Bananas are a rewarding crop for Florida home growers due to the state’s prolonged warm, humid growing season. The challenge lies in determining the precise moment to harvest the fruit. Unlike other fruits, bananas must be cut from the plant while still green to ensure they develop the desirable flavor and texture. Waiting for them to ripen fully on the plant often results in split peels, bruising, and a bland taste, and local wildlife will quickly claim the fruit.
Banana Growth Cycle and Ripening Factors
The banana plant is technically a giant herbaceous perennial, not a tree, and follows a predictable growth timeline after the flower emerges. Once the inflorescence, often called the bell, appears from the center of the pseudostem, the fruit begins development. The time from this shooting stage to maturity typically ranges from 90 to 120 days, but can extend up to 180 days depending on the cultivar and environmental conditions.
Florida’s consistently warm temperatures significantly influence the speed of maturation. Optimal fruit growth occurs between 84°F and 86°F, meaning longer periods of warmth accelerate development. Conversely, growth slows when temperatures drop below 60°F, lengthening the time to harvest. Therefore, the decision to harvest is based on the fruit’s physical development stage, not a specific calendar date.
Visual Signals for Optimal Harvest Time
The most reliable indicator for a ready-to-harvest bunch is a change in the shape of the individual bananas, known as “fingers.” When the fruit first appears, it is distinctly angular, displaying prominent ridges or “shoulders.” The correct time to cut the bunch is when these angles have rounded out, and the fingers look plump and cylindrical, having “filled out.”
The color of the bunch should transition from a deep green to a lighter, paler shade of green. Another signal is the drying and easy removal of the small, withered flower remnants at the tip of each finger. While the bunch should still be hard and green, a slight yellow tinge on the fingers of the top hand confirms the fruit has reached maximum maturity on the plant. This stage is usually about 75% of its full development.
Safely Cutting and Handling the Bunch
Harvesting a full bunch requires caution, as the cluster can weigh 50 pounds or more, depending on the variety. The safest method involves using a long, sharp knife or machete to partially cut the pseudostem high up, about two-thirds of the way through. This causes the stem to slowly bend and lower the bunch. A second person should support the bunch as it descends to prevent crashing and bruising the fruit.
Once the bunch is lowered, the stalk (peduncle) should be fully severed above the top hand. After removal, the entire pseudostem that produced the bunch must be cut down to the ground. This is necessary because a banana plant only fruits once. Removing the spent stem directs the plant’s energy toward the next generation of suckers growing from the underground rhizome. The cut pseudostem can be chopped and dropped around the base of the remaining plants to serve as a potassium-rich mulch.
Managing Ripening After Harvest
Since the bananas were harvested green, they require controlled conditions to complete ripening. The bunch should be hung in a cool, dark, and well-ventilated location, such as a garage or screened porch, to prevent rapid ripening and bruising. The fruit should never be refrigerated before it is ripe, as cold temperatures cause chilling injury that inhibits ripening and results in a dull, grayish color.
To accelerate ripening, the individual “hands” or clusters can be separated from the main stalk. Placing the green bananas in a closed paper bag concentrates the ethylene gas they naturally release, which initiates the conversion of starch to sugar. Adding an ethylene-producing fruit, such as an apple or avocado, can further boost the gas concentration and speed up maturation. The bananas will ripen sequentially, starting from the top hand and moving downward.