed his back but he is a tough bugga much like you. Anyway, thank you so much for the content, look forward to seeing lots more in the future. Soldier on
Wow I love the look of those raised beds. I've got a 2' cedar raised bed now and after 2 year I've got grass coming through. Thought I tor everything out and out down a weed barrier but it already inside. How do you ensure that doesn't happen? I'm not even sure what to do now or how to get that grass out. Were all organic.
I have 4 or 5 banana groves on my small property. I'm looking to get rid of the big ones and keep one dwarf cluster. The dry leaves burn almost like they are soaked in kerosene. Good in an incinerator.
Dont ever let bananas to age with lots of dead leaves hanging off them. Yu gott keep the lower branches cut so you can feed it to itself. Bananas love rotting banana leaves and sucklings. Keep cutting suckers and return them to the plant untill just before they start to fruit. Then you get next generation pretty much straight away. Big self mulch pile is best for each stand. Dont use a ladder. Use pole based cutting and bagging tools. Bananas love swails too. Bill Mollison style. That said. I wish I had the dwarves you have. Looks awesome.
hey I am on Adelaide, and just come bacl from overseas..... and wow so much rain we have had.......... so checked out my garden, Carrots doing well, and a few garlic coming up , and Leeks when are they ready to pick, my caulis not ready yet.... still growing bloody chillies, and just wondering I got peas coming up, thought the birds ate them all... but we have 2 peas on plant and a few flowers..
G'day Everyone, thanks a ton for your support! I know I haven't been posting a lot lately but be assured I have plenty of videos coming and our garden has never looked better so I want to show it off lol... Also, for those who I may not have replied to in my last video on Scooter thank you for your kind words of sympathy and condolences - you really are an awesome "bunch" here on RUclips and your support helps me and my family immensely. Cheers :)
😅
We miss you! ❤ Glad to have you back Mark!
Good to see you! You have been missed but life happens and you have to take care of yourself and your family. I have been looking at dwarf banana trees (since I live in snow country) that I can grow outside in summer and bring inside. Not sure what variety to choose.
DO you burn any material to get potash?
What sort of tree is scooter pushing up?
Bear, I’m a veteran (USMC) and was in Vietnam. I don’t get out and about much so I started gardening. It has been extremely helpful for my PTSD and I want to thank you for what you do for a lot of people.
Thank you for your service.
Thanks for your service, & good wishes in dealing with the ongoing fallout from that same service. 🙏 Respect to you, & good wishes for good harvests! 🍀
Gardening is very healthy and helpful for people with PTSD. It has helped me a lot too. Slows the brain right down and it's nice to get grounded 😊
Same here Afghanistan 03 and this is how I would rather spend my time than deal with people
Thank you for your service! ❤
Hi Mark, I'm 16 and live in perth, starting a small orchard on my family's 1 acre property - so far, orange, mandarin, apricot, nectarine, and soon plum, apple, and some mulberries (white & black) which I grew from cuttings. Thanks for making these videos! Maybe I'll get some dwarf bananas to... 🍌 🌱 👍
Mulberry pies 🤤
Well done young person 👍
Try mushroom growing, too 🧑🔬🧑🌾
You are getting a good collection of fruit trees already! The good thing about starting food gardening, when you're young, is having so much time to try so many wonderful crops! All the best :)
Good luck. Growing your own fruit is one of the best hobbies to have.
@@Selfsufficientme thank you, for the reply!
Great to hear that ✌️🌱Happy Orcharding!!!🥳
I have 4 of the round Birdies garden beds in my small yard. I started gardening in 2020 with just some pots and a bunch of seeds. As someone with a bad back and 50 , those high round ones are perfect. I managed to turn a hardly used space into a very rewarding and money saving hobby. Not to mention better tasting produce. If I can do it anyone can. I was very lucky to come across your channel very early and I've learnt so much. Thanks Mark and cheers from Northern NSW Australia.
Great to hear Kathy! I'm the same... If it wasn't for raised beds I doubt that I could continue to garden. All the best and may you grow a ton! Cheers :)
@Selfsufficientme this size sounds perfect for me. Any tips on how to keep the possums out please?
Banana’s waste make the greatest composting material ever. They bring great humidity and lots of nutrients. Great video.
If you’re still in the market for dwarf varieties, I highly recommend Dwarf Namwah. It’s a very vigorous grower, cold hardy (seen reports in forums of growers not even losing the pseudostem in 18F temperatures), and wind resistant. And it produces large bunches of delicious bananas for its size (usually fruits around 6-8 ft tall). Grand Nain is another great one. Produces massive bunches of grocery store size bananas on a thick wind-resistant 6-10 ft pseudostem, and it’s probably the most vigorous grower of all fruiting bananas. Not quite as cold hardy as the Namwah but it grows so fast that with a little frost protection during a cold snap it will recover.
Dwarf Namwah is called Ducasse in Australia. I think its also called Pisang Awak.
Absolutely love watching your videos with my son and you prompted us to start gardening. Thanks Mark
Awesome to hear that you are gardening with your son! Cool bananas :)
Omg, read this in your voice with accent. Lol
We’ll definitely be planting dwarf bananas this year. Hubby fell from about 6 feet up and landed horizontally on his side. It must have been the flat landing and grass underneath that saved him. He’s 68 and by some miracle, didn’t break anything, barely a visible bruise but he could hardly walk for days.
It really is dangerous. The bananas are heavy, nothing to hold on to and so easy to over balance.
To add insult to injury our son refused to eat any of the “Bananas of Death”. 😂😂😂
Jesus.. I'm surprised your husband's okay considering that height of the fall and that ladders are much more dangerous than many people think lol
@@Isaac-ho8gh it really was a miracle. He was so winded, I was sure he had broken ribs and punctured a lung. Our 13 year old saw the whole thing, but reckons the worst part was me screaming at him to run and call an ambulance! Plus I guess, being taunted by the bananas hanging on the back deck for a fortnight! 🙄
@@loupurvis3148 Fair enough.
@@loupurvis3148mate, I tell you what. I'm not trying to sounds rude here but as an Indonesian I find it hilarious right now that people actually climb a banana tree. Ma'am, you should just cut the banana tree like you'd do an oak tree, that's how we do it in indonesia. I tell you this so your husband doesn't fell down next time he wanna try harvesting banana again
@@Astaroth73 I’m sure you’re not being rude. 😂 It’s a bit of a long story but we don’t actually climb the banana tree! He was on an A-Frame ladder next to it. Yep, we should have just cut it down but these were actually our neighbour’s bunch hanging over into our yard. They’re away on extended holiday and they told us to take the bananas when they ripened rather than let the bats get them. We couldn’t actually get at the base of the tree. Serves us right for (not really) “stealing” bananas! 😂
Thanks, Mark 👍
My garden started a few years ago; early spring, 2230h, small trowel, hard soil, sack of chitted spuds, tears of determination - soon tada! PTS potatoes.
Saved my life.
Now I've got an interesting mix of vegies growing over a much larger area.
I seed save. I experiment.
When I have the energy for it, it's an absolute joy.
I still can't figure out how strawberries got in there though 🤔
If my plants start bolting, I just let them.
The open air pollination has yielded interesting results
Sounds great! 🍀
Hi Mark, I love your show. I'm from Canada. I have raised garden beds. My husband and I are building them from old grain bins. I wish we could grow the fruit that you can grow. It will be great if our orchard will take off. I have planted pears, apples, cherries, and plums. Must all be hardy for zone 2 or possibly 3. Keep up the videos.
If you are going to grow raspberries, make sure to get thornless ones! I didn't because I thought the thorns wouldn't be that much of an issue, but raspberries spread like a weed. The thorns make it extra hard to pull up or to rake over, and they will tangle any machines you try to use on them. Save the time and effort and get thornless.
The new growing area looks great Mark! Interesting to learn about the super-dwarf banana trees. I wonder whether we can get them over here (I'm off to find out!).
Hi Liz!!! I could imagine growing super-dwarf bananas even in colder climates in a small hot house or indoors over winter etc. Hopefully the "banana technology" comes your way! Cheers :)
I think they are available, pretty sure Lucy from She Grows Veg has one, not sure if in her jungle room or greenhouse.
