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zachkoro
01-21-2020, 01:31 PM
Hello! Can anyone tell me why my Dwarf Cavendish has folded leaves? (one is even curled)

I brought the plant inside around Oct/Nov and it has been in my office ever since. It's sitting at a comfortable 68-72°F and I make sure to mist it daily. I also make sure to water it properly (not too much right now since it is winter)

This summer however I had it on the deck in direct sunlight and figured out that it does NOT like that. All of the leaves folded. (Probably because of the direct sunlight & intense heat) So I backed it up to a shadier spot and it did much better.

Some things to note:
1. Yes there are mineral spots on the leaves. I started to let the water sit overnight before using it to mist the plant. Works pretty good so far in reducing the amount of spots.
2. The plant is growing surprisingly well for living under office lights and a dry environment. It pumps out a new leaf every couple weeks or so.
3. Some of the leaves are bent from the middle of the spine because I damaged it during transport. My bad.

So, are some of the leaves folded because of Permanent damage done during the summer heat or is something else going on?

Thanks!

edwmax
01-21-2020, 02:59 PM
2 reasons the Banana leaves fold: 1) excessive heat; 2) lack of water.


Your office temp is OK but there could be excessive radiant heat from sunlight thought the window. If this is the case the leaves will spread out again after the sun passes. ... How often do you water the plant? And does the pot drain water out the bottom? Check the soil moisture level with a meter (long stem) thought the bottom side drain holes. If dry, give it water.

zachkoro
01-21-2020, 04:48 PM
Its actually rather far from the window which confuses me. Also the leaves even at night look that way. If I do put it by the window, then yes all of the leaves will fold in which is in line with what you said.

However I will water it a couple times a week. It does drain out of the bottom. I have checked the soil and it is always on the moist side. I never let it dry out in between waterings. Thanks.

edwmax
01-21-2020, 04:58 PM
You are watering tooo much! Do let the pot soil dry out! The corm and pstem stores water. The roots need air so the soil needs to be on the dry side.

zfallon84
01-21-2020, 10:44 PM
Indoor plants need less watering than outdoor. Let it go a little bit dry for a day. I water my Musa Dwarf Red once every 4-5 days when I bring it in during the winter.

Edit: 4-5 days. though, It's in a 5gallon pot.

geissene
01-22-2020, 10:19 AM
I water my indoor plants every two or three weeks. The plants are drought tolerant and getting decent growth over the winter is not really my focus. Just keeping things alive till spring is enough.

scottu
01-23-2020, 08:00 PM
Get a magnifying glass and look for the very tiny bugs. take your time and look for very small slightly moving spots, also webbing at the ends of the leaves etc. if you see any, wipe top and bottom of the leaves with neem oil and soap mixture. repeat after a week.
could be, good luck!