April 19, 2003

Question:  On a recent trip to northeastern Australia, amid many square miles of sugarcane fields, I noticed a large planting of bananas. Each plant had its hanging fruit clusters wrapped in some sort of bag. We were touring the area, and we were not able to stop to ask questions. My curiosity has still not been satisfied. What is their purpose? Are these special bags required? Would a similar action be of benefit to a Floridian Snow Bird like me?

- M. Mokas, e-mail

Answer: These plastic bags are known as banana ‘sleeves.’ They are often colored blue and held loosely around the entire bunch of expanding fruits. The sleeves act as prophylactics. They are infused with insecticides and fungicides preventing pests and diseases from reaching the fruits. All significant commercial banana producers in Central and South America use banana sleeves. Although labor intensive, the sleeves help to negate the use of liquid pesticide applications that would normally have been applied by foot or by air. Consequently, the sleeves are considered environmentally friendly. For south Florida’s gardeners, these sleeves have little benefits. In our area, the greater enemies of successful banana production are low winter temperatures, dry soils, inappropriate fertilizer applications, insufficient soil organic matter and too many plants to a standing clump.