View Full Version : Banana adding leaves but not growing taller
I have two bananas (supposedly Musa Basjoo) that are putting out about a leaf a week but aren't gaining height:
- I bought them online in late spring as tiny two leaf sprouts.
- I did initially plant them directly in the ground but moved them each to their own 5 gal container after I couldn't keep the slugs off them. They were in MG moisture control soil and were watered when the top soil started to dry.
- Both received full afternoon sun for over 6 hours
- I started them off with some slow release MG then switched to 3T / gallon of diluted fish emulsion weekly starting in June. Around mid July I switched to 1 T 20-20-20 / gallon weekly after they still weren't getting larger.
- Thinking maybe the roots were already stifled, I moved both to the ground in early August. The soil was originally clay but I've been amending over the past couple years so it drains fairly well now. They get 20 mins of soaker hose 3x / week.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1ckjgr32x06mwf2/Banana.jpg?dl=0
Any thoughts?
Tytaylor77
09-01-2017, 04:28 AM
100% not Musa basjoo. The plant pictured is either a dwarf cavendish or super dwarf cavendish.
Sadly there are a lot of worthless online nurseries who sell Tissue Cultured (TC) plantlets. Dwarf and super dwarf cav is the lowest priced banana plant sold by the distributors so they buy them and sell them as several different plants. You don't find out you have been "ripped off" until the plant grows or sometimes flowers (1-2+ years later).
It has happened to me many times. Always search the companies name here on this forum!! You can read what members think about them.
I find it is always better to buy a pup from a member on this forum. You may pay a little more for shipping (since it's 10x larger than a TC)but you will get what your looking for! Most guys that sell on here do it more to help people get the correct plant and help them get a good healthy start of it! They are selling to help members not to make $$.
Don't feel bad!! It has happened to most of us on this forum! It's a very sad problem!
sputinc7
09-01-2017, 09:38 AM
When you dig them up, do the roots look like this?
http://www.bananas.org/gallery/watermark.php?file=62241&size=1 (http://www.bananas.org/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=62241&ppuser=22903)
I have 3 which have the same problem with their growth, and dug this one last week. I assume this is the same culprit in all. If anybody knows what it is or wants more pics and a video to look at, let me know. There was heavy black stuff on the lower corm and as you can see, no roots. It seems to be in only one area of my yard, but is not good for bananas, whatever it is.
cincinnana
09-01-2017, 04:14 PM
I have two bananas (supposedly Musa Basjoo) that are putting out about a leaf a week but aren't gaining height:
- I bought them online in late spring as tiny two leaf sprouts.
- I did initially plant them directly in the ground but moved them each to their own 5 gal container after I couldn't keep the slugs off them. They were in MG moisture control soil and were watered when the top soil started to dry.
- Both received full afternoon sun for over 6 hours
- I started them off with some slow release MG then switched to 3T / gallon of diluted fish emulsion weekly starting in June. Around mid July I switched to 1 T 20-20-20 / gallon weekly after they still weren't getting larger.
- Thinking maybe the roots were already stifled, I moved both to the ground in early August. The soil was originally clay but I've been amending over the past couple years so it drains fairly well now. They get 20 mins of soaker hose 3x / week.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1ckjgr32x06mwf2/Banana.jpg?dl=0
Any thoughts?
Your plant looks like a healthy well cared for dwarf variety.
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