Questions about miniature bananas

[JR8]

They go black and smooshy, Sergei. Can't keep them with other fruit either. PIA fruit.

Just about everything in life can be explained in terms of physics, maths, and chemistry.

As bananas ripen they emit Nitrous oxide gas*. The gas also accelerates their ripening, so if you put bananas in an enclosed space (a fridge, a sealed bag, etc), they ripen far more quickly than if left in the open. I accept that in the case of the fridge this would seem 100% counter-intuitive to most people... but there you go!

Use this to your advantage, to turbo-ripen them to perfection! AND there is another thing: Nitrous oxide ripens other fruit too! So... got a box of expensive strawberries and some of them are unripe? No problem - put them in a bag with a banana or two and they'll ripen in double-time.

Ain't nature a wonderful thing

p.s. nice pic Proxy. I seem to recall having a variety of red banana in India... does that ring any bells?

* Google on 'bananas nitrous oxide gas' for more

Trivia: taxonomically, a banana 'tree' is actually a grass

[x9200]

Do you realize that bananas are one of the most radioactive fruits and have been proposed as a radioactivity standard (BED)?
http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/20 ... php?page=2

[durain]

Do you realize that bananas are one of the most radioactive fruits and have been proposed as a radioactivity standard (BED)?
http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/20 ... php?page=2

i will test it when i next have the geiger counter

[Wd40]

BedokAmerican, you must be given the award for coming up with the strangest posts and then getting the entire forum discussing it. Enjoy your friday evening

[durain]

Ok, thank you for your replies. Its nice to be able to put the "lady finger" name to these little bananas. Maybe I'll try a batch...and no, I won't put them in the refrigerator.

also try out "fried banana" aka pisang goreng - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pisang_goreng

[nakatago]

Bananas are not potatoes, I'm finishing off bananas in no more than 2 days, they can't go black by then. For potato it may take months for me to finish it... In any case, I'm happily using my fridge for both, usually together with other fruits and vegetables.

'

Bananas (and apples) release ethylene gas which promotes ripening of fruits, hence the term "a bad apple ruins the whole bunch."

To ripen fruits, put the fruit with a banana (or apple) in a bag. Come back after a few days.

For bananas, you can slow this down by wrapping the stem with plastic wrap, like so: http://lifehacker.com/5963122/keep-bana ... cling-wrap

[nakatago]

Ok, thank you for your replies. Its nice to be able to put the "lady finger" name to these little bananas. Maybe I'll try a batch...and no, I won't put them in the refrigerator.

also try out "fried banana" aka pisang goreng - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pisang_goreng

I prefer cekodok pisang....I kept telling myself I'll try it with ice cream but never got around to do it.

It's like banana bread but the fried shell bakes the rest of the inside.

[katbh]

They are beautiful and the sweetness depends on the season. Try growing themselves - they only take about 6 months from tiny plant to HUGE hands of bananas. You can grow them in pots if you do not have a garden. They are great for kids to watch, especially if they are new to Singapore - they grow so fast you can almost see them growing!

[JR8]

Do you realize that bananas are one of the most radioactive fruits and have been proposed as a radioactivity standard (BED)?
http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/20 ... php?page=2

8-0 no!


p.s. and there was me there was me thinking only green bits of potatoes gave you Strontium/radioactive poisoning...

[JR8]

They are beautiful and the sweetness depends on the season. Try growing themselves - they only take about 6 months from tiny plant to HUGE hands of bananas. You can grow them in pots if you do not have a garden. They are great for kids to watch, especially if they are new to Singapore - they grow so fast you can almost see them growing!

Is this for real? As I have green fingers and if it's as simple as you suggest I'll deffo give it a go!!

[katbh]

It is definitely this easy. And no upkeep needed. And they will just keep coming.Plant one tuber/grass etc. More will keep coming up. Each should give you a hand of bananas. When the hand of bananas gets to a reasonable size, cut off the flower at the bottom. Some people even use this flower in cooking. Cutting it off allows all the plants energies to go into producing the bananas. When the hand of bananas has slowed down its growing (ie the last little banana is now a banana) cut them off. They should still be green. They will ripen just by hanging them in any old place. They will usually ripen from the bottom first - but it will only take a day or too so you will need to give a lot away to neighbours. Then when you have cut the bananas from the 'tree' you cut down that stalk right down to the ground. By this time you will have a few other new ones coming up.

[x9200]

Damn, pity we are soon moving out from our current place as this banana planting sounds really good and now we have a place to do it.
I guess the tricky part is you have to water them, right?

Where can you get a small plant or you can also do it from the seeds?

[nakatago]

I just thought I'd leave this here: http://youtu.be/AuzyODgWRp4

[katbh]

Holy .... wow you must have a lot of time on your hands Nakatago...good post.

As they are technically not a tree...you need to get tuber from a plant that is already growing (ie one that is just sprouting out of the ground) or go to nursery where they will have lots - try ones on thompson rd or mandai. You can usually find banana plants behind the groundkeeper hut in your condo....Ask him if you can take a 'sucker' from his plant. Most will have 3 or 4 coming up at base at any one time

If they are outside, you never have to water. If they are in a pot or inside you will have to water.

[x9200]

As they are technically not a tree...you need to get tuber from a plant that is already growing (ie one that is just sprouting out of the ground) or go to nursery where they will have lots - try ones on thompson rd or mandai. You can usually find banana plants behind the groundkeeper hut in your condo....Ask him if you can take a 'sucker' from his plant. Most will have 3 or 4 coming up at base at any one time

If they are outside, you never have to water. If they are in a pot or inside you will have to water.

Are the small ones native to Singapore only and no other ones that are going to take 5y to shoot 5cm above the ground and 25y to start blooming?