BILL MA

Hello Everyone,
I just thought I would share how I separated My pups on my super dwarf very easily, without losing hardly any roots. Also what I use for my soil mix that has worked very well for me.

This is my second year with my cavendish, I had in the house with ok light last winter with zero problems. No spider mites at all, even when other plants right next to it needed treatment. For me this was my nicest nana for inside my house that grew very nicely. I planted it out in the ground this year and it did great, I would say it's ready to flower very soon. I would say one or two more leaves tops.

With my first flower in mind, I decided to dig it up today to get it used to it's new conditions living in a pot again before having to come into the house. It dug up very easily. I dug around the plant a little over a foot all the way around and gently prying it out. After getting it to it's transplant station I reallized I should cut off the pups (3 really nice ones) all with nice roots. I figured the best way for me to do this was to spray off all the dirt on the roots so I would be able to see what I was doing, and minimize cutting roots off that didn't belong to what I was cutting. This method worked beyond great for me as I only ended cutting a few roots that got in the way of the ginsu knife. That's right (ginsu knife) this has always been what I use to seperate my pups and it works great. Very little stress on the corm since there is no banging, just a nice easy slice cutting around the important roots coming off the moma plant. Like I said before this is the best way to separate them if you have to dig up your nanas anyways here's some pictures of the process.

Freshly dug plant sitting on a 4 foot wide piece of plywood for scale.



After the roots where cleaned off with the hose.



After the first ginsu chop off.



The pup that was removed.



My soil mixture that has worked fantastic, drains fantastic to minimize root rot, watered in with green sand for potasium and potash, and mild root stimulator for a boost.



The pup planted in his new pot before watering, with some palm friends in the background.



And finally the mother before soil was added, camera ran out of batteries.



Hope this will help people get the most out of there pups when digging up for the winter.

Bill

natej740

Another great post with pictures....Your plants look nice and thanks for the info you sent me on the palms...Is that a Sago Palm in the background????

BILL MA

No problem Nate, glad to help! I saw you joined the site, I hope your getting some good reading/info out of it. I see palms and nanas in your future next year. Yes that is a sago it had a real nice flush this year for being in a pot.

Bill

cherokee_greg

Great post this is what I need pictures . Thanks so much. It was very helpful.

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Greg zone 9 Fresno,CA
http://gardenjot.com/garden/view/1980/Gregs-Banana-Farm

LilRaverBoi

Very helpful! Great pictures and descriptions of your process. It's funny....I'm pretty sure your 'pups' are about the same size as my SDC right now LOL. Very nice plants you have there...nice and healthy! Judging on the root-systems you have/retained in the process, I think they'll do VERY well! Thanks for sharing!

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BANANA RAVE!
Feel the beat from start to stop, dancin' and movin' from bottom to top!
lilraverboi@genxglow.com
RIP Tog Tan. We love you and will always remember you!
I'm Bryan with a Y! There is no 'I' in BRYAN!

CValentine

Thank You for the pictures Bill! ~Cheryl

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When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace. - Jimi Hendrix

naturedude

what happens if there is no roots on the pup?

VinnayJones

Then there's a good chance that the plant won't survive. How else is it supposed to absorb water and nutrients? :/

sunfish

It could grow new ones.