New member with a question

cysmith7618 · 11-04-2021, 10:33 AM

Hi..I'm Cyndi Smith from Arkansas. I'm new to growing Banana Trees. I have about 15 or so growing in my backyard around my fence line. I have been harvesting babies from the mother trees all summer and gave them to friends who asked me for one but next year I am going to start selling young container established plants. Right now I have my young trees indoors and I need to know what kind of grow lights to put on them for winter indoor growth. Can anyone tell me what I need to get specifically? Thank you.

MJBanana · 11-04-2021, 06:09 PM

I am new also and have been growing a musa basjoo which gave me 7 pups. Today I had to cut down the mom because of temps in Indiana and winterize what was left. I purchased a Mars Hydro Grow light from Amazon for 79.00 and my babies are doing awesome! ->https://www.amazon.com/MARS-HYDRO-Sp.../dp/B07VL8FZS1.

Snarkie · 11-06-2021, 02:54 PM

Hi Cyndi-

Welcome aboard the Banana Express.

In both your and MJ's locations, you shouldn't even have to bring them in; just plant the corms deeply and mulch over. If you do bring them in, daylight bulbs would be the best (6,500K color and at least 5,000 Lumens) and put them on timers. Avoid the colored lights; nothing is better than sunlight.

MJBanana · 11-07-2021, 06:20 AM

How long would you suggest the timers be set for? 7 to 12 hours?

Snarkie · 11-09-2021, 08:42 AM

Artificial light generally won't be as bright as daylight (unless you're directly over it), because you'll have the source further away due to plant height, so make up for that with longer times. I run mine for my veggies at 16 hours but as they get bigger, I'll bump it back to 18.

They're growing bananas in Iceland now, with geothermally heated greenhouses, but the light is so weak that it takes two years to fruit. Less light = more time. So, the brighter your lights, the less you'll have to run them.

11-04-2021, 10:33 AM	#1 (permalink)
cysmith7618 Join Date: Nov 2021 Posts: 1 BananaBucks : 626 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	New member with a question Hi..I'm Cyndi Smith from Arkansas. I'm new to growing Banana Trees. I have about 15 or so growing in my backyard around my fence line. I have been harvesting babies from the mother trees all summer and gave them to friends who asked me for one but next year I am going to start selling young container established plants. Right now I have my young trees indoors and I need to know what kind of grow lights to put on them for winter indoor growth. Can anyone tell me what I need to get specifically? Thank you.

11-04-2021, 06:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
MJBanana Location: In the north of zone 5 and 6 Zone: 5 and 6 Join Date: Sep 2021 Posts: 20 BananaBucks : 3,014 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 7 Times Was Thanked 6 Times in 3 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 28 Times	Re: New member with a question I am new also and have been growing a musa basjoo which gave me 7 pups. Today I had to cut down the mom because of temps in Indiana and winterize what was left. I purchased a Mars Hydro Grow light from Amazon for 79.00 and my babies are doing awesome! ->https://www.amazon.com/MARS-HYDRO-Sp.../dp/B07VL8FZS1.

11-06-2021, 02:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
Snarkie The Cat Whisperer Location: Charlotte, NC Zone: 8b, pushing 9a Name: D.A. Hänks Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 2,119 BananaBucks : 155,105 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,218 Times Was Thanked 1,970 Times in 1,145 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,049 Times	Re: New member with a question Hi Cyndi- Welcome aboard the Banana Express. In both your and MJ's locations, you shouldn't even have to bring them in; just plant the corms deeply and mulch over. If you do bring them in, daylight bulbs would be the best (6,500K color and at least 5,000 Lumens) and put them on timers. Avoid the colored lights; nothing is better than sunlight. __________________ Doug (D.A. Hänks) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2955582/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 The Only Eastern Redwood Forest in America "Nuke my 'nanners, will you?!"

11-07-2021, 06:20 AM	#4 (permalink)
MJBanana Location: In the north of zone 5 and 6 Zone: 5 and 6 Join Date: Sep 2021 Posts: 20 BananaBucks : 3,014 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 7 Times Was Thanked 6 Times in 3 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 28 Times	Re: New member with a question How long would you suggest the timers be set for? 7 to 12 hours?

11-09-2021, 08:42 AM	#5 (permalink)
Snarkie The Cat Whisperer Location: Charlotte, NC Zone: 8b, pushing 9a Name: D.A. Hänks Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 2,119 BananaBucks : 155,105 Feedback: 5 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,218 Times Was Thanked 1,970 Times in 1,145 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 1,049 Times	Re: New member with a question Artificial light generally won't be as bright as daylight (unless you're directly over it), because you'll have the source further away due to plant height, so make up for that with longer times. I run mine for my veggies at 16 hours but as they get bigger, I'll bump it back to 18. They're growing bananas in Iceland now, with geothermally heated greenhouses, but the light is so weak that it takes two years to fruit. Less light = more time. So, the brighter your lights, the less you'll have to run them. __________________ Doug (D.A. Hänks) http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2955582/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 The Only Eastern Redwood Forest in America "Nuke my 'nanners, will you?!"

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