Backyard Farming Forum
Bringing food production home

I would really like to get a few banana frees but after seeing the solid clump of them at my Grandmother's house and how difficult it was to remove them, I don;t really want to let them loose as there is no way I have the strength to get them out and divvy them up as necessary. If it was potted, that job would be much easier.

Do they grow OK in large pots? Will they fruit? Do I need to look for a specific variety?

I'm not too worried about fruit as I'd still want the leaves for my aquariums and cooking, but it would be good if I could get them to do both :-)

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For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

A google search indicates that it is possible.

Would probably need a fairly large container.

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ArBe

My Country Backyard
My Home AP System

Yes, there seemed to be mixed responses coming up on Google, and a lot of them seemed to be from the US. Not sure we have the same type of banana or if their weather would have a negative impact.

Can you ballpark a "large container" for me? Would the large 60cm-ish black pots do the trick or would that still be too restrictive? I'll probably give it a try anyway, given the price of small trees and that I can use the leaves, but I'd like to have an idea of how best to help it along.

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For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Over on the Backyard Aquaponics forum there is a member named DBird who is growing bananas in half a 45 gallon plastic drum in his Aquaponics system.

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ArBe

My Country Backyard
My Home AP System

I am growing a few bananas here in busselton. I think they are lady finger variety. Mine are in the ground. Dont get fruit often but occasionally do

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Ben

Bender's Backyard
Bender's Aquaponics System

I think I'm going to give this a try. I might not get the fruit but I can always use the fresh leaves for cooking and the dried ones for my fish :-) I'm considering sinking half a drum into the ground and keeping them contained that way. I just don't want them walking all over the place or getting too thick as I don't think I have the oomph to split them up.

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For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Use half a blue drum and set it up as a wicking pot, bananas are hungry plants and once establish you can not let them dry out and keep the fertiliser up to them. Lady fingers or the golden variety are two of the dwarf type bananas.

Once established a banana clump consist of one plant that is bearing fruit, one plant half the height and a sucker just starting of. When the main truck has finished fruiting remove it as it will die any way add more soil and fertiliser.

If you want to remove the sucker and start another pot so there is not so much competition for the fertiliser and when the bearing plant has finished remove the plant and prepare the pot for the next sucker transplant. This is what I will be doing, my two lady finger plants have been in for three months and are now just starting to grow with the weather warming up. Cheers

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BackYard Farming
CcBear's Dunbyu Gardens

CcBear's Home Produce and Preserves


BackYard Aquaponics
CcBear's First System

Still in the pots and being watered every week with water and waste from my RFF attached to my main Aquaponic system. Still water every day from the bore and once every two weeks half a watering can per plant with seasol.

Might put them in the ground shortly as they have not yet produced a sucker and they are about 8 months old. Would expect them to fruit at 12 months.

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BackYard Farming
CcBear's Dunbyu Gardens

CcBear's Home Produce and Preserves


BackYard Aquaponics
CcBear's First System

I got three of them growing in an old car tire. One of them, a ladyfinger type has fruit on it. The tire contains them but also makes the harvest of suckers harder.

Cheers

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Gwydions first system

Gwydions chicken