It brings me joy seeing a new SSM video pop-up in my Subscriptions list. Happy to see you in better spirits in this video and thank you for letting us see into your gardening life through these videos. It’s a great motivation for all of us!
Thank you for answering the question of your title right at the front of the video for people who just want to learn. Its refreshing to have someone on RUclips that respects their audience.
In southern Michigan, where we get real winter, I put in Japanese Fiber Bananas (musa basjoo) 10 years ago and it grows into a really cool, tropical
monster every summer and dies all the way back to the ground in the fall. You have to plant them next to the house for some root warmth in winter. Clean up on Saint Patrick's Day is a bear (you have to also leave the dead stuff over winter to further protect the roots). It does not produce bananas but the big leaves are great for wrapping meat and vegetables for the grill.
I really like the open space in this remodeled garden area. I gota' admit to a fair amount of garden envy.
Thank you! My only banana plant got taken out by the hurricane and I really want to plant a few more.
My family has been growing a dwarf cavandish type banana for more then 60 years, their is a stand of them at my sisters that has been in the same spot for over 65 years and they still produce well. They on get about 2 metres high maximum but can still have a 30 kg seven hand bunch. love your channels👍
Good to know the fruit yield is still substantial. I'm older than Mark and still get up that ladder but I know I shouldn't. An accident waiting to happen.
Have no plans to grow any bananas and still enjoy and appreciate your content. Thank you Mark.
I got to say I've been watching your channel for years and it's always a pleasure
That last little bare spot would be a great spot for a good sized row of raspberries or blackberries even without a raised bed they don't take much work after planting just a pruning once a year
I was already planning on getting dwarf bananas and even had the varieties picked out, but this vid has still been very useful. Thanks Mark!
That is quite the transformation! Can't wait to see what you grow in the new area, and how your bananas transition to the dwarf varieties. Your prior videos convinced me to go dwarf, so I never have to get on anything higher than a step stool for banana maintenance. Thank you!
Hi Mark, just something to tell you :), you didn't have to 'bag' the bananas, you could chop them down instead when they have reached the appropriate size and leave them on room temperature to ripen. This way, you can prevent birds and animals from chewing on them. Nevertheless, great vid!! Hope this helps!😃
Hey mark, from Texas and your videos have pushed me into starting my own garden next spring. was already raising chickens and ducks. I’ve been taking notes and watching your videos past few months , the info and tips you give are much appreciated. keep it up brotha 👍 and thanks for what you do.
Wish I had that kind of space to grow plants. At least I can live vicariously through you. I look forward to seeing what you do with the space. Cheers Mark and all the best.
Thanks Kyle! All the best :)
Thanks Mark, I am a little late to this video. We have just done a similar thing in our garden with a revamp. Our bananas were covered with some very inexpensive greenhouses over winter. Now that we are in the hot summer months they are booming. They were planted last September, so only a year in, and we planted a variety with one being the dwarf version. Looking forward to seeing how they do. Cheers
Nice work. Having a fresh area is exciting. All clean and ready to go. Thanks for sharing your journey with all of us. Cheers
I always get the tall ones because I like having extra banana biomass to feed my soil. But I'm sure when I'm older and already have gold soil I'll want the smaller ones too.
I aspire to be like this family.. Here in the USA, also a Banana Republic.. I just love this so much
A whole new area to grow in! How exciting. Please keep us updated on the dwarf bananas.
You make me feel lucky to be growing bananas in north Florida. I have to grow short cycle bananas because we have frost, but nothing really bothers them. Raccoons can learn that bananas are food, but the ones out in the country never do. Very minor insect damage is all I ever get. Short cycle types don't get very tall either.
My Atherton Raspberry has grown well in SEQ. Daleys nursery also sell a thornless variety of native Australian raspberry. Mine is just starting to fruit. I have collected the fruit in the freezer over time and then made jam. Obviously all my native Australian raspberries are grown in large containers as they can go feral.
Love my dwarf apple and cherry trees for the same reasons.
I would love to see you make a video on how to plant a garden for the wildlife. Just a little section for them. I know you share some of your plants with them.
Bananas are a great food! And inexpensive, despite inflation, in stores here in the US. Hope you are staying cool. My son is in Darwin right now doing "something" with the RAAF. Cheers Mark!
