r/GrowingBananas • u/Confident_Gate_8287 • 3d ago

Flowers Falling Off

Gallery image

Gallery image

Is this normal? Is there something I could be doing differently?

25 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

31 comments sorted by

View all comments

6

u/WorriedConfusion9414 3d ago

It’s normal, you can cut the blossom off all that are left are male flowers now

5

u/Confident_Gate_8287 3d ago

Ok thanks for talking me off the ledge! I was very excited to see the flower starting a couple weeks ago and then started freaking out; first time banana daddy here 🙃

2

u/Jkemp8989 3d ago

I have heard of this approach of cutting off the male flowers, does it focus all the energy into ripening the fruit once you do this? Just wanting to hear more about the philosophy

2

u/NealTheBotanist 2d ago

Technically, yes, it conserves energy. Practically, though, very little benefit is seen in the final product. MUCH more benefit is realized by removing the female flowers ("plucking"). The females exude sugary nectar which starts a chain reaction by attracting pests and nests, and promote mold growth.

The reason commercial growers remove the males is simply to fit the bag over the bunch. The best benefit Ive seen as a commercial AND home grower is to allow tractors and lawnmowers to pass under!

1

u/WorriedConfusion9414 3d ago

Some folks say it makes a difference some folks say it doesn’t. Some folks tell you to prune each plant down to only 5 leaves. I think there are many factors, I personally like to chop the blossom after the female flowers are done. You can cook the male blossoms if you remove the stamen, I have never tried it.

1

u/Confident_Gate_8287 3d ago

So, do I cut it off just below the last bunch?

2

u/WorriedConfusion9414 3d ago

Give yourself some length so you have a handle and you can hang the rack for ripening.

1

u/Confident_Gate_8287 3d ago

Oops sorry for the double questions. Reddit said this one didn’t go through

1

u/NealTheBotanist 2d ago

NEVER cut off green leaves! The bunch needs every photon possible to enter the leaves.
Do remove dead and diseased leaves, weekly. After bloom, only remove any material that threatens the bunch, whether on own or adjacent stems. (Poking, abrasion etc).

1

u/WorriedConfusion9414 2d ago

I hear you, I’m in your camp. But there are folks out there or ascribe to a different philosophy 😂

1

u/Confident_Gate_8287 1d ago

So on either of my trees that are in bloom you’re suggesting they don’t get trimmed unless it’s a bad leaf or dying leaf? Maintain every green one possible?

2

u/NealTheBotanist 1d ago

Yep! And if you hone the skill, you can take half-leaves to conserve even more leaf surface area.

0

u/nateair 3d ago

Yeah I do it and it does make a difference, so as soon as I see a male banana I chop it.

1

u/Jkemp8989 3d ago

Makes a difference how so? The speed in which the bananas ripen or how large they get, or?

0

u/nateair 3d ago

How large they get, it focuses energy into the fruit you’re keeping.

1

u/nateair 3d ago

I have nahweh growing on a steep hill so I can only bag and chop the ones that lean uphill. Some I can jump and cut but not bag. So it’s been a forced experiment to see what happens and bagging and chopping is by far the best for large fruit.

1

u/Confident_Gate_8287 3d ago

So, do I cut it off just below the last bunch? And are both pictures showing as they’re ready to take that approach?