momoese

Ok, I posted this a while back on the GW forum and got some replies but no real answers to my problem. Maybe you guys can help. The new leaves grow out with a curl to them making it dificult and sometimes impossible to unfurl properly. Sometimes they even get stuck inside the last leaf making it tough for that leaf to unfurl. I am going to try to add photos so you can what I'm talking about. So far the only thing that seems to help is backing way off on the water. Any ideas as to what's going on here?

JoeReal

Could be due to excess salts in the soil, high fertilizer application rate, high pH, excessive sunshine and high temperature. Looks normal to me though. Sometimes if the air is really dry in the middle of heat wave, my bananas exhibit such curling even wilting of unfurled leaves.

momoese

"high fertilizer application rate" That could be seeing how they started this after adding a large amount of chicken manue and plenty of water. I have checked the ph all around and inbetween and it's just right. I would also think after the massive rains we had this year that the soil would be leached of salt build up, right? So maybe I should keep on watering and see what happens?

JoeReal

How's the drainage around these plants?

momoese

Really good drainage. When I prepped to area I went down 4 feet, added sand, green sand, compost, and chicken manure along with EB Stone organic vegetable food. I keep to the surface mulched very heavily so it never really dries out or gets hard like So Cal soils tend to do on the top.

JoeReal

I also did what you have done, but I installed gravel, sand, redwood sawdust over a pair of 3.5" perforated drainage pipes that lead to the city's runoff sewers. This way, excess water is really going out of my yard.

If you have good drainage, then overwatering is never a problem. You don't have problems with salts either. The incomplete unfurling of leaves will only be due to very low humidity during a heat wave under intense sunlight and or excessive fertilizers. I am leaning towards the low humidity part and full sunlight, and bananas reaction is normal. Bananas are not really accustomed to desert areas like California, but we still try and achieve the unthinkable. So not surprisingly, my bananas in the shaded area have not exhibited such symptoms and they are greener as well, unlike those in full sunshine. Bananas love California sunshine if it can be toned down to 30% to 60% intensity when it the air is dry.

momoese

Well that's the best explanation I heard thus far. Thank you.

GATrops

I think JoeReal hit the nail on the head. I see this all the time with my plants that are growing in full sun (8am-6PM) in the middle of the summer. I have tried misting them (kind of hard when they get 10 feet of pseudostem) and that seems to help some. The thing that helps the most is when the temps fall back into the mid 80's during the day.

momoese

I have been hosing down the leaves, ground, fence, and anything else that will stand still long enough two to three times a day to help with the low humidity and I'm seeing some results. The curling has all but stopped and the plants are looking happier! Thanks for the sugestions. This is what they look like today.

Southern-Grower

i have a fhi18 and a d.o. that has done that and we're humid,,

figured it was the fert. i used in bottom of hole and it seems both plants
were curling towards the western sun..

i know this doesn't help but lets you know what i've seen here..

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AnnaJW

Almost all of mine do this. I thought it was normal! I'm going to watch more and see if I need to do something further...
Our temps here have been 100+ the past few days, so I've been really baby-ing the banana plants.

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bigdog

Old thread...same problem! Although for me, my orinocos don't exhibit this behavior. Only my sweehearts (which have been doing it all year long), Raja Puri (not every leaf), and now my musa cheesmani is exhibiting this trait. I have adequate drainage, acidic soils, and haven't fertilized in a month or more on those plants.

The sweethearts are unique in that every leaf curls. I'll try to get a pic soon to post. I really didn't want to see it on my musa cheesmani.

pitangadiego

In my experience, the tangled leaved are ususally due to excessively fast growth from too much fertilizer. Only affects certain plants that have that certain leaf emergence style. The ones where the leaf emerges straight up in the center, instead of inside the rib of the previous leaf don't exhibit this behaviour. When fertilization drops, leaf behaviour will return to normal.

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MediaHound

I occasionally see choking like this for the first leaf or two after I transplant.

Can we call this choking?

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momoese

No it wasn't choking. It did eventually start growing straight again, but I don't know why.

pitangadiego

Not choking. Choking refers to the failure of the flower spike to properly exit the p-stem.

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bigdog

I took a few pics yesterday. Here are my sweetheart bananas. every leaf that unrolls is curly!



Just weird!
Even the oldest leaves:


Raja Puri has about 1/3 of the leaves with a slight curl:



And now musa cheesmani has the last few leaves curling slightly!



I haven't fertilized since late July. My soils are acidic. What gives?

momoese

Bigdog, I have confirmed(I think) one thing that someone did actually mention and that was not being consistent with watering. I have found that even when I think I'm over watering I'm really not and when I just let the water run for a long time actually watering properly it sort of shocks the plant and the leaves get a super boost from all the water/food. This makes them grow to fast and curl.

The only other thing that make any sense is what Joereal said about our California climate being too dry, but you are not here.

Right now I have a plant growing curly leaves with the other plants around it growing normal leaves.

One thing I can tell you for sure is that curly leaves make no difference in how fast they grow, and they will still fruit even while growing curly leaves.

Frankallen

I have several Plants doing the same thing!!! Some seems to be worse than others!! Will try to post some photos tomorrow!!


Frank

rmendesc

Hi guys,
I’ve been experiencing something similar with my dwarf cavendish. The bottom half of the right side of the leaf is curling and not unfurling properly. It happened to the latest three leaves and I’m not sure what has been causing it. Anybody has any clues what might be happening?