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View Full Version : me again, newbie grower...


Ivanov_Kuznetsov
09-01-2008, 04:48 AM
Hello, for those of you who didn't read my poorly formatted post and blurry pictures from my earlier introduction: http://www.bananas.org/f11/hallo-5293.html#post45758

Ok, all the bananas in the pictures are alive except for one. The entire root mass was removed from the PS during transplantation, so I didn't expect that one to live anyway. The other two small ones seemed to have liked the rooting hormone and are still alive. One plant in the middle isn't putting out much new growth, so it concerns me a bit. I've been killing all the lubber grasshoppers I can find.

I have about 4-5 inches of oak wood/leaves mulch around all the plants, including the cactus, now. I have been considering getting a load of manure and possibly worm castings but am not completely sure how I should incorporate it into the soil or whether it can simply be piled on top. I know that applying wet manure is a bad idea and that it should generally be dried and spread. It's been very difficult to find free manure where I live, but I did manage to get at least that free load of mulch from the tree service.

I'm in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. Suggestions and comments are appreciated. I can take pictures and post them now if anyone would like or if it would help.

Ivanov_Kuznetsov
09-01-2008, 04:53 AM
I should also clarify that one of my goals is to encourage strong root growth while maintaining as much frost protection as possible since while I expect the leaves/PS to die back, it should be possible, in my neighborhood, for the plant to start new growth if the ground does not completely freeze, which is not common since I live near a creek in a sort of weird micro climate.

D_&_T
09-01-2008, 01:06 PM
I was wondering about mixing it all toghether and composting for awhile?

Ivanov_Kuznetsov
09-02-2008, 12:11 AM
I was wondering about mixing it all toghether and composting for awhile?

That probably wouldn't be a bad idea, but the daily rains here seem to soak through just about anything I try to compost, which, according to my knowledge, slows the process down a bit instead of the results obtained by a properly controlled moisture and density level. Then again, I've seen many instances of multiple gardeners simply layering material over the years with decent results and letter the bugs/microbes sort it out. I suppose that I should be at least "ok" if the hurricanes don't blow the plants and mulch away.

It would probably be a good idea for me to start collecting scrap lumber and wood to use for building material since I'm on a highly limited budget. Does anyone have experience in this sort of thing? The only materials I've right now include a small bit of 3ft chainlink fence posts and fencing, possibly some dead wood if you count the dead tree trunk that's going to fall in my back yard =P