Wow, it looks so neat and clean with the new beds there, filled to the top! Can't wait to see what you grow there! Have a great week, Mark!
awesome Mark, thanks for another video ! - I'm really looking forward to seeing how the hugelkultur bed goes :)
We live in the Shoalhaven area and noticed a few homes near us growing bananas. I wasn't aware you could get dwarf banana trees so we will definitely give them a go as we are in our 60's :-D
I won't be growing any banana plants up here in Canada, lol. But. I love watching you're videos for gardening tips and tricks. Thank you Mark.
Sure you can! The tree, anyway. For the pretty plant, not the fruits. See my other comment.
@@Tangobutton Thanks for your input. I found your other comment. But, I have no space for pretty plants that do not produce.
I have no problem letting the bananas drop to the ground . Some might fall off but usually fine. Just use a cassowary cutter on the end of the bamboo pole. Trims the dead leafs well too
Looking awesome!
For that open space, why not include some seating and a table? Both could double as storage for tools and garden supplies, and you could have a very pleasant place to take a break while working in the garden.
I bought my first birdies raised beds for putting up this fall. Your new garden space looks amazing
Wish I'd seen this before planting my regular sized banana. I will definitely look into drawf varieties now. Looking forward to seeing how all of yours does!
Same! I have 3 'regular' banana trees in the ground and recently picked up a dwarf banana from Bunnings - just to compare. Already thinking the dwarf bananas would have been a better choice! Ah well, we live and learn. 😊
Nice project, have fun with the new grow space!
G'day Mark.
Love this new area and how you set it up. It's a dream of mine to have Birdies beds here one day. Absolutely get what you are saying about the bananas. I bought 2 bananas last year to try to grow here in Northern Victoria, but the more research I did, the more I was put off by the maintenance and I'm now 54.
2 months ago, I bought dwarf 'Nathan' bananas for large pots and they will be a lot easier to maintain, protect from frost etc...
The 2 big ones will be given away now.
Enjoyed the video as always and enjoy that new space and garden beds. Looking forward to seeing them growing all kinds of stuff.
Take care.
Daz.
The new beds & topsoil look very good indeed. You get to kinda know when soil looks “right.” Have fun!
Love your content, I have actually tried to use banana stalks in huegelculture type raised beds and I hope you have better luck than me. Mine ended up sprouting even after laying around for six months in the open. I decided banana stalks were a no go as mulch as their dna seems to live on forever.
That’s my concern too with the banana waste. I have a dwarf banana in cool climate Tasmania. It’s never produced fruit, but it does produce pups galore all through summer.
I have clumps of banana, l thin them sometimes. I chop and use them to enrich the sides of my garden..
I dont bag the fruits, l cut down the fruits just before they ripen.
I have the dwarf variety also here in Florida.
It’s great to see how your garden is developing over the years. Thanks for the update. Be well, Sally 🌹
New garden area looks amazing! Very smart. You know I thought I’d lost my lil Dwarf Cavandish last winter here in Texas. And it didn’t get that cold, but it was in the ground instead of a bed. Thankfully it came back but it’s like it’s starting over again. As soon as we get a few days less than 100-105 deg Fahrenheit, I’m going to replant her in a good sized raised bed. Then I can protect her better next winter.
Great video. Been watching for 5 years and am now retired for 4 years. I hear you on the ladder climbing aspect of aging. I spent 40 years in union construction trades as a welder and have absolutely no desire to ever climb a ladder again.I also use the hugelculture method in my raised beds and have yet to see an appreciable drop in volume year to year, some replenishing but not a lot; takes a long time for logs under the surface to break down.
I’m in coastal central Florida and grow dwarf cavendish bananas in the ground. I can just reach up a bit to access the pod/bananas. Bagging is so easy.
I pulled out some dwarf pink banana seeds to germinate, just a few hours ago - love the coincidence! Also, my husband and I have been maintaining a Hügelkultur bed in the garden for many years now. Once established, it's great for water retention and quality of soil, but you are limited to shallow-rooted fruits and veg for the first couple years, as anything else will struggle to get past the solid wood, plus the need to backfill as it decomposes. You might try a wood-loving mushroom to help it along. Cheers!
