RafaelNJ

So I purchased two Bananas from Lowes last week (just said Musa but I am pretty sure they are Basjoos) and I planted one the regular way and the other a foot deep (foot from top of the soil line) to see if will live unprotected in 6a. The one that was planted regular seems to be doing ok but the one deep planted seems to be very droopy. The leaves are now pretty much hanging straight down to the ground. The leaves on both were a bit beat up to start with but they were ok. Did I plant this thing too deep? I am also worried the soil might be too heavy and I did not amend it enough (I have read online to deep plant you should just fill the hole with peat and compost or lose soil?). I did not add a great amount of peat moss or compost and manure (I think also very little sand) but I had a palm tree planted in this spot a couple season ago so it was amended then also. I added a picture of it to the gallery but not sure how to link it here. Should I try to amend the soil better? replant it or just leave it alone?

sunfish

RafaelNJ

Thanks Tony, any suggestions as to my situation?

Hammocked Banana

I think the leaves just were weak from the strong sun, and kinked either in the wind or from the transplant. New leaf looks good, so I think it will be fine. That being said, if your soil is very heavy the plant may be suffocating a bit. I think it will be ok, but you know the soil better than me.

RafaelNJ

Thanks, I guess I will just let it go and see what happens, I am not really familiar with growing bananas so I Am not really sure as to how much I should amend the soil. I have cut the three leaves off today as I saw they are getting worse and would be all dried up shortly. The new leaf was already there when I bought the plant but I am not sure if its continuing to come out. I cannot remember how it looked when I got the plant. It has dried up brown edges but overall looks ok.

Hammocked Banana

How wet is the soil? How ofter are you watering?

RafaelNJ

I am trying to water every day since I planted them last Tuesday (so a week). I might have missed a day. As to the soil I have no idea how wet it should or should not be I just read they like all the water they can get but water is definitely not standing. Problem might be as you said before. I did dig a deep hole to bury it deep so it might be standing on the bottom, I am not sure I dug deep enough, really just deep enough to put the plant in from the pot, might be an inch of amended soil below that and whatever dirt was below the rootball in the container.

Duckfood

Personally, I would cut back of the watering for a while...

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By the way, there is no cure for the human disease of growing bananas. ~~~ Richard 05/22/2014...

Hammocked Banana

Def way too much water.

RafaelNJ

That being said the other banana that I planted at normal height is getting the same watering and is putting out a second leaf since I planted it a week ago. :P I am starting to be skeptical about these being Basjoos though, the stems are so thin, my one foot plants from the online order have a thicker stem already and these are 3-4 footers.

cincinnana

Wow, I do not understand this one......
I like everything see in your pics except the hole size that it is planted in.
Bigger and more room is always better....with your plant.
This is a Musa Basjoo.....One of the most forgiving ornamentals ever.
The corm size in the posts that you have read failed to determine what size(they gotta be bigger than a baseball) this includes the informative posts I have made. Sorry for the confusion.
ONLY WHEN THEY ARE AT LEAST FOUR FEET TALL MAY YOU PLANT THEM DEEPER THAN EIGHT INCHES.........IF NOT THE NEW PLANT IN THE SPRING MIGHT NOT PUSH THROUGH TO HEAVY SOIL....


A million dollar hole for a five dollar plant is my rule....

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RafaelNJ

What I meant is I only dug the hole deep enough to be able to plant the root ball from the container and have a foot of soil above. So there is not much amended soil below and tougher dirt is beneath. The water might be pooling on the bottom of the hole because of this. The plant is still alive but the leaf has not come out any further then in the pics. Its just stuck in a lingo.

cincinnana

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cincinnana

got it....
You might as well plant your plant in a bucket.....with no drainage.

A common challenge for you and I is our soil is not condusive to great gardening...

If you dig a nice tidy hole which is similar to the bucket I have posted.....you have done just that, dug a bucket with no drainage for your plant...it will drown and die.


Took the photo moments ago..

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Hammocked Banana

Whats with the beans?

cincinnana

Brady..
Planted this basjoo with 19 -19- 19-with the can as a measurement..
3 Weeks ago
Plants are 9 inches deep including the swords......
So far so good..
pics if you need them.

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RafaelNJ

would you suggest I digit up and make a deeper hole? my dirt is not really that bad so I am sure there is drainage just not sure if good enough. How far deep below the root ball do you dig to plant your banans a foot deep?

cincinnana

Here is a pic just taken....
Your plants must be the minimum size in the middle of the pics 3-8 feet in order for success planted at 7-12 inches.
If your pants are not that big.....put them in a pot overwinter them in your basement/garage and plant then at the deeper depth in the spring.
Check out my Flikr page....for possible ideas.
This is only my opinion.....

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cincinnana

Plant at 8 inches ......next year when it goes dormant go deeper .
But if you do not have the size needed, wait another year for the size I have perviously stated. This is very important.
You will never have to do anything but to mulch them thereafter, forever.
Once they are deep .....they are yours to keep.
Plant in loose well drained soil, if not they turn to snot.

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RafaelNJ

its hard to say but based on trunk width it looks like mine are about the size of the plant in white container, maybe the brown one. I am going to try overwinter one in the basement, the smaller ones i think I will try to bring in the house and let them grown slowly. The one i planted a food deep I should dig up and replant shallower? its about 3 1/2 feet tall but i am afraid its already in shock so will digging it up make it worse?