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View Full Version : First Dwarf Banana Tree arrived today!


B-rad
08-03-2013, 01:08 AM
I recently picked up the new hobby of growing palm trees, I have tried germinating Mexican Fan Palms and a few others and have had great luck considering I'm a newbie and have learned what I know off various web sites.
So only three months into my new hobby I've become very excited and I'm trying to find new ways to expand my knowledge.

Well today my first Dwarf Banana tree arived that I ordered from online.
So my question is, what do I need to get started for a great looking banana tree indoors?

I live in NE utah, the climate here is very dry especially in winter months.

I have read that bananas like moist, well drained soil, a potting soil\sand mix, it also says they like acidic soil?
Will I need a humidifier?
How often should I water a small guy?
What is the best fertilizer for them?

Any help is greatly appreciated, and I feel like I crammed a lot of questions into this post!

Have a great day
Brad

Illia
08-03-2013, 11:16 PM
Congrats! Bananas are a very addicting hobby even if you're not in the tropics. You'll find yourself expanding to many different types, and possibly even challenging yourself to the more difficult ones, or building a special room or greenhouse for them too. Or maybe that's just me, haha. I started out with a dwarf, then expanded to a few more of a second variety, then in my second year expanded to 3 more varieties, and now this year I have 8 varieties and growing with a total of over 20 banana plants. And I'm not in the tropics. :)

I don't know about the acidic soil part, I always use soil from our backyard mixed with compost, so it's slightly acidic but I'm pretty sure most bananas are tolerant of almost any soil except too alkaline. They do indeed prefer it moist and very rich.

The best fertilizer for a banana is natural stuff. Banana peels, composted manure, green manure, the related sort. But it's up to your preference. Some people like NPK fertilizers. The key is to get something that has enough potassium.

As for humidity, it is best to do something about that. Get a hydrometer (some thermometers have them included) to measure humidity, and in my opinion the best and cheapest thing is to get a misting bottle and spray it on a regular basis. Lack of humidity won't kill a banana, but it will attract spider mites that will severely strip the leaves to just crispy brown paper.

Watering is based on temperature, air humidity, and simply checking the soil. Stick something in there to check how moist it is how deep down, and touch the top to see if that too is moist or dry. The higher the air temp, the more you should water. The lower, the less. Bananas usually love lots of water though.

B-rad
08-04-2013, 03:07 AM
Thank you for your reply, i totally understand the increasing plant count! I have started with a couple different palm species that i just love
I spend alot of spare time thinking about it as well, its nearly an adiction at this point
I was a little worried about taking on a banana because i was so concerned humidity issues

Thanks again!
Brad