All About Pups...The Late-May-/Slash/-Early-June-Summer-Blog-posting!

Lou Ferrigno, as "The Incredible Hulk", Friday nights on CBS...circa 1978.

Oh...How times have changed!--Remember a few weeks ago when those gnarly green nubs that were poking out of last years smelly banana stumps?  Now what have we got?  Big Green Monsters!  The energy from the 2013's big plants is now funneled into explosive growth.  We'll continue to see this for another few months if we get decent rainfall.  Things will be looking up from the bananas point of view.

Pup-mania-- Calls, emails, random passers-by at the Charleston Farmers Market, etc., all with the same question, "Why are my banana plants pullulating* so much this Spring?"   Banana plants don't really 'know' the seasons.  All they know is that something, somehow, removed the growing portion of the plant.  In the tropics, it could be eaten by an animal or a fallen tree may have broken the banana plant in half.  The results are the same: Send out new growth.  This could be a replacement stem and/or new growth in the form of pups. 

Don't Forget--to Water.  May has been pretty dry.

Should the Zombie Apocalypse come to fruition, sooner rather than later, rest assured that your banana plants can be the key to your survival.  In addition to the great fruit that you may get, if conditions are right, there are many uses for the banana plant itself.  Many of these uses can be seen in this very interesting video:

Pup Chow--If you watched the video above, you may have seen the part about eating the inner core of the stem( at the 9:57 mark).  Here is a Thai recipe that looks like a delicious way to use some of those excess pups.  Eat those pups! Step by Step recipe.

When you get full of those delicious pups for dinner, consider transplanting some.  It is an easy project.  Place a shovel between the mother plant and the pup and dig straight down.  You should see the pup loosen.  Dig around the remaining sides and the pup should pop right up.  Trim the leaves in half and transplant in a desired location.
 
If you have ever wondered how they get those bananas from very tall plants, check out this video.  You can see it is a very smooth operation when done by skilled hands.

  

The How's it Hangin' section:  We got nothin'...yet.
When you get a flower or fruit, send some pictures our way and we'll post them up in our very next blog! 

*pullulating-definition

Merry Christmas-Early Winter -No Apocolypse Edition!

Bananas roasting on an open fire.....

Wow--Its been a great year for Bananas.-- We are certainly in the final days of the 2012 season.  We first saw traces of green back in March...that was a long time ago.  The plants are looking shaggy--like a boy after a long summer at the beach--sun-bleached unkempt hair and all.  Big plants, many leaves, lots of flowers and fruit....Man what a year!

I mentioned--back in May, that I thought that this would be the best season for bananas EVER in the LowCountry.  Last month, USA TODAY, reported that the weather-on average- was warmer than normal for the past 16 months.  October broke the streak.  Read the story here: click this link!

 

This and That about fruit--Banana fruits that are 2-3 months old will often times ripen and become edible.  If we have to cut some before they have plumped and start to yellow, allow them to hang for a few weeks inside and its likey you will be able to eat them!  For those with fruits already, remember that the ripe bananas flavor changes dramatically every few days.  Often times we make the mistake of eating homegrown bananas too soon.  Later we find out that as the skin thins and darkens, the flavor is the best.  Be patient. 

Frost Alert--While we don't really know when the first killer frost will be the historical record indicates that it will be in the next 30 days or so.  There is not much that you can do for the leaves.  However, if light frosts are indicated in your area--it is possible protect the fruits with a burlap bag or some type of fabric wrapped around them.  If the frost is certain--go ahead and cut the fruit from the plant.  Now is the time to be especially vigilant. 

 The Mayan calendar ended the other day.  We did not.  With 2013 around the corner, we, as banana growers, cannot help but speculate on the remaining winter weather.  Will we repeat the bounty of 2012, spurred by an early growing season or will we return to a nasty 2011-like winter with multiple sub freezing days?  I don't know... I cannot help but speculate that out tropical plants are in very good shape heading into the remainder of winter.  Thick trunks can really protect the delicate center core longer against the cold.  Remember--there is no rush to cut your plants.  When you do cut them--cut them high on the stem. 

 

Whats Santa Clause bringing you??

 

The How's it Hanging Section

 From Daniel Island

Winter Fox and his West Ashley Ice Creams

Dwarf Namwahs from Simply Bananas on James Island

Downtown Bananas...in 1972!

 See you in 2013----Stay Warm!!!

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