Rmplmnz

I grew this banana for about ten years....very nice selection (it got squeezed out by some bamboo).

What color was the pulp of the fruit you ate?

Pisang Raja is a light orange color...

frog7994

Hi does any one have any idea as to the use of comercial fertilizer ver. organic and if so where do you get it from? I was told to use 6-12-6. How importan are the numbers ?

modenacart

I buy the 40 lb bag of 10-10-10 at lowes for about 6 dollars. It works really well.

JoeReal

Very important. You definitely want the medium N, low P and high K ratio. Banana need more potassium than N and P. If your soil is generally poor, you can use a ratio 1-1-4 (like 9-9-36 fertilizer). The most widely suitable ratio is 3-1-6 (6-2-12, 9-3-18, 12-4-24, 15-5-30, etc). The 3-1-6 ratio is assuming that you are carting away the fruits and the pseudostem. That's close to the ratio of the nutrients that are taken from the soil, and so you must put it back. As always, it is good to supplement with fertilizers that have micronutrients such as S, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, etc.

"Organic" fertilizers would usually have the micronutrients, but pound per pound of the major nutrients, they are the most expensive to use to grow your bananas. Unless the organic sources are from your own compost pile, or freebies given by the city, then you can use them and there are many advantages. Most organic fertilizers major nutrient ratios are unreliable and highly variable. I would compost my spent banana stems, peels, leaves, and place them back. That way I wouldn't use too much fertilizers. But still I would stick to the ratio of 3-1-6 if you feed them.

For me, I would only go as far as pesticide free, but not fertilizer free. If ammonium is formed by Haber-Bosch process or was extracted from guano or cow manure or urine, it is the same chemical. Much the same way you can combine water from hydrogen and oxygen, or you have distilled it from the ocean, or falls off as rain, it is the same water. Thus the fertilizers, are mostly simple chemicals whose effects we have quantified and studied much longer.

But the pesticides, they are complex molecules that have many unknown effects on long term health and the environment. So as far as organic growing go, it would only be pesticide free for me.

So I'd buy very cheap fertilizers (whatever is on sale), then try to mix them together to come up close to the 3-1-6 ratio, add some STEM or micronutrient sources, or even some composted steer manure, and apply them.

I would apply fertilizer each week during the late spring to early fall. I would stop fertilizer by about mid August in our area. My bananas are inground in zone 9 and they are reliable producers of fruit annually.

frog7994

thanks

modenacart

You should check out www.webebananas.com.

The guy that runs that site using the cheap stuff too, which I think he gets 16-16-16 and he has a very impressive banana plantation. I believe he adds 4 inches of compost twice a year too. The banana plants I saw there when I bought some of mine were unbelievable in size.

The specific information on what he uses is found under http://www.webebananas.com/culture.html.

fish2026

A pineapple tastes like a pineapple... I've seen people growing them by cutting off the top.

I planted one of my AFR's in the middle of a forest of cannas and wild bananas maybe that will shield them from the wind and some of the cold.

frog7994

just over the past 2 weeks we have gotten a lot of rain a real lot of rain. here in palm beach county. Now I have noticed that one or two of my bananas have turned brown and died not the whole hand just one or two. Does any one have a idea if some thing is wrong or this happens once in a while?

mdossaji

Hi,

I recently purchased a golden African banana mother bulb from Willis orchard and received it 3 weeks ago. I planted in per instructions supplied with the bulb. In few days the first leaf began to bloom and since then it has weakened and pretty much stopped producing more leaves. The stem seems to be shrinking in diameter. Can someone provide any ideas if its dying or is in shock?

Chironex

I have a corm that I got from Jarred. Still waiting for a leaf to come up. It might take it awhile. But, I can wait - guess there really isn't much choice.....

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Rmplmnz

Very cool...check out the terminal end:

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More pics:
red iholene and african rhino horn photos please

Richard

Hey Jarred,

The African Rhino Horn you sent last year is doing great. It went through the winter here with no problems, and is certainly the most beautiful plant in my banana plat. Thanks!



I like it so much that I've started a whole colony of them!

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sunfish

Looks good. The planter is doing it's job

Abnshrek

I second that motion on it being a very pretty plant, but did you need that many reproductions? Those look good too btw. :^)

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Richard

Thanks! When the little plants have matured enough I will sell them to local nurseries and at 3 farmers markets here in San Diego.

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cherokee_greg

Nice plant very pertty plant.

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Greg zone 9 Fresno,CA
http://gardenjot.com/garden/view/1980/Gregs-Banana-Farm

Richard

Bud fall.

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Richard

The fruit has been turning from green to yellow the last few weeks but the night-time temperatures are starting to fall. I have cut the bunch and hung it in the garage where the temperatures stay above 60 F. The fingers are 5-6 inches in length and 1.5 inches wide.

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Rmplmnz

This ARH?

Looks different than the other ARH I have seen.

It has more bananas and the bloom is more distinct and larger?

caliboy1994

I don't think that's ARH. Gabe said that ARH only produces one hand of bananas.

African Rhino Horn blooming! Pic intense.

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