New banana plants, 1st timer

Orly · 06-14-2017, 09:23 AM

This is my first attempt at growing bananas. It's been going good so far. My three plants (Hua Mua, Apple, Pisang Ceylon) have been in ground for about 2 months and have grown very fast.

One of the three is a slow grower compared to the other two but I can't recall which variety it is. I irrigate when there's not much rain but for the past few weeks it's rained a lot, and raining right now as I type this. I give them a monthly feeding of Banana Fuel and let them do the rest. Their next feeding is due in a few days.

Rear plant should be Hua Mua. Apple and Pisang Ceylon up front though maybe someone could help ID which is which.

Mid April:

Mid June (today):

Orly · 06-23-2017, 06:36 PM

I'm starting to see this more frequently on new spear growths. Anything I should be concerned about?

Tytaylor77 · 06-24-2017, 01:18 AM

Looks like a hungry caterpillar!

Botanical_Bryce · 06-24-2017, 01:25 AM

Excellent choices

Orly · 06-24-2017, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tytaylor77

Looks like a hungry caterpillar!

Yep I flushed out the caterpillar last night.

edwmax · 06-24-2017, 09:26 AM

You are using dye colored mulch. ... IMO, that is the worst mulch to use. It is UN-composted dye colored white wood. When the wood start to compost (aka: rot) it will rob nitrogen away from the nana plants.

Look at buying 'aged pine bark'. Pine bark doesn't compost per-sa, but if there is any 'white wood' with the bark, it will.

Further info & ref: https://www.angieslist.com/articles/...-my-plants.htm

Orly · 06-24-2017, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwmax

You are using dye colored mulch. ... IMO, that is the worst mulch to use. It is UN-composted dye colored white wood. When the wood start to compost (aka: rot) it will rob nitrogen away from the nana plants.

Look at buying 'aged pine bark'. Pine bark doesn't compost per-sa, but if there is any 'white wood' with the bark, it will.

Further info & ref: https://www.angieslist.com/articles/...-my-plants.htm

I don't like the red mulch myself either at this point. I was planning on going with brown mulch from this point on but may dyed as well.

From my initial search, aged pine bark appears to be quite expensive online. Maybe local sources, if available, could negate that. Cost is a concern of mine.

I do fertilize the nana's monthly with Fruit Fuel. That should help offset some of the negative effect of the mulch.

edwmax · 06-24-2017, 10:33 AM

Dye mulch can be in several colors, even green, just depends on what your garden center carries. If pine bark is too expensive then check cost of pine straw or use your grass clippings; fall yard leaves.

OH. I can buy pine bark @ $20/c.yard

Orly · 06-24-2017, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwmax

Dye mulch can be in several colors, even green, just depends on what you garden center carries. If pine bark is too expensive then check cost of pine straw or use your grass clippings; fall yard leaves.

I'll be hitting the local Home Depot today see what else they have. I think they carry pine bark nuggets. Is that ok?

Grass clippings wouldn't be too hard since I mow weekly in the summer. I'd just need to attach the mower bag.

I've heard pine straw raises soil acidity.

mjc · 06-24-2017, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orly

I'll be hitting the local Home Depot today see what else they have. I think they carry pine bark nuggets. Is that ok?

Grass clippings wouldn't be too hard since I mow weekly in the summer. I'd just need to attach the mower bag.

I've heard pine straw raises soil acidity.

Nuggets would be fine, if that's all you can get. Nuggets are usually larger pieces, so if you are putting it around in ground plants, it's not too much of a problem. But for potted plants, you may want to break it up some.

Grass clippings, as long as they are untreated...no herbicides, as the residue may impact the mulched plants.

Yes, pine straw will slightly acidify the soil, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing, as most food plants need a slightly acidic soil, in the first place. Bananas like it in the 5.5 to 6 range, so pine straw would be fine, in most areas...a soil test would be helpful.

edwmax · 06-24-2017, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orly

...

Grass clippings wouldn't be too hard since I mow weekly in the summer. I'd just need to attach the mower bag.

...

A mowing or two for a thin mulch covering to hold moisture and keep the weeds down. But if you start composting the majority of the clippings most of the plants fertilizer requirements can be furnished by the clippings. Think of it as recycling the fertilizer you put on the grass to the nanas.

Another method is to plant the nana plant in a sort of circle then make a compost pile in the middle. This will keep feeding the nana as the grass brakes down. Just keep pilling on the clippings. The grown plants should hide the pile easily.

