jenjustand3

Ok this is going to sound weird but my moms musa has weird spots on it and when she went to show it to me the leaves where all wet. She hasn't misted it and it is indoors. What could be the problem. She makes sure the soil is dry 3 inches down before watering. Thankyou. There are pictures of them in my gallery under moms musa.

Chironex

I don't know what the spots are without pics, but banana leaves will put out small droplets from time to time - that's normal for them to do.

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Scot


"Grow 'em if ya got 'em!"

JFK

Sounds similar to a problem I had with one of mine few weeks ago. I was getting wet brown spots on a new basjoo that I had potted up outdoors. Is it a new plant with a relativley small root system? If so, it might be overwatered. If it's actively transpiring water from the leaves I'd let the soil dry out a little more between watering and see if that helps.

If it's an older plant and has been potted indoors for a while it could be that the soils ph is at an unacceptable level and the primary nutrients are locked up. Excess fertilizer will eventually build up in potted plants and raise the ph, which locks up all available nutrients and will cause a deficiency depsite the fact that you have added more than enough N-P-K.

So if it's a new plant I'd try watering less. If it's an older established plant I'd try watering less, but when you do water really flush out the soil so that a lot of water comes through the drain hole (think gallons)...this will flush out excess fertilizer and salts and restore a more neutral ph.

good luck

jenjustand3

There are pics in my gallery. The top 4. And thankyou so much for the info we will try that. Would lack of full sun cause this to. Mine has kinda the same problem and it only gets a little sun. Again thankyou they will get flushed at next watering.

AllenF

Wet leaves is normal. The banana secretes water through the leaves. When my Basjoo was inside, the leaves would drip occasionally.

Allen

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Cody in Oregon

It was hard to tell from your pictures, but could it just be the older leaves dying off? It is my experience that the leaves turn brown and die after about a month. As long as it is putting out good leaves, I wouldn't worry.

jenjustand3

Thankyou everyone for the good info. But it hasn't put out a new leaf in like a month. It has taken over a week for a new leaf to get to be about 4 inches. It wasn't getting good sun inside so I've moved outside and am watering a little less. The pups seem to be doing ok. They have a blown leaf on each of them. New leaves look good. Can I leave outside over the winter? I'm in Springfield Oregon. Thankyou all for looking and helping my nana grow.

Cody in Oregon

I'm just south of you in Roseburg. I have bananas planted outside in the ground. They just die back to the ground and resprout from pups every spring. I wouldn't leave it outside in a pot because it could die if the roots freeze. You could plant it in the ground, but It will probably be june before it sprouts again.

FYI, Those leaves that it has are accustomed to shade, so if you give it a lot of sun, all the leaves will turn brown and die, but the banana will put out new leaves that can tolerate stronger sun. I would give it constant water when outdoors. If you keep it indoors over the winter, try to give it minimal water so it goes dorment. Rot and fungus can be a problem indoors during an Oregon winter. Don't worry too much, they are really hard to kill completly, they will just keep sending out pups.

jenjustand3

So far so good with the leaves not burning. I have been watering it only when it is dry a couple inches down or so. I think I was watering it to much when I first got it because it started to brown then. Should I be watering it more since its outside and what about some fertilizer? How often should I give it some? Thankyou for all the help.

jenjustand3

Oh and when should I bring it in for the winter?

mskitty38583

that kind of depends on where you live and what zone your in. im in zone6/7 and will start seperating pups hopefully this sunday and potting them up. then when it starts dropping to 60* at night i will be bringing them in. but just a word of advise before you bring potted nanas or plants in for the winter drop a few moth balls in and on the dirt....it will get rid of spiders and ants and all kinds of bugs that would love to overwinter in your house.

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Cody in Oregon

It sounds like your doing fine taking care of it, I think we are past the extreme heat of summer, so your watering sounds adequate. I've heard people say to really put alot of fertilizer into bananas, but I'm a little more reluctant and don't fertilize as much, There are probably better threads to help you with that question.

You should probably bring them in when the Oregon winter rain and gloom set in. If they are too wet, and not getting any sun, they won't do anything. Definantly bring them in before the first freeze, or you will have to wait a year for it to grow back.

jenjustand3

Thankyou guys for all the info. It is looking better already.

Chironex

I was just curious Sam, I know about using mothballs to repel insects, moths, ants, bats, etc., but mixing them in the soil raised some flags for me. Mothballs are paradichlorobenzene and the residual effects are what concerns me as benzene is a carcinogen. Could this possibly be absorbed by the roots and end up in your edible bananas? I am just concerned about that, I may be wrong and don't want to alarm you, but perhaps someone with more knowledge of chemistry could allay my fears or confirm the danger.

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Scot


"Grow 'em if ya got 'em!"