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LilRaverBoi · 04-09-2010, 06:26 PM

It's natural for bananas to lose older leaves as they get older. This is how they form their pseudostem (it's made of the bases of all the older leaves). Sounds like they are probably getting enough light, but if not, this would likely cause them to grow very weak/spindly and 'leggy.' If you don't water enough, this could cause the lower leaves to die off earlier since the plant would absorb the nutrients from them to survive. So make sure that they are getting enough water (wait till the soil is dry below the surface an inch or more, then water moderately). Then again, don't OVER-water either....they don't like to be soaking all the time. Beyond that, do you fertilize? Have you checked for spider mites (look on the undersides of leaves for tiny spider webs near the midrib or where there are concave bends in the leaf margins)?

04-09-2010, 06:26 PM	#2 (permalink)
LilRaverBoi Nanner Time! LilRaverBoi's Photo Gallery Location: Cedar Rapids, IA Find me on the map! Zone: 5 Name: Bryan Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,937 BananaBucks : 144,814 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 534 Times Was Thanked 2,243 Times in 1,245 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 855 Times	Re: Plants loosing leaves It's natural for bananas to lose older leaves as they get older. This is how they form their pseudostem (it's made of the bases of all the older leaves). Sounds like they are probably getting enough light, but if not, this would likely cause them to grow very weak/spindly and 'leggy.' If you don't water enough, this could cause the lower leaves to die off earlier since the plant would absorb the nutrients from them to survive. So make sure that they are getting enough water (wait till the soil is dry below the surface an inch or more, then water moderately). Then again, don't OVER-water either....they don't like to be soaking all the time. Beyond that, do you fertilize? Have you checked for spider mites (look on the undersides of leaves for tiny spider webs near the midrib or where there are concave bends in the leaf margins)? __________________ 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!