Orly · 06-24-2017, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by edwmax

A mowing or two for a thin mulch covering to hold moisture and keep the weeds down. But if you start composting the majority of the clippings most of the plants fertilizer requirements can be furnished by the clippings. Think of it as recycling the fertilizer you put on the grass to the nanas.

Another method is to plant the nana plant in a sort of circle then make a compost pile in the middle. This will keep feeding the nana as the grass brakes down. Just keep pilling on the clippings. The grown plants should hide the pile easily.

My nanas are planted in a delta pattern (triangle) I could simply pile the clippings in the center. Is that all that is required for composting the leaves, pilling them?

In the end, I'd like to get away from buying mulch. I also have lots of other stuff planted as landscaping in the yard, mostly palms. I'd prefer to have the areas just around the palms cleared in a circle. Mulching gets to tedious and costly.

sputinc7 · 06-24-2017, 01:47 PM

Grass clippings work great. Bananas love them. Problem with them is that in the dry season, like from Mid Sept thru mid May, they don't break down, they dry to an impermeable layer of straw. I usually pre - compost them a couple weeks first that time of year in a bag or bin. If you have a sprinkler system it may help prevent the drying, especially if you could make that one run a short run on the off days to keep the pile moist. Then you run the risk of corm rot because so much of the water runs down the PS.
I like the idea of the compost pile in the middle. I have begun doing that in the middle of my Brazilian mat.

edwmax · 06-24-2017, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orly

My nanas are planted in a delta pattern (triangle) I could simply pile the clippings in the center. Is that all that is required for composting the leaves, pilling them?

In the end, I'd like to get away from buying mulch. I also have lots of other stuff planted as landscaping in the yard, mostly palms. I'd prefer to have the areas just around the palms cleared in a circle. Mulching gets to tedious and costly.

Yes, your plants will have pups which will help to fill in the sides as they grow. dead nana leaves & pstems will become your mulch to the outside.

There is much discussion and some pictures in other threads. Search for Banana Circle.

Orly · 06-24-2017, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sputinc7

Grass clippings work great. Bananas love them. Problem with them is that in the dry season, like from Mid Sept thru mid May, they don't break down, they dry to an impermeable layer of straw. I usually pre - compost them a couple weeks first that time of year in a bag or bin. If you have a sprinkler system it may help prevent the drying, especially if you could make that one run a short run on the off days to keep the pile moist. Then you run the risk of corm rot because so much of the water runs down the PS.
I like the idea of the compost pile in the middle. I have begun doing that in the middle of my Brazilian mat.

I installed a sprinkler system as I built up my garden/landscaping. I run it when rain is scarce.

What's this talk of corm rot and sprinklers? My plants have been growing vigorously. We recently had a straight week of heavy rain and no signs of any adverse effect. The soil here is pretty sandy so drainage is good.

Tytaylor77 · 06-25-2017, 02:16 AM

If you live in pure sand like me, you won't have to worry about any rot in the warmer months. We just had 16" of rain in less than 48 hours the other day. I walked outside right when the rain quit. There wasn't a puddle or drop of water on the ground. Looked like it had hardly rained!

edwmax · 06-25-2017, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Orly

...

What's this talk of corm rot and sprinklers? My plants have been growing vigorously. We recently had a straight week of heavy rain and no signs of any adverse effect. The soil here is pretty sandy so drainage is good.

This is usually not a big problem of nana plants in the ground, more especially if the ground has good drainage. Mature nana plants need and use A LOT of water.

Root rot is a bigger problem with potted nana plants when the potting soil is constantly wet by over watering. Small and young nana plants do not need a lot of water. The potting soil needs to dry out between watering.

06-14-2017, 09:23 AM	#1 (permalink)
Orly Location: Palm Beach, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 73 BananaBucks : 24,179 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 49 Times Was Thanked 171 Times in 56 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	New banana plants, 1st timer This is my first attempt at growing bananas. It's been going good so far. My three plants (Hua Mua, Apple, Pisang Ceylon) have been in ground for about 2 months and have grown very fast. One of the three is a slow grower compared to the other two but I can't recall which variety it is. I irrigate when there's not much rain but for the past few weeks it's rained a lot, and raining right now as I type this. I give them a monthly feeding of Banana Fuel and let them do the rest. Their next feeding is due in a few days. Rear plant should be Hua Mua. Apple and Pisang Ceylon up front though maybe someone could help ID which is which. Mid April: Mid June (today): Last edited by Orly : 06-14-2017 at 03:17 PM.

