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View Full Version : Red Abyssinian Banana - Problems


purrbert
06-20-2015, 12:20 PM
Help please!
Hello,
I have Red Abyssinian bananas that I've overwintered in zone 7.
I heavily watered one in the evening. The next day was HOT. The very next day, the lower leaves are dying and each day the upper leaves are dying. This is the 3rd summer he's been in the ground and did GREAT the past 2 years.
I've posted a picture in my gallery photos.

The other Red Abyssinian (2nd season in the ground). Is huge and doing great EXCEPT for these long black areas on the leaf stalk. It looks like rot and I've had to cut off 2 large leaves.
Gallery picture uploaded of this issue as well.

Any help/tips would be appreciated. I LOVE this plants and am so upset.

Thanks, Jill

siege2050
06-21-2015, 05:56 PM
Hmm, those black streaks are strange, I have not seen that before on Ensete, how much fertilizer do you use? Do you fertilize on hot sunny days? Kind of looks like Anthracnose of some form. My ensete are in full sun in 95+ temps at times and no wilting or burning. Is the soil extremely porous? My plants in clay will not wilt as fast as the ones in porous soil because the roots are more in contact with the soil, while the ones in garden soil have to be watered more often. I have heard ensete maurelii do not like high humidity, but I have not had any issue here with it where it is extremely humid.

purrbert
06-21-2015, 06:47 PM
Thanks for the response. :)

I ONLY use the bagged cow moonure for fertilizer and had not put any down for a couple of months prior to the problem.

I see it on additional leaves now. It looks like it rot. It destroys the entire leaf.

As mentioned, the plant did great last year so drainage is the same. It's been really hot and humid her in Alabama but I would think the bananas would love that.

Thanks again, Jill

siege2050
06-21-2015, 06:54 PM
Hmm, yeah I fill the planting hole each year with half a bag of Moo Poo, and it doesnt affect it in a bad way, course its aged. Get some spectracide immunox or something similar and try it, it probably is fungus of some sort. I think ensete is from cooler and dryer highlands but I am not positive about that.

Snarkie
06-28-2015, 02:01 PM
Hi Jill-

What type of soil are you in? Is it possible that you are developing root rot?