Why You Should Remove Pups / Suckers from the Mother Banana Plant!

[@nateross14]

Great info. For landscaping purposes I do like the look of a patch of lots of Banana plants thickly grown together, which provides a different look and feel, but I equally as much like single plants spread out so you can appreciate the individual plants aesthetics so they don't get lost in a jungle, as well as get fruit! I think my ideal Tropical garden would have a patch or two of thickly growing Banana plants that were primarily to add landscaping contrast and fullness, but then have the majority of the Bananas individualy growing more spread out, just like you guys have.

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Yes, totally agree! We are growing some in a clump with our areka hedge since the bananas will be taller at this point, we have a couple clumps of Orinoco we kinda just let go to grow. I like both ways also. From our experience I think spreading them apart you don’t need to feed them as much for them to fruit. Thanks for watching!

[@gandharaorganicfoods]

​@@IslandsnHighlands please guide me that do we need to plant 2 banana trees side by side so they could produce bananas or just 1 plant is enough if we are tight in space in our lawn garden.?? Secondly what i understood is that only the mother plant is the one who produces quality big bananas and we have to cut the babies it produces.. am I right..?? Please help me..!!

[@MasterKenfucius]

If you want more trees producing large bunches then all you have to do is fertilize them. You can have 10 plants coming out of the same corm as long as they have enough energy to push large bunches. Just feed them often.

[@IslandsnHighlands]

From our experience we have the best luck reducing the number of plants in each corm, but that's what is so great about gardening- there are often many paths to a successful result! Thanks for sharing and watching!

[@canomalo3662]

I don’t think you guys know much about bananas

[@757Key]

@@canomalo3662 🤣🤣

[@MasterKenfucius]

@@canomalo3662 Go back to rubbing your banana. The adults are exchanging ideas here.

[@Nscap]

@@canomalo3662 agreed

[@cmcd9213]

You must not have scorpions where you live. 🤭 I panicked for a minute watching you step barefoot in the dirt. We can't do that in AZ. I was looking for banana plant wisdom, so thank you for the video. I've never heard of pray hands banana. I find that so fascinating! I'm going to research more on them. ❤🙏❤

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Luckily we do not have scorpions here in FL. We had them on our property and in our house in N GA, but their sting wasn't too bad (kind of like a bee sting). There are TONS of different banana varieties- if you check out our other videos we have about 20 different varieties but the Praying Hands is one of the more unique by far!

[@freedomforever45]

Appreciate this video showing actually side effects of leaving suckers on 2 long.

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Thank you for watching! Glad we could help!

[@craigkeller]

The fruits that are “welded” we call ‘sports’. Two types of pups if you watch. Rounded tips on leaves give little fruit. Spear pointed are the ones you want to keep or transplant. They are Heavy feeders and like a lot of water. Good luck.

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Gankiao]

You don't need to do that for that reason, mine was ok. Every tree produce fruit of its own, you need to fertilize them accordingly. Variety and soil condition do play a part in its development, though. Other than that, it's trial and error experience. No guarantee! Have fun!

[@IslandsnHighlands]

You are correct- with enough water and fertilizer it does not really matter. You just need to water / fertilize a lot more... Most banana plantations I have seen grow the plants in rows and keep the pups to a minimum, though mono-agriculture certainly does not have all of the answers!

[@KittenSchool]

Great video, thank you!

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Glad you liked it- take care!

[@dilipjl3579]

I planted two banana tree now it's fifteen 😂

[@IslandsnHighlands]

I know they reproduce like crazy!

[@sunnycharacter]

That sword pup is the one you want to replant right? Pot it up at first.

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Yes the sword pup will have a better root system than a water sucker. We just transplant them straight into the ground, though potting them up and babying them isn't a bad idea either. Thanks for watching!

[@gentlegiant83]

Love your videos! We have 3 2” pups and wonder when we should remove them?

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Thank you! I hope this makes sense…it’s a long answer to your question- If you have a big plant that is about to flower leave one pup at its base to replace it-because once your big one flowers and gives you bananas you will cut that out and cut up the stalk (because they die after they give fruit) and put cut up pieces of the stalk back onto the banana plants. You will want one to replace that one. Any others I think it’s best to move the spear suckers (elongated pups with small banana leaves) when they have some mature looking leaves, try not to wait til they are taller than 4’. Water suckers are the baby banana plants that look like miniature full grown banana plants and they will not grow to maturity so they should be removed too.

[@sheliasims5786]

I need to get mine off the big one.can I take them off in the winter.hop you answer back

[@IslandsnHighlands]

We haven’t ever had any issues removing the pups no matter the time of year. They just grow a lot slower so it could be spring before you see considerable growth, unless you water frequently. Best of luck!

[@dolcepescas6153]

When you "Throw away" pups, I hope you're feeding them back to the banana patch!!! The best thing to feed bananas - is themselves. The old fruit, the peels, the leaves and stalks. They need the potassium. They are some of the hungriest food trees, really eat a lot. When a tree fruits, it will not fruit again, so you should just that one down, and feed it back to the pup.

[@ilyaIvanov_personal]

that's bananibalism...

[@franksta2006yeah]

Question, I bought a blue Java plant and it says it’s 3 years old but I just revived a bulb. It’s maybe 2 feet tall know but already making pups. Should I wait for it to get bigger before I remove them?

[@IslandsnHighlands]

If you newly planted it I would wait a few months before removing any pups to let your tree get established. When you remove them, leave one attached so you have that one to replace your mother plant when the fruit is ready to harvest. We have found it easiest and best to move the pups when they are 3 ft tall or less so they don’t get shocked as much. Also if your pups look like mini banana plants those are water suckers and they won’t grow to maturity-just cut those out. Your pups that look like spears with tiny leaves but a thick stalk-those are the ones that will grow to maturity. We have found when we buy new bananas the mother plant is somewhat stunted from it living in a pot. Those sword shaped pups you get off of it are what are going to grow much better and faster for you!

[@franksta2006yeah]

@@IslandsnHighlands thank you so much. Yes the ones that are growing are starting out with very pointed leaves.

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Awesome! Those are the keepers!

[@frankmeyst1923]

So FYI my girlfriend was raised on a coconut farm in the Philippines and she says there’s a a boy and a girl banana plant so there is a male and a female and I have a bunch of banana plants in front of my house here in Daytona and I have no bananas but I recently bought a banana plant from Home Depot that is specifically a girl banana plant

[@gasubtropics]

I disagree with this respectfully because now i have 2 banana flowers and another is close to flowering…

[@IslandsnHighlands]

It is fine if you heavily fertilize, we don’t fertilize our plants too much because we live so close to the water. Another reason we separate them is because when they are in a clump the plants lean over and need to be propped up when they fruit. I think also when they form a big clump they don’t fruit as readily. I think a couple clumped are ok

[@gasubtropics]

@@IslandsnHighlands i’ll try this next year

[@danielson2454]

I am growing for privacy, if I get bananas, great but if not I am okay with that too.

[@IslandsnHighlands]

We are doing the same with some of ours as well, they are a great, quick privacy hedge! We still get bananas they just fall over before the fruit matures because they lean more when growing in a clump

[@thegardeningguylol5037]

does anyone know if theres a video about dwarf gran nains i saw a video a guy said if urs flowers it wont pruduce fruit anymore mine have not yet flowered there its winter cut them down properly so waiting till frost is over to cut it again so it will grow the leafs back but yea he said once flowered cut down to the base is that true for the pups to replace it an to make more fruit

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Yes that is how all banana varieties work- once they have flowered and fruited, that is it for that plant (no more fruit). Chop and drop it (cut it down and into pieces) to feed the new pups that will pop up to replace it.

