Banana trunk is too skinny.

Want Them All · 08-12-2015, 12:18 PM

Some of the stalks on my bananas are not as thick as in years past, this has caused them to fall over, even with minimal wind. What caused this condition? Lack of fertilizer? Too many other trees nearby? Water?
Thanks,

siege2050 · 08-12-2015, 12:24 PM

Shade could definitely be an issue, most plants that dont do well in shade will stretch for the light, what has changed since the past that might make them grow this way, have some nearby trees matured?

Want Them All · 08-12-2015, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by siege2050

Shade could definitely be an issue, most plants that dont do well in shade will stretch for the light, what has changed since the past that might make them grow this way, have some nearby trees matured?

My yard is what one may refer to as "density planting"

. I crammed a bunch of different plants in there. I'm not sure shading is the primary issue, I get intense full sun all the time. The closest tallish tree is an apricot, but I prune it down pretty heavily. No shade is cast on the banana plant by anything. I'm inclined to think that it's a lack of nutrients, due to too many plants competing for them. I water the whole yard pretty good, and I know that bananas are thirsty by nature, so they get lots of water.
Thanks,

pitangadiego · 08-12-2015, 01:41 PM

Fertilize. Bananas are heavy, heavy feeders.

Want Them All · 08-12-2015, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pitangadiego

Fertilize. Bananas are heavy, heavy feeders.

Is it OK to just sprinkle on the ground and water it in, or do I need to work it into the soil? I'm looking for the easy way out.

siege2050 · 08-12-2015, 05:29 PM

Haha, my yard is so crammed full of plants its gonna blow up one day lol, I just use an evil Miracle grow sprayer for ease, it would be near impossible to fertilize each one individually, but Miracle Grow is missing Calcium, and Magnesium so that might be an issue later if you use it a lot, and the miracle grow makes everything acidified over time. If they are getting sun then yep, probably nutrition.

JP · 08-12-2015, 07:53 PM

Easy way out... Why don't you piss on your nanners? That should be easy enough!

Kat2 · 08-12-2015, 08:40 PM

I must have really dumb luck because I know my native FL "soil" isn't very fertile but my bananas are doing quite well topdressed with 4" of county compost (leaves and wood broken down) and a very occasional shot of Miracid (because I bought a bunch really cheap so I sometimes dose all my plants). If I possessed a handy hose, I'd pee on them but I don't so I don't. (I do hope to add some animal manure at some point--just haven't found a local source yet.)

JP · 08-12-2015, 08:54 PM

If you're going to add manure, make sure it's well composted. You don't want to burn your roots.

Kat2 · 08-12-2015, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP

If you're going to add manure, make sure it's well composted. You don't want to burn your roots.

Depends on the manure. Chicken must be very well aged; bunny and goat droppings are good to go fresh. Horse and cow should wait for a bit. Here in FL it doesn't take very long for kitchen scraps/yard waste to break down.

OT but funny now--not then. Years ago I had a very nice compost bin going against the fence on my property line; the EX wouldn't let me compost because we had rats in the city. The next lot was about 1 foot lower than mine--keep that in mind.

I dutifully fed my bin for 5 years and never got anything for my efforts. One day I was speaking with my "other side of the fence" neighbor about good dirt. "I have no worries about that. There's been a steady supply of the nicest black soil collecting under the fence for the past few years. My hydrangeas couldn't be happier."

Thud.

pitangadiego · 08-12-2015, 11:39 PM

Yes, pour it on and water it in.

crazy banana · 08-12-2015, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP

If you're going to add manure, make sure it's well composted. You don't want to burn your roots.

That might be the case with other plants but I have used chicken droppings straight out of my chicken coop on my banana mats for years. And the banana plants do not mind fresh horse manure either.
Compost and mulch is always good, "Fruit Fuel" is dynamite as well.
It is hard to over fertilize.

JCA433 · 08-13-2015, 08:25 PM

If you fertilize too much, calcium deficiency will develop. I think this is what happened to some of my banana plants this year. Calcium deficiency will also cause the cigar leaf to bend and deform.

JP · 08-13-2015, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazy banana

That might be the case with other plants but I have used chicken droppings straight out of my chicken coop on my banana mats for years. And the banana plants do not mind fresh horse manure either.
Compost and mulch is always good, "Fruit Fuel" is dynamite as well.
It is hard to over fertilize.

That's good to know.

CountryBoy1981 · 08-13-2015, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazy banana

That might be the case with other plants but I have used chicken droppings straight out of my chicken coop on my banana mats for years. And the banana plants do not mind fresh horse manure either.
Compost and mulch is always good, "Fruit Fuel" is dynamite as well.
It is hard to over fertilize.

