Harvesting the Banana Bunch

After months of posts on Facebook and Instagram showing the progress of the bananas, they are finally ready to harvest!
I first spotted the blossom on 1 December. It has taken 28 weeks to mature, although the bunches that formed this spring are developing much more quickly.
As I said in the video, the sap is watery, yet very sticky and stains like anything. About the only thing that gets the sap out is borax.
I'll wash the patio down with laundry soap. It will work for non-porous materials, but not clothes. I've washed my hands a couple of times and they are still sticky.
As I said, once the plants produce a bunch, they go into decline (kind of like octopi). They don't produce any more leaves. They put all their energy into the bananas. I'll cut the couple of leaves that this plant has left and chop them into mulch for the garden. Then I'll cut the stalk before it falls over. I have a friend who makes paper from the stalks, so really, every part of the plant can be used.
Thanks for watching!
Giovanna

[@cumulupine]

That's a bunch of bananas, alright! Wow!! And you gave me some banana facts I never knew before, like that you can eat banana flowers/buds, or that their sap stains like blood 😶 (which is kinda creepy, but also very metal)