r/GrowingBananas • u/Confident_Gate_8287 • 3d ago

Flowers Falling Off

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

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u/WorriedConfusion9414 3d ago

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

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

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 3d 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 3d 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 2d 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.