Quote:
Originally Posted by Terri
I have a Mekong Giant banana tree. Most yrs it grows about 8 feet tall in the summer, and then I bring a pup inside to plant out the next spring. Any Mekong Giant left outside will die during the winter. They are said to be a hardy banana, but most years it gets below 0 degrees and it is not hardy enough to winter outside.
Last summer was cool and overcast, and the tree stayed very small. So, instead of bringing a potted pup inside for the winter I brought in the entire plant.
This summer it is supposed to be hot and sunny, and I want to see how BIG I can grow it! That means being generous with the water and the fertilizer. But... how much fertilizer is too much?
Right now the plant is only 3 feet tall but it is healthy. It simply grew slowly last year because we did not get much sun: as result none of my tropical vegetables did well either. Salad plants loved the weather: the tropical hated it!
So, right now it is spring in Kansas, and the weather is mostly between 40 degrees and 90 degrees. It is overcast, as it is most springs. And, the banana was planted outside last week and it seems to appreciate the rain: leastwise it is putting out 2 new leaves.
Any comments on how much fertilization I can get away with?????? As rule of thumb, summer weather usually has highs of 90's and lows in the 60's and 70's!
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Kansas and Ohios short grow seasons are very similar for zones 5-6.
If our zones were 8,9,10,we would have no issues
Our frost to frost dates are about 170+- which is too short for a plant like a Mekong Giant to ever reach its height potential.
I know of a few fellow growers in Kentucky zone 7 whom treat the plant like a Basjoo
Their plants are planted in very rich loose amended soil in full sunlight and heavily mulched for the winter.
Since we generally grow our plants for size and visual interest a general garden fertilizer such as 16-16-16- is used.
You can split hairs and use 10-10-10 or 12-12-12 and get similar results.
Like the fellas said in previous posts to much fertilizer is bad also.
Miracle grow will even work well, it depends on your budget.
With fertilizer more is not better......you could boost the soil with organics like peat moss or other prepared amendments.
Soil is a key foundation for our plants.
Sadly, we are still limited to trying to grow a plant in less than ideal conditions.
You could switch out your plant to Basjoo and get great predictable results without all the hassle, and I think they might even get larger, plus they multiply like rabbits and you can leave them in the ground all year.
What we really need is a big bag of extra sunlight and grow season.
Here is a photo of a benchmark mat of Basjoos in zone 6 for reference if you want to change out to a less maintained plant.
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Musa Basjoo zone 6 by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr