Banana Circle in Auckland

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by Crystal Lil, Jan 12, 2009.

  1. Crystal Lil

    Crystal Lil Junior Member

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    Hello everyone. I've done a bit of a search on the forum and on google for info about growing bananas in a banana circle. I was thinking of doing this in my city garden in Auckland. I've got a spot outside the laundry window where I could probably build a 1.5m diameter circle and feed a hose from the washing machine to water them. I'm growing potatoes there just now, though - just planted at Christmas time. I'm quite new to potato growing, so I'm not sure exactly how long it will be until they're not occupying that space anymore - maybe 5 - 6 months? In which case, it would be winter by the time I could build the banana circle.

    What time of year would be best for planting the banana palms in Auckland?

    There are quite a few feral banana palms around where I live and I reckon I could forage some suckers/pups from them. Would I be right in thinking I would need about 5 plants to start a banana circle that was about 1.5m in diameter?

    Also - I've read that you can interplant with sweet potatoes, canna lillies and taro. Would kumera work as well? Any other suggestions? I don't particularly like taro!

    Thanks for your help,

    Lil.
     
  2. Bennz

    Bennz Junior Member

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    Re: Banana Circle in Auckland

    Hiya Lil,


    I'm a little south of you at waimarama Hawkes Bay. I would seriously suggest not planting your bananas until spring, winter is just too cold for tropicals anywhere in NZ. Not too late to plant now in Ak, if you have time, but not in winter.

    I have trialled 23 cv.s of banana here, and have found Paccha Nadaan, Misi Luki and Pisang Awak to be the best for our cool climate. Nestlebrae Exotics at Helensville have these, nice people.

    I put in a banana circle last year, but with the HB drought (driest since 1914) they have not thrived. I suggest planting your circle to legumes rather than kumara, as in our marginal climate they need all the bnoost they can get, and certainly no competition. My father-in-law is a commerical grower in Aussie, its amazing how much difference one tree even 20m away form crop can make to yields. IN our climate just plant the banana, don't multicrop unless you have no other growing space.

    My current derangement is planting dwarf bananas (orinoco, mahoi, dwarf cav) in a pit greenhouse for passive geo-solar heat. Should work.


    Cheers,


    Ben
     
  3. Crystal Lil

    Crystal Lil Junior Member

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    Re: Banana Circle in Auckland

    Hi Ben

    Thanks so much for your advice. I think I will wait until Spring - then my potatoes will have finished and hopefully prepared my heavy clay soil. Maybe I'll even have time to put in some broad beans before I plant the bananas. Good advice about the legumes rather than Kumera, too. There is already a lemon tree just a few metres away from where I was planning the banana circle, though. I see banana plants growing all round auckland that look a bit scrappy but seem to have bananas on them nonetheless without receiving much attention. I'm wondering how long it would take before I'd be harvesting any bananas if I plant suckers - I read somewhere that it might be up to 3 years. Would that be right? I was hoping it might be sooner. Anyway - lots of time to do more research if I'm not planting before next Spring.

    Cheers,

    Lil.
     

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