These yellow fruits grow in my yard, the oneacrewoods, because we have a subtropical climate. They do not like cold weather though, and sometimes a freeze does them in completely. The plants pop up from rhizomes (called a corm) in the ground. Certain types of shoots will produce fruit and others won’t. They need a good gardener. They also need a lot of regular watering and lots of feeding. They are hungry and fast growing.
They have a big heavy flower stalk on which the fruit forms. If growing conditions are right, the cluster of bananas can be huge. This cluster had so many that we could not eat them all and had to freeze a lot for banana bread later. The cluster can be picked when the fruit is still green and the ripening is gradual – you can kind of see that in the picture below. Freeze your bananas without the peel in a zip lock bag. It’s handy if you put the amount called for in the recipe in one bag. If you click on the link above you’ll find a recipe for one of my favorites. I like the bread to be very moist but also done all the way to the center, so be sure to bake it the full amount of time and test the center with a toothpick.
I love growing bananas because the flavor is markedly better than the average commercial banana. That being said, I like any banana I can get (except the black ones). Bananas are nutrient dense and about 110 calories for an average sized fruit. They are known for being a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamins B6 and C and manganese. They have wonderful texture (great for baby’s first solid food), and they come packaged so conveniently. Don’t let anyone tell you a bad thing about bananas.
I Just Have to Say... 
I love bananas but have to be careful, as too much tends to give me a migraine. Thanks for the tips and the knowledge!
Freezing bananas without skin? never tried that. And lucky you to grow them on your own.
I’m a little jealous you live in a part of the world that grows such lovely food. Freezing bananas without the skin. Good tip!! 🙂 x
I used to despise bananas for some reason though I know it’s nutrition content. Unless it is in a banana bread or a smoothie. But I’m afraid your post will inspire me to eat it regularly :). Great to know about having your own banana tree! Thanks for sharing 🙂
oh wow, Bananas are precious. We used to grow bananas in our home back in Cameroon
Banana milkshake is more to my taste.
Oh yeah, very good!
Interesting subject. I never gave too much thought to how bananas grew and I love this firsthand account.
Thank you for reading, and yes, it is kind of an unusual plant when you think about it.
I love banana bread and banana cake and banana ice cream, but I don’t like to eat bananas, because they make my front teeth feel weird when I bite into them. However, we used to live in Ventura, and there was a banana plantation a few miles up the coast that had delicious bananas! My favorites were these cute ones that were about half the size of a regular banana. It was just right for me to eat before my teeth started feeling fuzzy.
I know what you mean, that feeling. Fortunately, it doesn’t bother me. My homegrown bananas are little like that. Thanks for reading.
Yum! I love Bananas and banana bread! Can’t wait to stop back again and read some more posts!
How cool! I would love that.
Thank you Shawn! Thanks for reading.
Most creative post, given the B made of bananas. I like them in bread or just plain. My son likes banana smoothies (with strawberries). Beautiful and plentiful indeed. Good for you.
Thank you!
Mmmm, bananas. Great in bread, but i like ’em fresh best if the tops are still a little green and the fruit is firm and a little juicy. Um…I AM talking about bananas here.
That’s the way I like them too but ripening happens… Thanks for reading.
Oh I love bananas! I even have them in my post today.😁 I wish I had a banana tree on my balcony.
I envy you for having your own banana tree! We love bananas but they grow here, they are shipped here and I can’t even imagine what they would taste if picked in someone’s yard….
I started out in a northern climate so banana plants are still a treat to me too. Thanks for reading. Enjoy the AZChallenge!