View Full Version : PLEASE Help Identify The Cause of THIS:
markhillis
06-13-2019, 09:54 PM
Ok, so hopefully my pics will load this time:
I'll try to be clear and brief:
My banana plants (5 varieties) all seem to be doing well, except, as you will see, my Ice Cream Banana. It is HOT summer here in AZ. I believe I am watering sufficiently (100+ degrees F). I started using Grow More Fruit Fuel for Bananas just a month or so ago. I don't believe I have given them too much, since my smaller trees of other varieties are doing well.
Issue: New "cigar rolls" are emerging slightly paler, thin, and kind of lumpy/floppy. They try to open too soon. The new leaves are floppy and thin. After awhile they look greener and better but something's amiss. One article I read said that sulphur deficiency can cause this?
First photo shows all plants in mat. Other fotos show various stages of leaves emerging. Rest of plant seems ok, except new leaves on pups perhaps a little more yellow that usual.
Since I took these fotos, newest leaf has unfurled super thin and pale.
http://www.105westmain.com/bananafoto1.jpg
http://www.105westmain.com/bananafoto2.jpg
http://www.105westmain.com/bananafoto3.jpg
http://www.105westmain.com/bananafoto4.jpg
I'll Be Back....Could Not Get Photos to Load.
Your pics may be too large, I think they need to be 2MB or smaller.
markhillis
06-14-2019, 09:24 AM
Thanks. I'll have to check....done it before with no problem. It'll be tonight.
markhillis
06-14-2019, 03:02 PM
I've been scouring the forum and suspect I may be watering so much because of the high temperatures, and fertilizing too, that it's simply growing too fast. Anyone agree?
Akula
06-14-2019, 03:26 PM
Looks like too much fertilizer too me causing the plants to grow too fast. You can try flushing out the fertilizer with heavy, deep watering, and then wait till the plants return to normal growth before adding an appropriate amount of fertilizer. I’m not familiar with your fertilizer but based on what I see suggest using about a 1/3 of what ever amount you are presently using.
Check the banana wiki for fertlizer suggestions and more details.
markhillis
06-14-2019, 04:22 PM
Thank you so much. I'll try that and see what happens.
edwmax
06-14-2019, 04:44 PM
This is heat stress. The leaves are folded down indicating lack of sap flow & water uptake. Thus nutrients are not being utilized by the plant.
You indicated the air temps are 100 deg plus F. But radiant heat from the bright sun will push the leaf skin temp to 120 deg plus. At these temps the leaves will fold down regardless of water in the ground. At 130 deg plus the leaves will burn.
... The solution is to use sprinklers/misting to cool the plant. .... I did this with my nana plants this past month (about 6 to 8 hrs per day). My air temp were only in the mid 90s but the leaves would fold up as soon as the water dried off due to the radiant heat. After the plant gained shading from the mid afternoon sun they were OK without watering.
Banana plants DO NOT LIKE hot bright sun! They need shading!
markhillis
06-14-2019, 05:14 PM
Thanks. I agree about the folding, from experience last summer. But this seems different....not so much folding as emerging super thin and pale and trying to open in sections before the cigar roll fully emerges. Then flopping over, as though the leaf spine is broken...not the normal folding. They do get afternoon sun, and you are right...all the leaves fold until they get that afternoon shade.
markhillis
06-14-2019, 05:15 PM
I meant they do get afternoon shade.
edwmax
06-14-2019, 05:26 PM
When the leaves fold, the plant is STOPS growing; it stalls. When the leaves open up these is a growth surge. ... Thus the thin and light green leaves! ... You want the leaves to stay open. Sprinkle the plants during the heat of the day.
Undercover gardener
06-15-2019, 08:34 AM
I noticed my blue java doing the same thing nere in Mesa Az. I too started using banana fuel 1 month ago as well. So we have 2 common denominators. Im thinking its heat stress but i did add my second dose of fertilizer after seeing the light green growth. So keep us updated so we can compare results!
markhillis
06-15-2019, 11:21 AM
Will do! Thanks to all.
Jose263
06-16-2019, 09:54 AM
When the leaves fold, the plant is STOPS growing; it stalls. When the leaves open up these is a growth surge. ... Thus the thin and light green leaves! ... You want the leaves to stay open. Sprinkle the plants during the heat of the day.
Just a comment : I moved from South Mississippi to Prescott AZ in mid 90s spent a couple of years in the AZ climate - IT IS DRY in AZ - there is no humidity - I'm used to being soaking wet outside if temp gets above 80 F but I never sweated in AZ - or my prespiration evaporated so quickly I didn't realize.
Those large nana leaves must be transpiring huge amounts of moisture.
Misting sounds like a good idea if you can afford the water bill.
markhillis
06-16-2019, 10:31 AM
Yes, I grew up in humidity, but I love the dry heat here. Misting would be a great, but costly addition. However, many people grow bananas here successfully without that...just deep, heavy waterings. They adapt. I've just not had any of my other bananas do this. I do think I over fertilized and watered, resulting in fast growth...too fast. We'll see what happens.
edwmax
06-16-2019, 10:40 AM
Just finished running the sprinkler on my nana patch for 2 1/2 hrs this morning (8am to 10:30 am). The air temps were below 80 deg F. In the early morning the leaf pores are large and take in water from dew (or sprinkler) easily. As well as making sure the top soil surface has water for the day. ... When it is hot it doesn't take long for the nana plant to deplete the available water in their root zone though transpiration even if the area is covered with mulch. ... I have 6 bunch of nanas growing in this patch. They need water! And I do not want the leaves folding down.
Next there is a difference between misting and sprinkler watering. ...
Misting is to only wet the leaves with little run off;
or, provide water mist to cool the air and help reduce the soil evaporation.
Misting should use about 25% to 50% less water than a sprinkler. Sprinkler:
Provides water for foliar usage and direct plant cooling;
Provides water for the soil root zone.I think the better setup would be a soaker hose for soil watering and a separate misting line for foliar wetting of the nana. ... For now and emergency watering I only have a sprinkler setup.
markhillis
06-21-2019, 12:13 PM
So I simply watered deeply since last week, spread a fresh layer of partially composted materials for mulch, and held off on fertilizer for now. The newest cigar roll is emerging thick and straight and healthy looking so far. I think it just needed to adjust. I'll report again in a week or so with new fotos if this continues.
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