DoctorSteve

Ok now I have a good perspective. I am in the far east bay so I know the weather lately. If you bought a banana from a nursery somewhere it was probably in a more humid environment from all the other plants and constant watering, or green house. It was probably under shade cloth as well. I have only seen big ones in full sun.

In any case we have had some really hot days the last few weeks, combined with that black mat and those rock around it probably got very hot and was drying out. It also may have not been getting much water with a deep drip.

It probably should have been hardened off before going in full sun around here in summer. No joke, some of my little pots and seed trays melted in sun in the last couple months.

If it was me, and banana looked like yours in the last picture, I would dig it up, trim all dead leaves off, only the dead parts. I leave all the green and let it dry back naturally so I lessen the chance of rot.

I would then wash the roots and trim off any dead roots so they don't rot and spread, and than plant it in nice draining soil in a pot and keep it inside, or partial shade until it is stronger.

That is just what I would do, and have done many times. Should I do that, uh maybe. Some would just call it a wash and get another one. It's up to you. If it dies, its all part of learning. I used to kill every plant I had.