Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => General Gardening => Topic started by: aelf on March 21, 2017, 11:21

Title: growing bananas
Post by: aelf on March 21, 2017, 11:21
I've just bought some banana seeds on line. Very excited!!

Any tips on germinating them?
Title: Re: growing bananas
Post by: gobs on March 27, 2017, 00:25
Now I am not an expert, but unfortunately for you, I so do recall, bananas are not grown from seed, more over, they do not have seeds. ::)
Title: Re: growing bananas
Post by: New shoot on March 27, 2017, 10:28
You are right Gobs in that the ones that are sold to us to eat are seedless and have been bred to be that way.  They are propagated by suckers.

You can buy seeds for older varieties and other species of banana, but it isn't something I have tried to grow, so I can't offer any advice on that side of things.

Title: Re: growing bananas
Post by: aelf on March 27, 2017, 11:10
I got these from Jungle Seeds, they have several varieties available and no, they are not the ones you get from the supermarket but are ornamental (like the one Monty has growing in his gardens). Some of the varieties are also edible but unlikely to produce any fruit in this country.
Title: Re: growing bananas
Post by: gobs on March 28, 2017, 00:08
I thought Jungle Seeds might be involved, but you did not specify, so having gotten something dodgy from wherever could not be disclosed.

JS used to provide useful advice on growing their goods, if it was available only in their printed catalogues, I do not have  them anymore. Why don't you drop them a line if this is the case?
Title: Re: growing bananas
Post by: seasprout on April 07, 2017, 19:06
To date, I have never managed to germinate a banana seed and I have at my disposal all sorts of heated greenhouses and pre-soaking treatments.... but I wish you the very best.

I wonder what came first though... the banana or the seed....  8)
Title: Re: growing bananas
Post by: aelf on April 24, 2017, 14:55
yep, I wasn't expecting much success but thought I'd give it a go.

No signs so far...

 :unsure: