Chronic problems with Sunburn and Rot
 

This year looks like it's going to be yet another sad banana summer here in Phoenix AZ.

I am having chronic problems when the temps kick up, and what begins as sunburned leaves always ends up as brown rot and dead plants.

This is confusing because I have multiple successful growers telling me conflicting things (and of course their conditions are probably not the same): water twice per month only OR water twice per day.

I've lost a few and stumped a few more below the rot. Does this sound like the likely problem -- sunburn then rot as the plant doesn't need the water without the full set of leaves?

Any prognosis or tips on getting plants to come back after their tops rot?

Re: Chronic problems with Sunburn and Rot
 

are talking pots or inground? world of difference there.

Re: Chronic problems with Sunburn and Rot
 

Pix?
Current cultural practices? Water? Fertilizer? Compost and mulch? Soil type?
Plant location? Full sun? Partial shade?

Re: Chronic problems with Sunburn and Rot
 

Both potted and in-ground plants suffered a similar fate. I'll grab some pics and post shortly.

Our soil is ph 8+, tap water is hard, and in-ground plants were mulched 6" earlier this year. Many were watered on drip 2-3x per week, potted plants were hand watered usually 5-7 times per week.

Added bone meal, organic fertilizer, and fish emulsion to all the plants as per a soil lab's results for my neighbor down the street. Many of these bananas were younger, and I've been busy, so for the past 3 months it has just been the occasional coffee grounds dumped at the base of a few plants.

The two that I cut far back today were planted on the south side of the house, got a lot of sun but also a little rainwater. (South side because we freeze as well)

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Compost: Some plants got it at planting, others did not. Thick mulch layer. Did not rake away to add more after summer began.
Potting soil: Primarily Kelloggs patio plus.
Locations: Under a tree, south side of house, east side of a block fence. Potted and in-ground.
Shade: None getting full shade or all-day filtered shade. That will be my next attempt, with shade cloth.

Re: Chronic problems with Sunburn and Rot
 

Photos:

Praying hands in a 15g pot. Just cut past the brown rot. South side of house, hand watered, 3' pstem.
Also in pic: little Raja Puri (somehow unscathed???) in ground. Starfruit seedling. Those are in-ground.


Praying hands in ground two feet from the potted one. South side of house, hand watered, 5' pstem. All these PH are TC's from the same tray. Pineapple tops, seedling guava in same hole.


PH under a mesquite tree for the most afternoon protection of any of these. Rotted away. Hasn't been watered in 7+ days, totally shut down and moved emitter, still exudes water. Had previously tried to cut off the rot, failed. Emitter was very close to base. Base is about 4" across.


PH that gets less shade than the one above. Also it's not on drip, and too often I forget to water it. It's taken a hit and I am very surprised to see the new leaf.


Just to puzzle me more, this banana gets more sun than the previous two. Manzano with pups. Directly east of lemongrass. On drip, never the recipient of coffee grounds / compost / etc.


And one more to show that things DO grow in my yard - Strawberry Verte. An Encanto Farms original, right? :)

Re: Chronic problems with Sunburn and Rot
 

I would refrain from using coffee grounds unless they are fully composted first (allelopathic ). Last year 114 F temperatures and afternoon sunshine totally fried some of my banana and avocado plants as well.

Re: Chronic problems with Sunburn and Rot
 

Talked with a guy from Pakistan. He suggested planting corn around plants to shade them from the sun. I haven’t done it but it sounds interesting.

Re: Chronic problems with Sunburn and Rot
 

Your biggest problem is the radiant heat from the hot Sun. Bananas shut down and fold their leaves when air temps or radiant heat goes over 100 deg F. The leaves (surface temp) will burn when the temps are excess of 120 deg F (radiant heat). ... In Phoenix AZ, your plants need after noon shading from the hot Sun. ...Could you fry an egg on the sidewalk this summer???? ... so your nana plants were frying too.



Next Bananas transpire a large amount of water when trying to cool itself. The plant & roots can suck all the water out of the ground within its root zone quickly. ... Also, a problem of lost soil water due to evaporation to the atmosphere. This is a measurement tracked by your state Ag reports. This can also be a problem if not replaced or the roots can't reach the water table.



This summer, during our drought, I turned on the water sprinkler twice every day. My nana leaves did not fold down. The air temps were in the 90s to near 100 and the bright sun has radiant temps over 100 and much higher.



Your solution is to install sprinklers and shading.



Also, a PH of 8 is too high. It should be about 6.8 (6.2 to 7).

Re: Chronic problems with Sunburn and Rot
 

The root system goes out several feet from the plant. The corm does not need water like the roots do. It St Louis I do not water until the leaves fold/wilt. That has been a few years ago. When I do water I use a sprinkler and water an area several feet around the plant.

It takes weeks of rain to need to water heavily mulched plants. Of course Aridzona will need more water than here.

Re: Chronic problems with Sunburn and Rot
 

That's a good point George, because mine don't go from wilted to brown. They usually go from happy to raggedy edges to brown. I'm thinking the sun is getting them first, and then I am overwating in an attempt to "bring em back".

It's very weird to have dry crispy tops and rotting stems.

Re: Chronic problems with Sunburn and Rot
 

Thanks all. I'll add shade and above-ground sprinkler/humidity to see if that is going to be the big fix for my site.

Still have a nagging feeling that I am doing something wrong, since others in Phoenix are growing bananas -- in our ph 8 soil and some in full sun. On flood irrigation and on drip. At least one nursery loves to espouse "full sun plant!" but I should know better than to trust that.

They are definitely a hobby plant here, no one is going to run a plantation anytime soon or sell bananas by the roadside. Mine are just taking one heck of a beating.

Re: Chronic problems with Sunburn and Rot
 

I am not an expert here by any means

but the same bananas that thrive in my front yard hardly grow in the back yard.

now I know for a fact that for at least a quarter of a mile around me the soils to 3000 ft deap are pretty much the same.

I believe it is heat related. little more shade in the front than the back. never put a thermometer out to see but it feels hotter in the back.

also seems to be the people on the coastal areas around that have bananas do much better than us people inland. I think coastal breezes cooling the bananas some what. :2738:

Re: Chronic problems with Sunburn and Rot
 

I agree with the radiant heat probably being the problem for the one next to the wall. It will just heat up and roast the banana that is next to it.