View Full Version : Young indoor bananas rapidly dying
ferricyanide
08-14-2019, 10:01 PM
I got a couple of young bananas a couple months ago. It has been really hot so I have just kept them in the house. It's been over 100F the past week or 2 outside.
When I got the TCs they originally were doing well and producing new leaves. I was instructed to leave them in the original containers so I did.
However a little over 2 weeks ago they started rapidly dying off. Feeling the soil the first couple inches seemed bone dry so I added water. I now think that it was the wrong thing to do. They got worse. I have already lost one of the three. I panicked last night and transplanted them into bigger pots. When I did that I noticed the soil on top was really dry but the bottom was rather wet.
They still look worse today, I'm not sure if it's from transplant shock or they're still having problems I am desperately trying to save the remaining 2.
<blockquote class="imgur-embed-pub" lang="en" data-id="a/DoqfirM"><a href="http://imgur.com/a/DoqfirM"></a></blockquote><script async src="http://s.imgur.com/min/embed.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The room they were in fluctuates between 74- 84 degrees depending on time of day. It's usually pretty dry but I had been misting them a couple times a day.
I have no idea what to do now and I'm just afraid I'm making everything worse.
ferricyanide
08-14-2019, 10:04 PM
Not sure how to embed I guess. Here's the regular link.
http://imgur.com/a/DoqfirM
sddarkman619
08-15-2019, 02:51 AM
Bananas grow outside.
Put them back out side but not in midday sun.
Morning sun, late afternoon sun, but shade in between.
Misting the leaves does nothing in my opinion. and don't mist them in the sun.
Let the soil dry out a bit between watering but not bone dry. If the leaf fold at the rib they are either too hot or too dry or both.
Keeping then indoors there is no sun. The don't get fed. Also keeping them indoors the water doesn't get used and stays wet too long. Looks like what's going on with your plants.
ferricyanide
08-15-2019, 05:59 AM
Are you sure they will survive the heat? It's like 105F during the day and 85F at night. I can try it again but I'm a bit worried.
I tried putting them outside 2 or 3 days since I've had them and they don't look like they like it. The leaves get soft and turn brown. The one that I already lost I had tried putting outside when it didn't look so great.
I had also had them by a West facing window in the house.
sevenlilies
08-15-2019, 07:36 AM
That sounds like root rot to me-- like ssdarkman said, too wet too long - especially if they are dry on top and wet on bottom.
When you repotted, what did the roots look like? Firm and white, or soft and gray/brown, mushy, etc.?
Do you have drainage holes in your pots? It looks like one might be terracotta, and the other plastic - is that right?
How do you water, when you water? You should have a pot with drainage holes and run water all the way through so it comes out the bottom.
Repotting is very stressful for the plant, especially young ones that might not have had time to develop a substantial root system. However, if the roots were rotted when you repotted, you'll need to get rid of that rot ASAP.
Misting usually doesn't do enough on its own - try putting a tray with pebbles and water underneath the pot to let the water evaporate around the plant during the day, or run a humidifier.
beam2050
08-15-2019, 08:06 AM
Are you sure they will survive the heat? It's like 105F during the day and 85F at night. I can try it again but I'm a bit worried. Just confirming before I put them out there.
I tried putting them outside 2 or 3 days since I've had them and they don't look like they like it. The leaves get soft and turn brown. The one that I already lost I had tried putting outside when it didn't look so great.
I had also had them by a West facing window in the house.
experiencing sun burn. put them in a place they get a lot of light but not much daily sun.
edwmax
08-15-2019, 08:32 AM
Make sure the pots drain and not standing in any water that collects in the saucer! ... TC plantlets came out of a greenhouse with approximately 50% shading and were under a misting system. .... The plants need bright sun light but NO direct sun. Misting would help. The house environment has a very low humidity due to Air Conditioning; and most areas of the US has a low humidity compared to the natural banana habitat environment of the tropics and/or greenhouse. ... Potted young bananas use very little water so water about every 10 to 14 days if the soil is near dry at the bottom of the pot.
If you move the TCs outside they must be shaded and protected from direct sunlight. ... The plants should be about 3 ft tall to acclimate to direct sun light.
If you repot the plants, use a 50%/50% mix of potting soil and perlite. Water needs to drain from the pot within a few seconds after pouring on to the top of the soil mix. Bananas like fresh water and do not tolerate stale or stagnate water.
ferricyanide
08-15-2019, 12:33 PM
Thank you. One of them in under a foot tall the other is just over I think.
I'm not sure if the roots were white or gray but they weren't black. I can check when I get home, and remove anything gray.
Their previous pots had holes and the new pots have holes and good drainage. They're in a mix with 50% perlite. I can try the pebbles thing or look for shade cloth at a store. I had previously tried putting them on the bottom shelf of my plant rack out side so they would be shaded.... But since they looked worse I had brought them back in. At first I hadn't realized the bottom of their pot had been wet.
Thank you for the advice.
vBulletin® v3.6.8, Copyright ©2000-2020, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.