You haven't had a problem using fresh chicken chicken droppings? Never tried it because I didn't want to burn them but if you've had luck I just may.

a.hulva@coxinet.net · 08-13-2015, 11:22 PM

There ain't no such thing as a free !

08-12-2015, 12:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
Want Them All Want Them All's Photo Gallery Location: Central California, USA Find me on the map! Zone: 9 Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 553 BananaBucks : 464,891 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 3 Times Was Thanked 333 Times in 140 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Banana trunk is too skinny. Some of the stalks on my bananas are not as thick as in years past, this has caused them to fall over, even with minimal wind. What caused this condition? Lack of fertilizer? Too many other trees nearby? Water? Thanks, __________________

08-12-2015, 12:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
siege2050 Hobby obsessor maximus Location: Oklahoma Find me on the map! Zone: zone 7 Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 1,092 BananaBucks : 360,856 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 854 Times Was Thanked 1,295 Times in 614 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 85 Times	Re: Banana trunk is too skinny. Shade could definitely be an issue, most plants that dont do well in shade will stretch for the light, what has changed since the past that might make them grow this way, have some nearby trees matured? __________________ If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any Banana pudding! How can you have any Banana pudding if you don't eat yer meat?! Click for weather forecast

08-12-2015, 01:41 PM	#4 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,481 BananaBucks : 129,555 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 2,706 Times in 923 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Banana trunk is too skinny. Fertilize. Bananas are heavy, heavy feeders. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

08-12-2015, 05:29 PM	#6 (permalink)
siege2050 Hobby obsessor maximus Location: Oklahoma Find me on the map! Zone: zone 7 Join Date: Oct 2013 Posts: 1,092 BananaBucks : 360,856 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 854 Times Was Thanked 1,295 Times in 614 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 85 Times	Re: Banana trunk is too skinny. Haha, my yard is so crammed full of plants its gonna blow up one day lol, I just use an evil Miracle grow sprayer for ease, it would be near impossible to fertilize each one individually, but Miracle Grow is missing Calcium, and Magnesium so that might be an issue later if you use it a lot, and the miracle grow makes everything acidified over time. If they are getting sun then yep, probably nutrition. __________________ If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any Banana pudding! How can you have any Banana pudding if you don't eat yer meat?! Click for weather forecast

08-12-2015, 07:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
JP Location: Trois-Rivières, Québec Find me on the map! Zone: 4 Name: JP Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 1,225 BananaBucks : 147,502 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,953 Times Was Thanked 1,690 Times in 815 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 304 Times	Re: Banana trunk is too skinny. Easy way out... Why don't you piss on your nanners? That should be easy enough!

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08-12-2015, 08:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
Kat2 Location: Now nesting in Titusville, FL Zone: 10A or 9B ish. Like it matters? Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 2,153 BananaBucks : 239,640 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 2,921 Times Was Thanked 2,669 Times in 1,322 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 595 Times	Re: Banana trunk is too skinny. I must have really dumb luck because I know my native FL "soil" isn't very fertile but my bananas are doing quite well topdressed with 4" of county compost (leaves and wood broken down) and a very occasional shot of Miracid (because I bought a bunch really cheap so I sometimes dose all my plants). If I possessed a handy hose, I'd pee on them but I don't so I don't. (I do hope to add some animal manure at some point--just haven't found a local source yet.) __________________

08-12-2015, 08:54 PM	#9 (permalink)
JP Location: Trois-Rivières, Québec Find me on the map! Zone: 4 Name: JP Join Date: Nov 2014 Posts: 1,225 BananaBucks : 147,502 Feedback: 3 / 100% Said "Thanks" 1,953 Times Was Thanked 1,690 Times in 815 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 304 Times	Re: Banana trunk is too skinny. If you're going to add manure, make sure it's well composted. You don't want to burn your roots.

08-12-2015, 11:39 PM	#11 (permalink)
pitangadiego Senior Member Location: San Diego, CA Find me on the map! Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,481 BananaBucks : 129,555 Feedback: 9 / 100% Said "Thanks" 2 Times Was Thanked 2,706 Times in 923 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	Re: Banana trunk is too skinny. Yes, pour it on and water it in. __________________ Encanto Farms Nursery http://encantofarms.com We Be Bananas http://webebananas.com

08-13-2015, 08:25 PM	#13 (permalink)
JCA433 Location: Homestead, Florida Zone: Zone 10 Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 330 BananaBucks : 83,591 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 433 Times in 162 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 4 Times	Re: Banana trunk is too skinny. If you fertilize too much, calcium deficiency will develop. I think this is what happened to some of my banana plants this year. Calcium deficiency will also cause the cigar leaf to bend and deform. Last edited by JCA433 : 08-13-2015 at 08:40 PM.

08-13-2015, 11:22 PM	#16 (permalink)
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