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View Full Version : Total Banana Newbie here! Help!


kellerjack
08-07-2013, 07:48 PM
I've always wanted a plant (or 6 as it now stands :D) and the banana plant really attracted me so I have 2 now. Why I'm writing this post is for the big guy, Mr. Banana, he's a red abyssinian. I bought him where he was sitting outdoors so some of his leaves are splitting (from bugs, normal for being outdoors?)

I'm pretty sure when I bought him he didn't have this translucent spot on his leaf! What happened? Is it a fungus? I've been trying to do research but I'm SUCH a newbie I'm still learning here. What should I do? Cut it off? And for the torn leaves, is that okay? Should I cut away brown sections? I LOVE my new banana guys and want them to be healthy. I also have questions about soil and fertilizer but perhaps those are for another thread.

Also, I live in Canada in an apartment where humidity is generally low.. but it's August so definitely warm out and I have him by the window.

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/9408/m8xl.jpg

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/120/mx7x.jpg

The lil' guy Edgar seems to be doing okay as far as I know (feel free to point out anything I'm doing wrong though!) I also plan to change pots and soil quick here with these guys..

http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/3043/xeu4.jpg

Thanks for any help!

Illia
08-07-2013, 11:54 PM
How's humidity? The spot may be from spider mites, which go crazy on bananas an begin stripping it like little secret ninjas when humidity is too low. (A common occurrence indoors)

Edgar definitely needs a new pot but looks happy :)

Anyway, check all the leaves of your big guy closely and look out for tiny little tan colored things running around the surface of the leaves, especially around the tips and possibly developing webbing on the underside. If you do see them, you can wash off all the leaves of the banana with cold water, both on the underside and topside of the leaves. It's best to have help tipping the banana so you can do it without hurting the plant. After that, keep things more humid. Spider mites are an easy fix, but will continue to show up if the place is not humid enough.

You can also kill them with pesticides or soap and water, but, from my experience the easiest to do is a quick cold shower.

kellerjack
08-08-2013, 10:35 PM
Thanks for the reply!

I checked Mr. Banana for any evidence of buggies and couldn't find anything moving or webs. How often should I be watering this guy? Through my internet searches I have been told that banana plants are thirsty YET do not over water or you get root rot. I've done the one inch soil moist test so haven't been watering every single day. Could the transparency be caused by this? And if I get him back on the right track, will his leaves just work it out themselves or should I be pruning anything away?

LilRaverBoi
08-08-2013, 11:13 PM
Translucent spot has happened with my Ensete maurelii (same thing as 'red abyssinain,' different name). They just do this sometimes. Might be fertilizer or water-related. I doubt it is spider mites or any pest per-se'. Don't cut off the leaf...just leave it be, water when the plant is dry below the surface, fertilize every few weeks during the summer, less during winter.

As for spider mites, they suck. They are difficult to get rid of on houseplants and multiply rapidly/spread to other plants. I've battled them for years. They are NOT easy to get rid of...easy to reduce numbers of, but hard to rid yourself of for very long during the winter. I use neem oil/water solution. Seems to keep them at bay, but you have to really cover everything and use it fairly often to see a change in mite populations. Again, though....I doubt this is your case. But always be vigilant and check the undersides of leaves for spider-like webs, tiny clear/red/tan bugs especially near the midrib of the leaf underneath.

kellerjack
08-14-2013, 06:47 PM
Thanks for all the suggestions! Phew today I got lil' Edgar repotted and by the looks of his roots in the store bought one he is going to be thanking me :08: Mr. Banana still has that spot, but I've been watering him more frequently (every 2 days?) and so far nothing ELSE is showing up!

One more question.. When I repot the big guy, how big should I do? He's in a 12" pot at the moment but the way Edgar's roots looked, maybe this guy would like a big space. My boyfriend wants me to repot in like a 4ft pot, I told him he was insane. :)

Duckfood
08-14-2013, 08:12 PM
Mr. Banana would probably do fine in a 4 foot pot... Just remember that if he goes into a pot that size, the more likely he is going to try to reach his full height... Up to 20 feet...

Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' - Bananas Wiki (http://www.bananas.org/wiki/Ensete_ventricosum_%27Maurelii%27)

kellerjack
08-14-2013, 08:22 PM
20ft would be cool if I wasn't in an apartment! lol
I'd prefer a smaller pot for him. Would say, 2ft pot be good? I just want to make sure he's not suffocating in there, but yet want to encourage growth. I'd allow him to grow as high as the ceiling, a good 8ft :)

kellerjack
09-01-2013, 04:14 PM
Just an update.. yesterday I was hanging out with Mr. Banana and saw tiny spiders on him :( Went out that minute and bought insecticidal soap! Sprayed him down and had to do some major pruning/amputating. Today i don't see the spiders, but it looks like he got a really bad haircut lol. Going to be keeping an eye on him for sure.