There's link here that might be helpful:

http://webebananas.com/

I heard that leaving 2-3 pups with the mother plant is ok, but not more than that. Some people suggest leaving a space of 6ft or so between each patch of bananas. As for me, I plant closer than that because of space availability and I'm wondering myself if that will affect the fruiting.

It was a bit too hot out there this summer and I didn't get out as much as I would have liked to trim off some of the extra pups...but my ice cream mat has about 10 or 12 pups and 2 of the stalks are fruiting. No fertilizer or anything...just a nice wet and sunny spot. I ate my first one today, oh boy is it sweet and creamy! Seriously no comparison to grocery store bnanas!

terri, you should view this video.

Banana Mat Management

The corm provides the energy for the plant to grow and fruit, the less pups it has t sustain, the more it can provide the fruiting process; I always limit mine to a daughter and a grandaughter, and the rest are excised and placed in another location.