AeAe new leaf problem
 

The last 3 leaves that have emerged for my plant have all done the same thing. When they come out they curve downward in a boomerang shape. They also don't seem to want to open, and the leaf that is waiting to emerge next erupts through the base of the boomeranged leaf.

I fairly recently planted in 70% peat moss in the ground. Could it be a change in the environment or could I possibly be overwatering it?

Here is a picture. The light-colored bump on the boomerang leaf (right side) is the emerging leaf breaking through.

Rick

Re: AeAe new leaf problem
 

I am having the same problem with a red iholena. the only thing I can think of is to much shade.

Re: AeAe new leaf problem
 

I can't remember the details, but I had the same problem on my Ae Ae at one point when it was in the greenhouse. I was thinking that it wasn't getting enough water and that it stopped having the problem after I moved it into a larger pot. Are you sure you're watering it's root zone well? If it's mounded at all I wonder if you might be watering around the plant (just the new soil) but not getting enough water to the roots. I've never had this happen to a banana in the ground but it's happened to at least a couple in pots and I think they were root bound. If you can, probe your fingers into the area of the soil where you know there are plenty of roots to see if it feels damp. You could also buy a cheap soil moisture probe at Home Depot, etc. for about $7 or so. I wouldn't rely on it to tell you when to water but it's an easy way to compare moisture levels in different areas around the plant.

Good luck!

Harvey

Re: AeAe new leaf problem
 

Pete must be traveling or something as he sent me a PM about this thread and gave me a head's up on an earlier discussion which he thought may be of interest, especially this post: http://www.bananas.org/f2/leaf-damag...html#post43543 You might want to refer to page 20 of the document linked in that post.

Pete said he has had the problem and it went away when he added lime. I think lime is mentioned in the Hawaii report as they appear to be trying to also raise pH to 5.5-6.5 (see page 14), well below where my soils are at. Calcium nitrate is another option mentioned and gypsum is probably what I would use.

Re: AeAe new leaf problem
 

Thanks for the information Tony and Harvey. The plant gets plenty of full sun till 1:00 pm then part shade the rest of the day. It was planted on slight mound but I water it well twice a week and its has lots of mulch. I planted it using 70% peat, 20-25% compost, the rest soil. I figured the compost mixed with aged horse manure would supply it with enough minerals and micro nutrients. I will try to fertilize it with Dynamite plant food with minors. I will also add lime. I had read before that AeAe liked acid soil and some had planted their plants in nothing but peat but since this problem has only recently developed after I planted it in the ground the soil seems like it could be the culprit.

Thanks Rick

Re: AeAe new leaf problem
 

Today I went out and used a fertilizer with micro-nutrients. I also added lime and gypsum and throughly watered everything in. I was wondering if one application of lime would work? I would also like to thank Pete for his contribution to my problem.

Rick

Re: AeAe new leaf problem
 

My leaves do it too, and my soil is very Akaline.
Throwing everything at it at once will make it impossible for you to tell which product produces a solution. Also, your soil may be too Akaline like mine, i.e. pH8--which won't kill the plant but it will prevent the plant from taking up certain nutrients from the soil. Check your pH.

Lime raises the pH, Sulfur lowers it. In the past two months I have applied 2 cups of Sulfur and pH down -1point ratio, and still have yet to see a 7.5pH.

My best guess would be too much of a minor or major element (for me). I don't know which one, but I know for sure that the leaves arched and browned like that on my plant one week after I applied a minors-only nutritional spray near the roots. When sprayed directly on the leaves and not in the root zone, the leaves didn't arch.

We have different plants and live in different climates, and whatever it is causing your problems may not be the same as mine. I have not fertilized my banana since March so I am positive it is suffering from over-applied Minors elements and too high pH. You should try a nutritional spray at half the recommended dilution rate and apply it only on the leaves, twice, a couple days apart. If the plant is lacking vigor because of missing elements than you should see results in 1-to-3 leafs. For me, it happened in one week, but like I said, that was on an Ice Cream which I am sure is much more tolerant of chemical mishaps.

Hope it turns around for you soon.

Chris in FL.

Re: AeAe new leaf problem
 

Chris: Considering that I planted it in mainly peat moss I doubt that the Ph is too high, it actually might be too low?The fertilizer I applied with the micro-nutrients is a slow released formula, and the problem began before I applied any fertilizer. Will just have to sit tight and see what happens. Thank you for your imput.

Rick

Re: AeAe new leaf problem
 

NO, don't buy those probes!! (sorry Harvey) They don't work well anyway. Do my 'stick trick'...put a dowel or any unpainted stick through soil & leave it there. Pull the stick out & check for moisture. Sometimes it may be dry on top but too wet at bottom. Maybe you should add some perlite to soil around bottom (?)
I had leaves do this when the plant was rootbound & once from too much water.