Usually takes about a week but your mileage will probably vary.
You will know when they open.
The banana will pop open and several "danglies" that do the actual pollen drop will hang out of it.
And you will see the powdery, bright yellow pollen on leaves below the danglies.
Just before they open, they start to swell and crack), that's when you take a small paper bag, wet it with distilled, or R/O, or rainwater and slip it over the part with the male flower.
Or, hold it under the danglies and shake the plant.
The pollen will stick to the inside of the bag.
Bring the moist bag to the female and place it over a lower branch.
Seal the opening with string, tape, whatever, and leave it to dry.
When dry, gently tap the bag with your finger and the pollen will get airborn again, inside the bag.
Wait 6 or 8 hours and wet the bag and the surrounding branches again, but this time use tap water.
That will capture and deactivate the remaining pollen so you can safely remove the bag.
Take her to harvest.
Done right, only the treated branch will have seeds. and they will be feminized.
Aloha,
Weezard
You will know when they open.
The banana will pop open and several "danglies" that do the actual pollen drop will hang out of it.
And you will see the powdery, bright yellow pollen on leaves below the danglies.
Just before they open, they start to swell and crack), that's when you take a small paper bag, wet it with distilled, or R/O, or rainwater and slip it over the part with the male flower.
Or, hold it under the danglies and shake the plant.
The pollen will stick to the inside of the bag.
Bring the moist bag to the female and place it over a lower branch.
Seal the opening with string, tape, whatever, and leave it to dry.
When dry, gently tap the bag with your finger and the pollen will get airborn again, inside the bag.
Wait 6 or 8 hours and wet the bag and the surrounding branches again, but this time use tap water.
That will capture and deactivate the remaining pollen so you can safely remove the bag.
Take her to harvest.
Done right, only the treated branch will have seeds. and they will be feminized.
Aloha,
Weezard