Thank you for using the proper U-Umlaut.
Having such a piece of land is so awesome. Many thanks for sharing (:
One Love!
Always forward, never ever backward!!
☀☀☀
💚💛❤
🙏🏿🙏🙏🏼
Hi Mr. Mark, I like your efforts a lots of gardening for food and products techniques please keep going for.😊
10:17 you could build a bigger trellising tunnel, maybe partly filled with roses/beans/peas or more gourds :D
Hi Mark. Love your vids. I live in the outer edges of Townsville, north Queensland, and had three different varieties of dwarf banana growing in pots ... until about a month ago. I think a feral pig came through and dug out all three and smashed its way through the trunk and roots. All I had left were some shredded and mashed leaves and A single small bit of stem. Broken hearted. One of the banana plants was a red dacca which I have been told are the premium bananas to grow for eating. Wild life keeps beating me ...
Consider replanting & liquid fertilise any root remnants if you have any, it might surprise you.
@@G88442 Hi, I actually did find one small shred of stalk and root that I immediately replanted, thinking bananas are pretty hardy.
But the pig come back that night and put a total end to it.
Shoot the pig. Eat the bacon. You win. Bacon trumps bananas.
@@JohnSmith-tz4on LOL - best idea yet ... except fried bacon wrapped banana is THE best thing to eat, so I need both.
@@JohnSmith-tz4on 👍🤣
In my experience with dwarf banana plants, I have to use a different judgement for when they are ready to eat. When getting grocery store bananas, it a little green and mostly yellow for purchase. When it's my backyard dwarfs, it's very little yellow and mostly green when ready to eat. I have to cut the entire bunch off or the animals will get them first....and this is in the city of South Florida, USA.👍
I have a lot of banana trees here in TN the bananas don't ever get ripe but I like watching how big the trees get
Hi Mark. I’m local to you and do have similar weather. I bought a mini banana tree and have it in a large pot. How much water should I give it and how often? Love your videos. So much good advice 🙂
I would be interested to see you grow a native raspberry in one of those beds. Maybe an heirloom vegetable cultivar that we're on the verge of losing? Or any other native plant, the more rare or endangered, the better. Have you ever thought about making a small bog garden? You live in the perfect climate for growing some rare carnivorous plants. We do have some beautiful cultivars of plants that produce heavily and resist disease, but I've become more interested in preserving the less popular plants that don't get as much attention.
There is actually a tool you can get on the end of a pole for bagging bananas. Small varieties have other benefits and are obviously easier to manage in general, but if you particularly like the tall ones and don't want to get up a ladder, you don't have to.
Thanks
G'day Nick, thank you for the generous Super Thanks! All the best for 2024 :)
I'm so jealous!!!your garden is awesome I told my husband I'm telling my children I want raised beds for Christmas
RIght! I only grow dwarf bananas in containers in my apartment back yard. Yes, Cavendish Dwarf bananas are so easy to grow and get "full size" bananas. In containers you can move them inside to a greenhouse, garage, poarch... in bad weather or from animals. It just takes about two years to start seeing fruit.
I thought that I pulled out one of my "dead" banana plants, and now I have 3-4 suckers regrowing inplace. You beauty!
Gwen Stefani had a song about this stuff.
I can't even grow bananas where I live but I watched the whole video! Mark's videos are just fun to watch.
Great video! I sincerely wish I had packed my lesser quality soil and wood and branches down like you demonstrated. I keep adding soil and more soil. But it has been such a joy to work in the raised beds! That center area would be great for grow bags too!
New raised beds, how eggciting. I'm putting new beds in too. Planning on 3 new raised beds, by the end of October. Can't wait to see what you put those new beds to good use. Blessings from South Australia.❤
I really like those round planters. I recently started a above ground banana garden. 8×4×2 and hoping it does well.
Central Queensland here ,a little tip that works to keep flying fox away. i cut up 3 metre lengths of 50 mm ag pipe gave it a very rough paint job to look like a carpet snake and put them in my fruit trees ,works well.
Not sure if you've heard about this over in Australia, but here in the US the USDA is "asking" people to register their gardens. Nothing good comes from the government getting involved in private individual's lives. No idea what their end goal is, but it can't be good.