[@thegardeningguylol5037]

@@IslandsnHighlands thanks for the info im gonna try my best with those banna trees

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Once they get established and making pups you will start having lots of fruit! They are such fun plants to grow

[@sewpretty13]

The Wild Floridian has a series on Bananas and she has Grand Nain type banana plants

[@ailedmolina2777]

You should send me one

[@IslandsnHighlands]

😂

[@garystonestreet207]

Under watered

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Yep

[@miamitreasurehunter]

Sad but once a Banana tree fruits it dies.

[@IslandsnHighlands]

I know…but the mother banana becomes food for her babies

[@andielewis7243]

Well, once the "mother" produces banana's she is done. She will never flower or produce again; which is the reason she sends up pups. This staggers the production of the crop. I've only thinned the pups if the area was getting too chaotic. You cannot water or fertilize too much.....so water, water, water and fertilize, fertilize. Your mother plants will thank you.

[@IslandsnHighlands]

So true- bananas cant get enough water!

[@disnigga3376]

Lol wack it off 😂

[@K9Quin]

Beautiful property and collection! Thanks for sharing. Those Mona Lisa and praying hands look amazing. When you have extra pups would you be open to mailing a couple to me instead of disposing of them? I’d be happy to pay :)

[@IslandsnHighlands]

We actually have a nursery license but we are currently try to figure out all the requirements for shipping plants. Will keep everyone posted!

[@BornFreeFilms]

I had no idea it was that easy to move the pups. I have just gotten in 2 Musa Basjoo about 7 inches tall to grow in East Texas, zone 8a. I will put video up when it gets spring and I take them outside to plant. Your videos are much better than mine, lol. Subbed, liked, and black belled.

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Yes its super easy! Then you can spread them around! Thanks for the kind comments and for subscribing!

[@stevereisman6872]

Way too much rambling.....but the effort is appreciated. Banana plants need/want a LOT of fertilizer, that's mostly the issue you have when it comes to less production on a corm/tree

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Thanks!

[@epigeneticnerd4244]

What size of sucker is best for transplantation

[@IslandsnHighlands]

I think the best is about 1-3 feet tall. Any bigger than that we have found it stunts their growth

[@wudgee]

When you say throw away the pups, give them to someone else who can grow them. Great video.

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Thanks! We have given a good bit away to neighbors but have a small neighborhood lol. A lot of times we shear off the roots to protect the mother plants roots too. We don’t have a shortage of pups in our garden lol

[@Stebeway54]

Bananas need pups. But it doesn’t look like you fertilize appropriately. Compost mixed with a high third number 8-10-10, or 6-8-10 is good. Do that once a year with 8-10-10 every additional season. Your banana, I assume are dwarf varieties, because standard should get well over 12’

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Bananas need pups to reproduce, but not lots of them. Yes the bananas did need more nutrients- we have amended our soil greatly since this video was made.

[@heathernorrup4225]

I noticed at the beginning of the video you had a banana plant with a new leaf that was fairly yellow. The new leaves that my banana plant has gotten since December have been yellow like this and not growing all the way of the center before unraveling. I was wondering do you know why the new leaves would be yellow?

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Unless the plant has some unforeseen blight, I would say either lack of nutrients or simply the plant did not like the shorter days and colder temps of the winter. I would bet on lack of nutrients...

[@annetteproske1478]

Do you chop down the tree after it gives fruit?

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Yes we "chop and drop" it - in other words we chop it into pieces and leave all of the pieces right where they fall to feed the new pups.

[@mahyarvajihjamal4775]

@@IslandsnHighlands ببخشید استاد درخت من تو گلدانه بعد از میوه دادن می توانم نبرم

[@gandharaorganicfoods]

​@@IslandsnHighlands what.? In other words one tree produces just one Time fruiting and then we have to cut that tree..?? Then how come we can get quality bananas every year..??

[@MangoCitizen]

​@@gandharaorganicfoodsNew pups, simple!

[@odivarela9147]

@ heirloomsita

[@IslandsnHighlands]

Thanks for watching