Goldfinger banana question

[greg_D]

We recently moved. Along with the new place we inherited some banana plants. Tag said goldfinger (previous homeowner kept the tag). I would like to harvest the fruit and then remove the plants (I have other stuff I want to put in the space, and a similar tasting cultivar already planted elsewhere on the property). There are four bunches in total; I've attached one picture of each.

My question: do any of these look like they'll be ripe this year? From what I've been told by local growers, I basically have through the end of October until the plants stop growing.

Of the four bunches, one obviously has no shot of ripening this year, one seems like it will probably start ripening this year, the other two I'm not sure. All of them have fruit with very clearly defined edges. Almost like triangular prisms.

[RodneyS]

I think early next year, at the earliest

[johnb51]

My Raja Puri plant (very similar, I think) blossomed at the first of the year, and the fruit was ripe at the beginning of June, so that's five months.

[RollingInTheWeeds]

End of October has been true in the past, but this yr has been so cool & cloudy, maybe earlier.  I’d put a black garbage bag over the rack that’s in the 4th picture.  (Increase the heat & humidity).  Leave enough holes to keep it from becoming a fungal sauna.  When it’s obvious we won’t get more warm days, cut the rack off & finish ripening in your garage.  If it’s mature enough, it’ll ripen (like what grocery stores sell).

I have a question for you.  I have an immature Goldfinger.  How high is the crook (or upside down “U”) off the ground?  And do yours need to be propped?  I’ve had other kinds of bananas that needed no propping for years; then when a really bountiful year came, & the rack was unusually heavy it had to be propped.  (One that wasn’t propped actually broke.). So I want to make an adjustable prop ahead of time that’ll accomodate the Goldfinger’s height if needed.

[Longranger]

Very nice bunches. Doubt that any of those will be ready until thanksgiving or later. During winter it is a good idea to harvest before the psuedostem goes into full decline and ripen in the garage. If they are somewhat plumped up they usually ripen.

Which one is Goldfinger? My example has underperformed severely so if you rip it out I might be interested in a pup.

[greg_D]

Here are the plants. They're all goldfinger. Two are leaning and lashed to the wall (by the previous homeowner) but there isn't tension in the rope. On the leaning ones the peak of the fruit bunch stem is roughly 6 feet off the ground. On the upright ones it's roughly 8 or 9 feet off the ground.

[RollingInTheWeeds]

Thanks for the info & pictures Greg!  Good luck to you.  Hope you get some good fruit before reclaiming the space

[greg_D]

Thank you! And thanks to everyone who replied / gave info.