Zacarias

Hello,

I have a newer banana about 20in pseudostem that got burnt in the desert and then started to grow new leaves. The leaf came out almost white and then started to die along the edges and then completely stop growing. I think I was watering too much. Anyway, today I cut that leaf off at the pseuedo stem and saw the interior of the PS was also brown/dead. So I kept
cutting thinking that it is rot and it will spread to the whole plant. I finally cut like eight inches and found all green. I'll leave it like this. To note, it has a pup that is putting out leaves fine.
My question is, was I right in that it was rot and does it spread or could I have not had to cut the PS? Also, being there are no leaves on the main plant, should I water very sparingly now right even in 100+ temps so as not to rot it? It's mostly in the shade. Thanks! How many inches down should the soil feel dry before I water again? It's in a 17in wide deepish pot.

Z

hammer

Well from what i understand when its that hot you cant overwater i water every day 95-100 temps.

Abnshrek

If the one you cut doesn't grow the pup will use all the energy stored so don't cut the one you cut unless its ready to fall over. :^) Hopefully it will grow. :^)

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I'm a Nannerhead :^)

Zacarias

Thanks for the replies...one of the reasons bananas need so much water is because of the amount of water they lose through evapotranspiration through their leaves. Now my plant is just a pseudostem with no leaves, that's why I don't want to overwater. Oh well, we'll see what happens.

Z

rwood1754

I live in Phoenix & have lost more plants to being too wet than anything else. I starting using cactus-palm mixture soil to get good drainage & 100 % improvement. Young plants or corms here just don't like being wet. I make sure the soil is getting dry (with my hands) before I water again. But the palm-cactus mixture has made the most improvement in survival. Once the plants get bigger & well established, they can take the water. My soil is heavy. Also putting city water on the plants because of the salt content causes the new leaves to have brown spots. If I don't get water on the plants the new leaves come out without spots! I try to cut rot away myself to let that area dry & heal. If banana are large enough, but not planted earlier enough to adjust to the heat, the leaves usually burn, but new leaves are normally okay. If not I use screening to cut down on the heat.

rwood1754

Right not it is only about 90 degrees. I am only watering once a week unless by checking with my hands I find the soil not moist. I never want it to stay soaking wet all the time. With the cactus-palm mixture I find they are starting to need watering more often.