1st full growing season
 

Ok, I bought my 1st nanner around summer last year and since this will be my first full year at banana parenting I want to make the most of it. So...when is the earliest I can move my raja puri out without putting it at risk? What is the best fert I can use and where should I get it from? And out here (Sacramento, CA) is it best to keep it in full sun? [highs of 110-116(rare)]

Thanks

Re: 1st full growing season
 

Keep it in till all frost warning is gone, & preferrably above 40* esp if you plant inground. If in pot, you can always drag it in. Fert high in potash. I got mine from Wellspring on net. It's called banana fuel, but Richard here might have something as good for a better price.

Re: 1st full growing season
 

BB,

Where are you living in Sac? Urban/Rural? I'm from the area too (Rocklin) Usually by now threat of frost would be close to being over, but as you have noticed, this year is special ;) (in a bad way) So I would say in 3 weeks should be pretty safe to plant it.

And bananas do not like Sacramento sun too much. It's HOT. Mine wilt like crazy during the day but spring back each night after I give them water. I would put it in an area of partial shade if you have it, but full sun should do just fine.

And I agree on the banana fuel.

Re: 1st full growing season
 

thanks. I HATE our hot sun. I'm more of a snow person and I do live in the suburb. Thanks you. I've been using miracle grow :P.

Re: 1st full growing season
 

As you have noticed, the threat of frost is gone now for the year. It has been safe to plant for the past 2 weeks. The recent tropical storms have revived all my plants, including the cold intolerant palms :)

Re: 1st full growing season
 

hi all hey i live in Las Vegas suburbs of Henderson and we have a vary similar climate theirs a nice article about growing in hot weather all post if for you iv been following this guys advice and it works so do the east facing wall thing and keep me posted Scot (Chironex) alsow lives here hes a vary good sores

Growing Bananas In Phoenix Arizona - Musaceae

this article is a good point to start with he doesn't go in to quite enough detail for me so i just wanted to mention a cupal of things that i had go wrong
theirs a condition that happens to Musa in the heat and high light conditions called photorespiration this is when it gets so hot and bright that the plant shuts all its pores down and starts living of of its stored energy (simlpe explanation of whats happening) but this is bad the plant stops growing and the leafs fold downward and don't come back up at night when this happens you have to relieve some of the stress the plant is under to get it to come out of this condition so lots of extra water and maby some shad from the heat of the day its best to try to keep this from happening in the first place because ones it starts it can be difficult to get it out of this state and they can die from it if it gos one to long the other thing is salts he talks about this i keep the Ph of the soil adjusted i do this by several methods
i put coffee grounds around the plant monthly or you can use sulfur also watering slow and deep often helps to wash the accumulated salts out particularly if its in a pot good luck and remember its a hot place you may or mayn't get fruit it just depends on the location and variety of Bananas you are growing i do keep allot of mine in the house but the rest are on my east facing wall and plants in the ground do better then plants in pots just to let you know they are more likely to put out pups in the ground although i have had pups in pots lastly stay away form high salt fertilizers like Miracle grow i use ironit in the early part of the year then a striate 10-10-10 in the hotter parts hope that helps you get started MSG me if you have qustions