Keep up the great videos, best of luck to you.
Bizarre.
Yes, I have heard about this, and I'm keeping an ear open to any new developments. All I will say is - government, get out of my life... All the best :)
The goal is to keep track of those who can feed themselves, (and others) which threatens the deep state by allowing dissidents to resist the new world order.
That would be weird if it were true. But this is about collaborative, community gardens, which are a terrific way to foster love of humanity and teach others how to grow their own food. Working together to help each other is the basis of humanity itself. fsa.usda.gov/state-offices/Texas/news-releases/2022/usda-opens-peoples-garden-initiative-nationwide
The Government wants to track and control you….
If they know you have a way to grow food to live. The Government doesn’t want that.
Why do you think Bill Gates is buying up as much land as he can as fast as Bill Gates can?
“To Control food”…
Don’t tell them anything about your life…
Nothing to do with community garden- don’t fall for that lie…..
Hi Mark! Have you ever thought of investing in a compact tractor for your property? I recently got a Kioti cs2610 and I can't believe how handy the thing is. I got a 4in1 bucket and loader on front and a Backhoe on the back. I've got a post hole digger I can put on the back and forks I can put on the front for moving pallets. I paid 37k Australian but seriously worth having a look into mate. With your channel you might get a freebie from kioti or Kubota if you asked. Best investment ever get so much more done and safer on the body
One of the best garden channels! You Rock!
You could fill that vacant spot with some native wildflowers or something similar to attract pollinators
I live in Pennsylvania and have been growing dwarf lady finger bananas in my home for 10 years. Well honestly, I’ve never had very good harvests, but it’s been fun trying.
Mark, do you have to do much winter protection for your banana plants? It gets below freezing where I live in the wintertime, so I've been hesitant to get any banana trees.
No problems here as our winters are mild. The dwarf and super-dwarf varieties could be worth a try as they could be protected over winter in cold climates via a hothouse or cover or even super-dwarf in a pot in a sunroom etc. I've seen some grown against a brick wall that gets a lot of sun helping to keep the plant warm for longer. Cheers :)
I have the Super Dwarf cavandish here in Phuket Thailand. They are the sweetest bananas I have ever had. All organic but once cut them off they all ripened within a few days. Faster than could use
I can't grow bananas outdoors where I live, but I have always thought about growing dwarf ones in pots. So, I am looking forward to the video about the dawf varieties you're growing in the pots.
I like to ask, or rather beg lol, for a whole video on growing finger limes, since I know you have some in your orchard. I want to get a tree or two myself but they are very expensive and I don't want to spend that kind of money only to kill the trees. There really isn't that much information about growing them, at least on RUclips anyway.
We were lucky to buy a home with an established grove of dwarf cavendish bananas. We love them, the bunches are only about 1.5 to 2 meters off the ground.
There but one word to describe this video lecture. Brilliant!
Great video as always. I have 4 hugelkultur raised beds. I just love this technique it worked great for me.
I was looking at those tall round beds. I don't think Erick has those yet. I didn't see them. But, yes, those caught my eye for sure!
Mark seems like such a sweet funny guy. i really find it comforting to leave him talking in the background when i clean and drink coffee :3
Great video Mark, l have a Lady Finger and a Blue Java in pots under 4 feet that l will need to pass onto someone else. I now have two dwarf Nathan's that l feel much more comfortable with at only 1 and 2 feet. Good luck with your dwarfs and l hope we can fruit them well together. Mine will be more challenging because of location. Best wishes to you. Jason from Melbourne Victoria.
Good on ya Jason! All the best mate :)
One thing that I do here in Hawaii is to keep the banana clump to three plants of different heights: Fruiting, mid-size, and sprout.
this channel has been very interesting for me for quite some time helping me to understand how to grow plants. I have used aquaponics with a degree of success.(by that I mean successful green onion for 2 plants of the 3 cuttings from Walmart) but I think now the problem with my set up is it does not allow the plants room to breath. and lack of sun light causing me problems how ever I am working some watermelon plants in a little patch in front of my apartment.