06-23-2017, 06:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
Orly Location: Palm Beach, FL Find me on the map! Zone: 10 Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 73 BananaBucks : 24,179 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 49 Times Was Thanked 171 Times in 56 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1 Times	Re: New banana plants, 1st timer I'm starting to see this more frequently on new spear growths. Anything I should be concerned about?

06-24-2017, 01:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
Tytaylor77 Banana Plants for Trade Location: East Texas Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Name: Ty Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 1,367 BananaBucks : 49,141 Feedback: 11 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,612 Times Was Thanked 3,726 Times in 1,185 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 424 Times	Re: New banana plants, 1st timer Looks like a hungry caterpillar! __________________ 150+ Varieties!!. See profile for list. Help me add more! CLICK HERE TO SEE PICTURES OF MY MUSA COLLECTION! www.bananapups.com

06-24-2017, 01:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
Botanical_Bryce Location: Inverness, Florida Zone: 9a Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 881 BananaBucks : 78,813 Feedback: 4 / 100% Said "Thanks" 7 Times Was Thanked 1,459 Times in 636 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: New banana plants, 1st timer Excellent choices

06-24-2017, 09:26 AM	#6 (permalink)
edwmax Location: Cairo, Ga Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 2,891 BananaBucks : 90,998 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,741 Times Was Thanked 4,440 Times in 2,095 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 414 Times	Re: New banana plants, 1st timer You are using dye colored mulch. ... IMO, that is the worst mulch to use. It is UN-composted dye colored white wood. When the wood start to compost (aka: rot) it will rob nitrogen away from the nana plants. Look at buying 'aged pine bark'. Pine bark doesn't compost per-sa, but if there is any 'white wood' with the bark, it will. Further info & ref: https://www.angieslist.com/articles/...-my-plants.htm __________________ Last edited by edwmax : 06-24-2017 at 09:37 AM.

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06-24-2017, 10:33 AM	#8 (permalink)
edwmax Location: Cairo, Ga Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 2,891 BananaBucks : 90,998 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 1,741 Times Was Thanked 4,440 Times in 2,095 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 414 Times	Re: New banana plants, 1st timer Dye mulch can be in several colors, even green, just depends on what your garden center carries. If pine bark is too expensive then check cost of pine straw or use your grass clippings; fall yard leaves. OH. I can buy pine bark @ $20/c.yard __________________ Last edited by edwmax : 06-24-2017 at 12:39 PM.

06-24-2017, 01:47 PM	#13 (permalink)
sputinc7 Location: Palm Bay, Florida Find me on the map! Zone: 9b Name: Steve Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 1,394 BananaBucks : 106,871 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 352 Times Was Thanked 2,430 Times in 971 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 295 Times	Re: New banana plants, 1st timer Grass clippings work great. Bananas love them. Problem with them is that in the dry season, like from Mid Sept thru mid May, they don't break down, they dry to an impermeable layer of straw. I usually pre - compost them a couple weeks first that time of year in a bag or bin. If you have a sprinkler system it may help prevent the drying, especially if you could make that one run a short run on the off days to keep the pile moist. Then you run the risk of corm rot because so much of the water runs down the PS. I like the idea of the compost pile in the middle. I have begun doing that in the middle of my Brazilian mat. __________________ If you lose your head and give up, you neither live nor win. https://sputinc7.wixsite.com/covwc Varieties I supposedly bought: Manzano, Cavendish, Blue Java, Sweetheart, and Gros Michel. What it seems I actually have: Brazilian, Cavendish, Namwah, Dwarf Red, Gros Michel, Pisang Ceylon, Veinte Cohol and SH 3640, and American Goldfinger. FHIA 1, Paggi and FHIA 17... Always room for one more.

06-25-2017, 02:16 AM	#16 (permalink)
Tytaylor77 Banana Plants for Trade Location: East Texas Find me on the map! Zone: 8b Name: Ty Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 1,367 BananaBucks : 49,141 Feedback: 11 / 100% Said "Thanks" 4,612 Times Was Thanked 3,726 Times in 1,185 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 424 Times	Re: New banana plants, 1st timer If you live in pure sand like me, you won't have to worry about any rot in the warmer months. We just had 16" of rain in less than 48 hours the other day. I walked outside right when the rain quit. There wasn't a puddle or drop of water on the ground. Looked like it had hardly rained! __________________ 150+ Varieties!!. See profile for list. Help me add more! CLICK HERE TO SEE PICTURES OF MY MUSA COLLECTION! www.bananapups.com

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