I am going to go for a hybrid system that uses specialized pots that allow for controlled watering and drainage so I can run a constant stream of water through the plants and have the pots filter water for a Fish tank which in turn feeds the plants because fish food is cheaper than fertilizer. the pots would be designed so that it creates a artificial aquafer/under ground lake which its level would be maintained at a certain level so that its enough for the plants but not to much to suffocate them. So I am likely going to use sand or gavel on the bottom and have it so the drain raises(faucet drain) about 1-3 inches from the bottom the sand/gavel would hopefully make it so soil don't escape the pot into the fish tank because the out flow of water would not be able to lift the sand above the faucet and the sand would hold the soil in place.
I am going to have the input line for the pots overflow into the output line. in the case that the input flow for the pots is less than the output volume of the pump itself. and this way I could put valves on the pot inputs this way I could adjust the flow of water manually. so for plants that don't as much water I can change it when needed. I have modelled a diagram / design for all I need to do it build it. in the name of science.
Vacate area by round beds, be a good place for extra bricks, small mobile patio set be nice there to enjoy the garden.
I finally got 2 long Birdies garden beds. I used your code thank you. But I now must do some work to prepare the base ground. I have some bad grasses which will complicate my gardens. But I had no idea of how much I had to raise the ground on the lower outside. It will be really good when I complete insulation. I am now thinking about I might have been better off buying the round ones like the ones in this video. Oh well!
Thanks!
Thank you for the Super Thanks! All the best for 2024 :)
I'm with you Mark. i have both tall and dwarf. and my dwarf variety taste better. but my tall ones are not only shading out a portion of my very small garden they have started to grow inside my raised beds. i cut them down and they shoot right back up there from the center korm. i am almost 61 and disabled so i have a super hard time getting the bannas down from those tall ones. my dwarf variety came from QVC yts ago. my mom bought 2 and she has 2 large stands of them and i have a really large stand from her pups plus my neighbor has a couple small ones and my daughter also. all from the 2 original ones. i don't remember the variety name but they dont grow over 6 ft. a great variety for sure.
Native raspberries flower in winter
Waau Mark. I don't wanna lie but I'm a bit jealous of your amazing lifestyle. My (farm) yard in the middle of town is almost 1000 sq ft and I treasure it. Growing about 5 bananas 4 pawpaws, 1 peach and a prune tree. All of that in a challenged climate with frost in the month of July, but sill I praise God for my tiny bit, although my heart yearn for just a bit more. Love from Africa.
Hi Mark, Ive been watching you for a while now (not, like, stalking or anything :) ) And you have inspired me to start my own veg and fruit garden. So far Ive planted two apples, pear and nashi plus blueberries and a Myer lemon. We have 3/4 of an acre of clay (poor me). My husband John and I are both former members of the Australian Army . My husband also had a parachute incident which almost destroyed his back but he is a tough bugga much like you. Anyway, thank you so much for the content, look forward to seeing lots more in the future.
Soldier on
Wow I love the look of those raised beds. I've got a 2' cedar raised bed now and after 2 year I've got grass coming through. Thought I tor everything out and out down a weed barrier but it already inside. How do you ensure that doesn't happen? I'm not even sure what to do now or how to get that grass out. Were all organic.
I have 4 or 5 banana groves on my small property. I'm looking to get rid of the big ones and keep one dwarf cluster. The dry leaves burn almost like they are soaked in kerosene. Good in an incinerator.
Dont ever let bananas to age with lots of dead leaves hanging off them. Yu gott keep the lower branches cut so you can feed it to itself. Bananas love rotting banana leaves and sucklings. Keep cutting suckers and return them to the plant untill just before they start to fruit. Then you get next generation pretty much straight away. Big self mulch pile is best for each stand. Dont use a ladder. Use pole based cutting and bagging tools. Bananas love swails too. Bill Mollison style. That said. I wish I had the dwarves you have. Looks awesome.
hey I am on Adelaide, and just come bacl from overseas..... and wow so much rain we have had.......... so checked out my garden, Carrots doing well, and a few garlic coming up , and Leeks when are they ready to pick, my caulis not ready yet.... still growing bloody chillies, and just wondering I got peas coming up, thought the birds ate them all... but we have 2 peas on plant and a few flowers..